To-Do List When Quitting Biglaw Forum

[Anonymous User]

I plan to quit my BigLaw job in the near future and would like to brainstorm to-do items prior to submitting notice. I have searched related TLS threads and found none with this topic as the focus.

Here are a few to-do items that I have considered thus far:

Future Employment

* Briefly summarize projects on which I have worked (including involvement, deal size, etc.) for future employment searches

* Update resume

* Determine bar requirements for current year and how to fulfill them (if applicable)

* Get contact information from colleagues and clients that you may want to stay in touch with for networking purposes.

Administrative

* Submit outstanding expenses for company reimbursement

* Save login information related to administrative/health/benefit materials (e.g. ADP username/password for future tax filings, healthcare username/passwords, etc.)

Personal

* Schedule and go to needed doctor/dentist appointments

* Copy all personal files and personal emails from company laptop/cell phone

* Transition funds from FSA/HSA/401(k)/etc. (if applicable)


I would love to hear additional recommendations on what to do prior to turning in one's resignation notice. I will update this post with additional suggestions as users comment. Thanks!

[v5junior]

* Receive alternative job offer

[Toni V]

Be extremely friendly and cooperative with everyone (partners in particular)…..at some point you may want them as references.

[jhett]

Get contact information from colleagues and clients that you may want to stay in touch with for networking purposes.

[Anonymous User]

Bump for the poster who asked about this thread.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks

[Anonymous User]

Generate or request list of matters you worked on to allow you to run conflicts if you ever return to a law firm.

[BeeTeeZ]

If there is someone in the office you have a crush on, it's now or never.

[Anonymous User]

Is it better to quit at the beginning of the week as opposed to say a Wednesday or a Friday? Can't see why it would matter, but just curious.

[Anonymous User]

Give your regards to staff

Grab coffee with your mentor/ mentee

Turn off your cellphone for at least a week

[sparty99]

I plan to quit my BigLaw job in the near future and would like to brainstorm to-do items prior to submitting notice. I have searched related TLS threads and found none with this topic as the focus.

Here are a few to-do items that I have considered thus far:

Future Employment

* Briefly summarize projects on which I have worked (including involvement, deal size, etc.) for future employment searches

* Update resume

* Determine bar requirements for current year and how to fulfill them (if applicable)

* Get contact information from colleagues and clients that you may want to stay in touch with for networking purposes.

Administrative

* Submit outstanding expenses for company reimbursement

* Save login information related to administrative/health/benefit materials (e.g. ADP username/password for future tax filings, healthcare username/passwords, etc.)

Personal

* Schedule and go to needed doctor/dentist appointments

* Copy all personal files and personal emails from company laptop/cell phone

* Transition funds from FSA/HSA/401(k)/etc. (if applicable)


I would love to hear additional recommendations on what to do prior to turning in one's resignation notice. I will update this post with additional suggestions as users comment. Thanks!

No one cares what you plan on doing once you quit big law...

[albanach]

No one cares what you plan on doing once you quit big law...

Strange, I'm not in BigLaw, but plenty of folk here are and threads about transitioning out are not uncommon. Why wouldn't folk be interested in a ready made to-do list?

[sparty99]

No one cares what you plan on doing once you quit big law...

Strange, I'm not in BigLaw, but plenty of folk here are and threads about transitioning out are not uncommon. Why wouldn't folk be interested in a ready made to-do list?

because you are an adult and its no different then leaving any other job.

[shock259]

Generate or request list of matters you worked on to allow you to run conflicts if you ever return to a law firm.

This x1000. The list is so much easier to make when you have access to your emails.

[albanach]

No one cares what you plan on doing once you quit big law...

Strange, I'm not in BigLaw, but plenty of folk here are and threads about transitioning out are not uncommon. Why wouldn't folk be interested in a ready made to-do list?

because you are an adult and its no different then leaving any other job.

I'm an adult. Lots of folk on here are K-JD and this may be their first job, and very likely their first proper job that came with a pension, benefits, etc. So the question is reasonable to that extent.

Secondly, it's not like any other job. Things like getting a report of matters for future conflict checks is the sort of thing that could be forgotten and could be helpful down the road. If you've never worked in a licensed profession before, you might not think to update the state bar with your new information.

If you already have all the answers, there's plenty of other threads to read.

[waytoplant]

Bumping this. Any other thoughts? Especially for someone going in-house from biglaw?

[Anonymous User]

Is it better to quit at the beginning of the week as opposed to say a Wednesday or a Friday? Can't see why it would matter, but just curious.

I know the quoted post was made months ago, but since this thread's been resurrected...

Just give notice at least two weeks in advance of when you want your last day to be. I gave notice on a Friday and left a hair over two weeks later, on a Monday. Don't feel any pressure to give notice or leave at the beginning/end of a calendar week/month or pay period. Firms don't care.

[r6_philly]

If you are a litigator, update all your efiling accounts and make sure to change from your firm emails. Once you lose access to your firm emails, there is no easy to update your information.

[Anonymous User]

Is it better to quit at the beginning of the week as opposed to say a Wednesday or a Friday? Can't see why it would matter, but just curious.

I know the quoted post was made months ago, but since this thread's been resurrected...

Just give notice at least two weeks in advance of when you want your last day to be. I gave notice on a Friday and left a hair over two weeks later, on a Monday. Don't feel any pressure to give notice or leave at the beginning/end of a calendar week/month or pay period. Firms don't care.

How would you recommend leaving in mid-January? I prefer not to give notice before new year's, but am not sure if 1/11 or 1/18 should be the last day. Moving is involved.

[Anonymous User]

Is it better to quit at the beginning of the week as opposed to say a Wednesday or a Friday? Can't see why it would matter, but just curious.

I know the quoted post was made months ago, but since this thread's been resurrected...

Just give notice at least two weeks in advance of when you want your last day to be. I gave notice on a Friday and left a hair over two weeks later, on a Monday. Don't feel any pressure to give notice or leave at the beginning/end of a calendar week/month or pay period. Firms don't care.

How would you recommend leaving in mid-January? I prefer not to give notice before new year's, but am not sure if 1/11 or 1/18 should be the last day. Moving is involved.

If you give notice on 1/2, then 2 weeks would be 1/16. You don't have to have your last day be a Friday - as noted above, my last day was a Monday (and it wasn't the end of the month either), and I didn't get any pushback from my firm when I proposed/requested that date.

Further, I don't have anything beyond gut instinct to support this... but my opinion is that, so long as you aren't leaving anyone in the lurch, firms probably wouldn't even care that much if you propose leaving in less than 2 weeks.