# Why lawyers want to leave their firm: causes, costs and Mac fixes for 2026

> Lawyers leave firms over work quality, hours, career goals and burnout. See the costs, the data behind each cause and fixes you can try now.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/for/lawyers/problems/why-lawyers-want-to-leave-firm
Updated: 2026-11-06

Lawyers want to leave their firm when the work stops fitting their goals, their hours or their health. In NALP's data on departing associates, the top reasons were practice interests, career change, location and work quality. This page covers the costs, the causes and the fixes you can try without buying anything.

## Quick answer

- Associate attrition reached 20% in 2024, the first rise since 2021. Most departing associates left within four years.
- The top entry-level reasons in one NALP study were practice interests (17%), career change (16%) and location (14%).
- Wellbeing is part of it. In a 2016 survey, 28% reported at least mild depression, but only 7% sought help for substance use.
- Before you act, write your reasons down, read your contract and check your state's client-notice rules.

## What lawyers wanting to leave their firm costs you

- **Your time and income during the switch.** A move takes longer than most people plan for. Interviews, notice periods and a new start date stack up. Expect a gap in billing, bonus timing or both. The sources here give no typical length, so ask recruiters and former colleagues what they saw.
- **Client duties that fall on you.** If you had primary or substantial responsibility for clients, you may need to notify them promptly. Mishandled notice can create problems for you and for them. Get the process right before you tell anyone outside the firm, and follow your state's rules.
- **Mental health and burnout.** Staying in a poor fit has a cost too. In the 2016 study, 28% reported at least mild depression, 19% reported anxiety and 23% reported stress. These figures come from volunteers who answered a survey, so they are a signal, not a headcount.
- **Waiting too long to ask for help.** Only 7% of respondents sought help for alcohol or substance use. For mental health concerns, 37% sought help. Many lawyers wait until a problem is large. Ask for help at the first warning sign, not after a crisis.
- **The firm side of the ledger.** Firms also lose something when people go. Some articles put a dollar figure on that loss. No primary source was found for any such figure, so do not use one in a negotiation or a resignation letter. The NALP attrition data is a safer reference.
- **Career direction after the move.** A move can mean in-house work, a different practice or a different city. NALP reported that in-house counsel rose to 18% of where departing associates went, from 15%. Each option changes your pay path, your hours and your network. Compare them against your goals, not the title.

## Why it happens

1. **Practice interests stop fitting.** Practice interests were the top entry-level reason, at 17%, in Keeping the Keepers IV. That reason is about the work itself, not the people. If the practice area drifted from what you wanted, a transfer or a new group may solve it. If the whole field is wrong, a move may be the only fix.
2. **Career change and the in-house pull.** Career change was the next reason, at 16%. Many lawyers reach a point where they want a different role, such as in-house counsel. NALP's 2024 update showed in-house work as a growing destination, at 18%. Ask whether you want a new role or a new employer. Those are different searches.
3. **Location and family life.** Geographic locale was cited for 14% of entry-level departures. For some lawyers, a partner's job, a family need or a move back home changes everything. Work-family conflict was the strongest predictor of wanting to leave for women in the 2021 study. Decide where you want to live before you compare titles.
4. **Work quality and productivity.** Work quality standards were cited for 13%, and productivity for 9%. Those reasons may mean the work does not match your training, or the output expected does not match how you work. Ask in writing what good work looks like at your firm, and check the answer against your own list.
5. **Hours and work-life balance.** Work-life balance was cited for 9%. In the NALP data it sits near productivity, not at the top. It still matters to people who feel it every day. Log your hours for two weeks before you decide it is the main cause.
6. **The long drift out of private practice.** Many lawyers leave private practice over a career, not in one move. In one long-running study of lawyers admitted to the bar in 2000, the share in private practice fell from 68.5% to 48.5%. Your choice may fit a wider pattern, so judge it against your own plan, not a single year.

