I left software engineering after about 10 years to become a patent attorney. I'm about 3 months in (post-law school).
I left software engineering because I just couldn't see myself doing it for another 20 years, especially if it was going to involve even more meetings (ie. management). I chose patent law because it seemed tech-adjacent.
I'm in biglaw now. Too early to say if this was a wise move or not, but I do find myself fondly reminiscing about my cushy life as a SWE often, already. I have work much, much harder as a patent attorney and have much less free time and time off. Yes I get paid more, too. This is partially a function of biglaw, and partially a function of the legal world in general that is tethered to the billable hour.
I guess my point is to take careful stock of the lifestyle being a SWE affords you relative to the workload and compensation before making any drastic moves.
I left software engineering because I just couldn't see myself doing it for another 20 years, especially if it was going to involve even more meetings (ie. management). I chose patent law because it seemed tech-adjacent.
I'm in biglaw now. Too early to say if this was a wise move or not, but I do find myself fondly reminiscing about my cushy life as a SWE often, already. I have work much, much harder as a patent attorney and have much less free time and time off. Yes I get paid more, too. This is partially a function of biglaw, and partially a function of the legal world in general that is tethered to the billable hour.
I guess my point is to take careful stock of the lifestyle being a SWE affords you relative to the workload and compensation before making any drastic moves.