More and more lawyers are leaving Big Law for entrepreneurship for entirely new reasons: They want to practice in a way that upholds their beliefs. 

• Big Law has always had a churn problem: The stress pushes out young lawyers all the time, and down economies lead to massive layoffs. Lately, however, as Law.com reports, lawyers have opted out of Big Law on their own. 

• For one thing, the transition is easier: Social media makes it possible for anyone to market themselves, and platforms for solo work (like Lawtrades!) offer an opportunity to build client bases, too. 

Then there’s the generational shift

Millennials care more about social issues and are risk-takers, legal recruiter Shannon Rahman told Law.com. “They’re willing to put themselves out there and do something non-traditional—and see if that works out,” she said.  

The Verdict

With remote work the standard in 2020 and so far in 2021, expect lawyers who have gotten used to WFH life to be even more comfortable with bold career moves.