## How to fix it

- **Write your reasons down in order.** Write a plain list of what bothers you about the work, the hours, the people and the path. Rank the items from most to least painful. Mark each one as fixable at the firm, fixable only by leaving, or unclear. This turns a general feeling into a list you can test. Keep it on your own Mac in Apple Notes, not in a firm system.
- **Hold a stay conversation.** A stay conversation is a short, structured talk with a partner or practice head about what keeps you and what would make you go. Ask what would change in the next year. Write the answers down. Few studies test whether this works, so treat it as a test, not a cure.
- **Ask a mentor who left and one who stayed.** Pick two people. One should have left a firm. The other should have stayed. Ask each what they would check before deciding. A mentor outside your group sees your work without a bonus to protect. Mentoring advice in this area is mostly expert opinion, so weigh it on its merits.
- **Log your hours for two weeks.** Track start and end times for two weeks. Use Calendar or a plain text file on your Mac. Count evenings and weekends separately. Compare the total with what you expected when you joined. Keep client names out of the log. A log turns a feeling into a figure you can discuss with a mentor or a partner.
- **Name the family pressure exactly.** If family life is the pressure, name the three events you keep missing. Then ask what coverage, schedule or staffing would fix each one. Women in the 2021 study with high work-family conflict were 4.60 times more likely to consider leaving. Naming the conflict is the first step, not the cure.
- **Check your contract and client rules.** Find your notice period, bonus terms and any restrictive clauses in your agreement. Note which clients you may contact after you leave. Then read your state's ethics rules on departing lawyers and client notice. NYC Bar Opinion 2023-1 is one example, and state rules differ. Consider an employment lawyer for any clause you do not understand.
- **Get the new job's promises in writing.** If a new firm makes an offer, ask for the hours, the practice mix, the review process and the reporting line in writing. Verbal promises are easy to forget. Compare the written answers with what you heard in interviews. A new firm can fix one cause and create another, so check the whole list.

Most lawyers who leave a firm do it for a mix of reasons. Those reasons build up over months, not in one bad week. The practice area stops fitting, the hours keep growing and partnership looks far away. Then a recruiter calls, and the search starts. This page covers how common leaving is, what it costs, why it happens and what you can try.

![A lawyer at a laptop weighing options, the moment many people start to ask why lawyers want to leave their firm](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/problem/why-lawyers-want-to-leave-firm/why-lawyers-want-to-leave-their-firm-1-7342a3.jpg)

## How common is it to leave a law firm?

Common, and it rose in 2024. The NALP Foundation reported overall associate attrition of 20% for 2024, up from 18% the year before. Departures rose from 3,875 in 2023 to 4,125 in 2024. It was the first increase since 2021, across 119 US and Canadian firms.

- **20%** Overall associate attrition in 2024, across 119 US and Canadian firms ([source](https://www.nalpfoundation.org/news/the-nalp-foundation-releases-latest-update-on-associate-attrition-and-hiring-(cy-24)))
- **31%** Attrition at firms with fewer than 100 lawyers, against 17% to 19% at larger firms ([source](https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/resources/practice-management/associate-attrition-rises-first-time-in-three-years-highest-in-small-firms-nalp-survey/392395))
- **74%** Share of departing associates who left within their first four years ([source](https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/resources/practice-management/associate-attrition-rises-first-time-in-three-years-highest-in-small-firms-nalp-survey/392395))
- **24.2%** Women lawyers in a 2021 study who had considered leaving because of mental health, burnout or stress ([source](https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0250563))

Firm size changes the odds. Firms with fewer than 100 lawyers had 31% attrition in the 2024 update. The three larger size groups ranged from 17% to 19%. The data shows the gap. It does not say why smaller firms lose more people.

Timing matters too. Of departing associates, 74% left within their first four years. About one-fifth left after two years, and roughly half had gone by year three. If you are early in your career, look at your reasons now, before the pattern sets.

## What leaving costs you, and what staying costs

Both choices cost something. Leaving costs time, income certainty and client duties. Staying costs energy, sleep and sometimes health. Start with the costs you can count. Then look at the ones you only notice over time. Public figures for what a firm loses per departure are shaky, so this page does not use them.

