Hi:

I'm starting research on making the move to the real estate industry. I'm especially interested in the transition experience of any former lawyers here, as well as everyone else smart enough to avoid law school.

Do you find the move rewarding? Any second thoughts?

I practiced Big Law for 4 years, took a sabbatical, and have been trying legal recruiting for half a year. I hated the stress, hours and lack of control in my firm job. However, recruiting hasn't been rosy so far and my problems with it are basically two-fold:

1) My office is completely dysfunctional and I would need to leave regardless of whether I stayed in this career or not. Additionally, I hate commuting downtown and being locked in an office all day. I think I could use the communting time more productively by being local and would value the ability to get out, meet people and move around, at least more often than now.

2) I feel like recruiting is b.s. -- clients (firms) hate you b/c they have to pay huge fees (basically finders fees). Its hard to really provide any meaningful advice to candidates unless they want less money (hardly the case), since the firms that pay the fees are all the largest ones. My office set-up makes it difficult to develop relationships with candidates to generate referrals (clients are divided). Finally, its full of conflicts of interest -- the true client is the firm, but the people you mostly interact with are the candidates, and you have to puff to all of them to keep things moving. I really don't see the value and it feels like more of a crapshoot.

These are quick summaries, but what flags do people see here? I think RE would give me wider latitude/freedom that I like about recruiting w/o the other downsides (incl. poisonous work environment). I feel that with experience and training, I can provide a much better service to clients. Any frank advice?