Valarie Hogan

Transitioning from Big Law to Public Interest: Liberté, Egalité, Frugalité

By Valarie Hogan • January 31, 2013 •Careers

Last month, I introduced the topic at hand: transitioning from a private firm to public interest work. This month’s motto is, to borrow a dated catch phrase: SHOW ME THE MONEY [video]. After all, what your current job may lack in personal satisfaction, your new job will lack in money (full frontal honesty: I don’t even look at my pay stubs because they make me sad). First and foremost, you have to be realistic about what you can afford to do. This means that you have to think about the city you live in, the life you lead, and –…

read more

Trading in the Expense Account: Transitioning from Big Law to Public Interest: New Year, New You. New JOB?

By Valarie Hogan • January 02, 2013 •Careers

Ah, January 2013. It’s the beginning of a new year and, perhaps, time to think about what lies in your future – personally and professionally. At this time last year, I woke up one morning knowing, not just thinking, that things needed to change. I wasn’t unhappy, but I knew that I didn’t want to keep doing what I was doing. So, I took a chance, quit my firm and my six-figure salary, and took a non-profit job making roughly a quarter of my previous salary.  And, I love it. This series will be about what it takes to give…

read more