Wellbeing costs show up in the survey data. In a 2016 study of 12,825 licensed, employed attorneys, 28% reported at least mild depression and 21% scored at problematic-drinking levels. The sample was volunteer-recruited and relied partly on self-report. Treat the figures as a warning, not an exact count.

The help gap is the cost many people miss. Only 7% of respondents sought help for alcohol or substance use. For mental health concerns, 37% sought help. If you are struggling, reach out early to a doctor, a counselor or a confidential support line, if your state bar or employer offers one.

You will see dollar figures for what an associate departure costs a firm. Those figures trace back to secondary sources. No primary source turned up for them, so treat them as talking points, not facts. Ask a recruiter or a former colleague what a move looks like in your market.

## Why lawyers want to leave: causes behind the exit

Firms often decide who stays. In Keeping the Keepers IV, a NALP Foundation study of more than 20,000 departures, 54% of associate departures were ones the firm did not want. In 24% of cases, the firm wanted the associate to go. If the firm did not want you to leave, you may have room to ask for change.

![Lawyers meeting in a law office, the setting where workload and career talks often happen](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/problem/why-lawyers-want-to-leave-firm/why-lawyers-want-to-leave-their-firm-2-18c7b8.jpg)

| Entry-level reason to leave | Share of departures |
| --- | --- |
| Practice interests | 17% |
| Career change | 16% |
| Geographic locale | 14% |
| Work quality standards | 13% |
| Client hire | 10% |
| Productivity | 9% |
| Work-life balance | 9% |

_Top entry-level reasons in Keeping the Keepers IV, using 2012 to 2018 data._

Read the table as a ranking, not a diagnosis. Practice interests top the list, which points to the work itself. Career change and location come next. Those may mean a change in life as well as in the job. Work quality, productivity and balance cover the daily pressure.

## How burnout and family pressure push lawyers out

Burnout can be a cause and a result. In a 2021 PLOS ONE study of 2,863 currently employed lawyers, 24.2% of women and 17.4% of men had considered leaving the profession. They cited mental health problems, burnout or stress. That question is bigger than one firm.

For women, work-family conflict was the strongest predictor. High conflict made women 4.60 times more likely to consider leaving (95% confidence interval 3.09 to 7.01). The study ran during COVID-19, so it cannot show cause. It also did not examine help-seeking, so it cannot say whether things have improved.

If family life is the pressure, name the exact events you keep missing. That is more useful than a general sense of overload. The next section gives you a way to test it against your own week.

## How to test your reasons before you act

1. Write three things that bother you most about your current work. Use plain words, not job titles.
2. Mark each item as fixable inside the firm, fixable only by leaving, or unclear.
3. Log your hours for two weeks. Compare the total with what you expected when you joined.
4. Ask one person you trust to challenge your list. Let them argue the other side.
5. Set a date to decide. Write down what would change your mind before that date.

## Fixes you can use without buying anything

Most fixes cost time, not money. The evidence for them is thin, so treat each one as a test, not a cure. Start with the ones that give you information fastest. Those are the reasons list, the hours log and the contract check.

## Leaving the right way: client duties, files and email

The ethics rules matter more than most lawyers expect. Under NYC Bar Opinion 2023-1, a departing lawyer must promptly notify clients for whom they had primary or substantial responsibility, or who have active matters. Joint notice from the lawyer and firm is preferred but not required. This page relies on the NYC Bar summary of that opinion. Read your own state's rules.

> **Client files belong to the client:** Under the same NYC Bar opinion, the client decides where its files go. Without a written client instruction, you may not remove or keep client files. Personal records and public documents are typically fine to take. Check your state's rules and your firm's policy first.

![Lawyer reading a contract at a desk, a reminder to check client duties before leaving a firm](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/problem/why-lawyers-want-to-leave-firm/why-lawyers-want-to-leave-their-firm-3-ad3d38.jpg)

Email is where people slip. Outlook for Mac has an Archive button. It moves selected messages to an archive folder inside your email account, not to a PST or OLM file. To undo, move the message back to the Inbox. Microsoft says legacy Outlook for Mac support ends in October 2026, and that date has passed, so confirm which version you run. See [Outlook for lawyers on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/for/lawyers/outlook).

## Mistakes that make leaving harder

- Telling clients before the firm has a plan. Check the notice rules first.
- Copying client files to a personal drive or email because it feels fair. The client decides where files go.
- Forwarding client email to a personal address. Your firm's policy may ban it outright.
- Accepting a counteroffer without asking what changes in the work, in writing and by when.
- Assuming a new firm fixes the cause. Check whether the trouble is the practice area, the hours or the people.
- Using an AI tool on client data before your firm approves it.

## Where Lazur helps on your Mac, and where it stops

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac. Hold ⌥ ⌘ to ask about anything on screen, and Lazur answers out loud. Ask where a button is, and Lazur circles it and adds a label. Ask how to do something, and Lazur guides you one click at a time, waiting for each click.

Lazur does not click buttons, edit files or operate other apps for you. It is not a plugin or add-in for Outlook or Word. It listens and looks at the screen only while you hold the shortcut. Audio and the screenshot go to AI providers to answer, and they are not stored.

> **Check your firm first:** Your firm may limit AI tools near client data. Follow its rules before you hold the shortcut over a matter, a client email or a file. Lazur's privacy terms do not replace your firm's policy.

Hold fn to dictate clean, formatted text at the cursor in any app. Use it to draft your reasons list, then read every line before you rely on it. Dictation is unlimited on Pro and Power. Compare plans on the [pricing page](https://www.lazur.app/pricing).

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where is the Archive button in Outlook?”: Lazur draws a circle and a label around the Archive button. It does not press the button for you. (Points at it)
- “Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask where the Archive button is in Outlook.”: Lazur circles the button and labels it on your screen. It does not click the button for you.
- “Ask Lazur how to change the signature in Outlook.”: Lazur guides you one click at a time and waits for each click. You do the clicking.
- “Hold fn and dictate your reasons list into Notes.”: Dictated text lands at the cursor in any app, with clean formatting. Read every line before you rely on it.
- “Ask Lazur to draft a note asking your practice head for a stay conversation.”: Lazur drafts and types the text. You read, edit and send it yourself.
- “Ask Lazur to remind you on Friday to check your notice period.”: Lazur adds an Apple Reminders item. It does not read your contract for you.
- “Ask Lazur to research public reports on associate attrition.”: Research runs in Lazur's own Chrome tabs and comes back with a summary and a report. Check each number against its source.
- “Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask what a term means in a document your firm allows you to use.”: Lazur explains what is on screen, out loud. It is not legal advice, and your firm's rules still apply.

## A plan you can start this week

- **Day 1: Write the reasons list.** Write the three things that bother you most about your work. Rank them. Mark each one as fixable at the firm, fixable only by leaving, or unclear. Keep the list in Apple Notes on your own Mac, not in a firm system.
- **Day 2: Read your contract.** Find your notice period, bonus terms and any restrictive clauses. Note which clients you may contact after you leave. Flag any clause you do not understand, and plan to ask an employment lawyer about it.
- **Day 3: Log your hours.** Record start and end times for every workday. Use Calendar or a plain text file. Count evenings and weekends separately. Do not paste client names into the log.
- **Day 4: Ask your mentor.** Book a short call with one mentor who has left a firm or stayed. Ask what they would check before deciding. Write their answers next to your own list, so you can compare them later.
- **Day 5: Check your state's rules.** Find your state's ethics opinions on departing lawyers and client notice. Note who must be told and what the client decides about its files. The NYC Bar opinion is one example, but state rules differ, so check yours.
- **Day 6: Sort your own mail.** Archive only your own personal and public records. Use the Archive button in Outlook for Mac for your own messages. Do not forward client files to a personal address, and do not copy them to a personal drive.
- **Day 7: Decide and set a date.** Review the list and the log together. Decide whether to stay for a set period, have one more conversation or start a search. Set a date to revisit the decision in Reminders.

## FAQ

### Is it normal for lawyers to want to leave their firm?

Yes. The NALP Foundation put associate attrition at 20% for 2024, the first rise since 2021. Leaving is common, but the rate depends on firm size and on how long you have been there.

### Why do so many associates leave in the first four years?

In the 2024 NALP data, 74% of departing associates left within four years. About one-fifth left after two years. The data shows timing, not motives, so your own reasons still need checking.

### Do small firms lose lawyers faster than large firms?

In the 2024 NALP update, firms with fewer than 100 lawyers had 31% attrition. The three larger size groups ranged from 17% to 19%. The data shows a gap, not the reason for it.

### Does burnout drive most departures?

Burnout is not a named top reason in the NALP entry-level data. Work quality, productivity and balance are listed. Burnout does appear in a 2021 study, where 24.2% of women and 17.4% of men had considered leaving the profession.

### Should I tell my clients before I tell my firm?

Check the rules first. Under NYC Bar Opinion 2023-1, a departing lawyer must promptly notify clients for whom they had primary or substantial responsibility. State rules may differ. Follow your firm's policy and your ethics rules, and do not rely on this page alone.

### Can I take my client files when I leave?

Not without a written client instruction under NYC Bar Opinion 2023-1. The client decides where its files go. Personal records and public documents are typically acceptable to take. Check your state's rules and your firm's policy first.

### Does Lazur read my client files?

Lazur listens and looks at the screen only while you hold the shortcut. Audio and the screenshot go to AI providers to answer and are not stored. Your firm's rules still decide whether you can use any AI tool near client data.

### Will the Outlook Archive button move my email out of my account?

No. Microsoft says the Archive button moves messages to an archive folder inside your email account, not to a PST or OLM file. Undo by moving the message back to the Inbox. Microsoft also says legacy Outlook for Mac support ends in October 2026, a date that has passed.

## Sources

1. [Canadian Lawyer: Associate attrition rises first time in three years (NALP Foundation survey)](https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/resources/practice-management/associate-attrition-rises-first-time-in-three-years-highest-in-small-firms-nalp-survey/392395), Canadian Lawyer / NALP Foundation, checked 2026-11-07
2. [NALP Foundation: Latest Update on Associate Attrition and Hiring (CY 24)](https://www.nalpfoundation.org/news/the-nalp-foundation-releases-latest-update-on-associate-attrition-and-hiring-(cy-24)), NALP Foundation, checked 2026-11-07
3. [ABA Journal: Law firms lost 15 associates for every 20 they hired (NALP Foundation study)](https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/law-firms-lost-15-associates-for-every-20-they-hired-study-finds), ABA Journal, checked 2026-11-07
4. [NCBE The Bar Examiner: Wellness and the Legal Profession (2016 Krill study)](https://thebarexaminer.ncbex.org/article/march-2016/wellness-and-the-legal-profession-implications-of-the-2016-landmark-study-on-the-prevalence-of-substance-use-and-mental-health-concerns-among-u-s-attorneys/), National Conference of Bar Examiners, checked 2026-11-07
5. [PLOS ONE: Stress, drink, leave: gender-specific risk factors for mental health problems and attrition among licensed attorneys](https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0250563), PLOS ONE, checked 2026-11-07
6. [NCBE The Bar Examiner: After the JD III: The Third Wave of a National Study of Legal Careers](https://thebarexaminer.ncbex.org/article/legal-profession/after-the-jd-iii-the-third-wave-of-a-national-study-of-legal-careers/), National Conference of Bar Examiners, checked 2026-11-07
7. [NYC Bar Association: Opinion 2023-1, Ethical Obligations of Lawyers and Law Firms Relating to Attorney Departures](https://www.nycbar.org/reports/opinion-2023-1-ethical-obligations-of-lawyers-and-law-firms-relating-to-attorney-departures/), New York City Bar Association, checked 2026-11-07
8. [Microsoft Support: Archive messages in Outlook for Mac](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/archive-messages-in-outlook-for-mac), Microsoft, checked 2026-11-07