Dear Advy,
I want to transition to public interest law, but I’m worried about financial stability. How can I manage the mental and emotional toll of this uncertainty, and what practical steps can I take to ensure my financial well-being is on track to support this career move?
Sincerely,
Tentative About Transitioning
Dear Tentative About Transitioning,
Your letter raises an interesting question, and it has implications for something that is uncomfortable for many of us in this profession. We lawyers are often at one-remove from money. We appreciate the things it can buy, but often hate talking about the grubby details of making a living.
Knowing my own limitations, I turned to some people who have years of experience of talking to lawyers about their financial health. The good folks at Lawyers' Financial were willing to give me a hand in answering your letter. Full disclosure: Lawyers' Financial sponsors the good work of the Canadian Bar Association's well-being program including this very column. Having said that, they were more than willing to provide advice that you can use no matter who you turn to for financial advice.
I spoke with Alison Hughes and Pam Lajoie from Lawyers’ Financial. Alison is the Director of National Salesfor Lawyers’ Financial and Pam is the Manager of Financial Planning. I also exchanged e-mails with both afterward and they generously provided some great answers to your question. I’m going to do what we always tell lawyers not to do in written argument, i.e. quote extensively from a higher authority. I’m doing that because, well, Alison and Pam just have a better answer than I could ever give you.
Alison wrote to me:
“First, take a breath. Wanting to pivot toward public-interest work is not reckless; it’s a sign your values are tugging you forward. The anxiety you’re feeling is normal for lawyers (or any professionals) considering change, most especially when money and identity can be wrapped up in the choice. The national well-being study found high levels of stress and burnout across the profession; interestingly, aligning work with values is one of the protective factors. In other words, seeking meaning in your everyday life isn’t indulgence, it’s the antidote to burnout.
Two tracks will help: (A) manage the mental load of uncertainty, and (B) set up a manageable and practical money plan that can weather this transition.
Mind and meaning: quiet the noise, trust the direction.
Name the real risk: Uncertainty blossoms in vagueness. Write down: (1) your floor monthly spend (housing, food, transit, childcare, minimum debt payments), (2) your nice-to-have spend, and (3) your non-negotiables (e.g., benefits, pension, schedule). Seeing the numbers reduces rumination and turns “what if” into “what would it take?” This is a great time to get ruthless with your budget and cut out the McSpending. How many subscription services do you really need?
Buy yourself breathing room with a safety net: Aim to save 6–12 months of floor expenses. Keep it somewhere you can access without tax friction, such as a Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA) in cash, or a High Interest Savings Account (HISA) that you can exit without fees. TFSA growth and withdrawals are tax-free, which makes it an ideal vehicle as your transition fund.
Use tools and resources that are built for lawyers: A counsellor/coach who understands the profession can lower the noise and help with decision-making. Every province and territory has a confidential Lawyer Assistance Program funded for precisely this. You don’t need to be in crisis to use it.”
To Alison’s last point, I can only add “Yes please!”
Alison also touched on how a change in your job can have a profound effect on your sense of identity: “Normalize the identity wobble. Meaningful change often feels like ‘failure’ before it feels like a fit.” You’ll find more information about exploring alternate career paths in a recent letter to this column.
Alison recommended that you build a plan for your transition:
“Step 1: Map the compensation package, not just salary. Many public-interest employers (legal clinics, Legal Aid, ministries, broader public sector, unions, universities) offer stability via benefits you can price in. Remember, it’s not what you make, it’s what you keep.
- Defined-benefit pensions (DB): These convert years of service and earnings into a predictable lifetime pension; some plans integrate with CPP and even include a bridge benefit before age 65. That long-term stability can offset a lower headline salary.
- Example postings: Ontario’s public service legal roles advertise DB pensions, extended health/dental, disability, and parental top-ups; meaning benefits with real dollar value. Legal Aid and clinic postings often note comprehensive benefits and pension participation.
Step 2: Student loans: switch on Repayment Assistance (RAP). If income dips during the move, RAP can cap payments based on income; Ottawa can cover interest and, after time, part of the principal. You reapply every six months. This is a powerful cash-flow lever during a career change.
Step 3: TFSAs and RRSPs: use them intentionally.
- Keep your TFSA as the first-line runway/emergency fund. Withdrawals won’t trigger tax, and the contribution room is restored the following calendar year.
- Consider pausing RRSP contributions during the transition to free cash flow (RRSPs are great, but contributions are optional; the deduction can be deferred to higher-income years post-transition). Redirect these savings to TFSA or floor level expenses, with the intention of returning to them when your income has stabilized.
Step 4: Stage the leap. Reduce risk by sequencing: (a) secure a conditional offer before resigning from your current role, (b) negotiate a start date four to six weeks out, allowing you to bank 2–3 extra paycheques (this also gives you a little breathing room to settle benefits, vacation payouts, or cash out unused leave, all of which increases your cushion), (c) consider keeping one or two private-practice files you genuinely like on limited-scope retainers (with conflicts checks) as a side bridge (only if it doesn’t jeopardize the new role’s policies).
Step 5: Pre-negotiate non-money value. Ask about: professional development funds, flex/hybrid schedules, hours caps, paid time for test case work, or teaching/secondments. These don’t hit the employer’s salary grid but have a massive impact on sustainability.
Step 6: Pension portability questions to ask (if you join a DB plan). Is there a buyback of prior service? Is there integration with CPP? What happens if you leave before vesting? These mechanics affect lifetime value; public-sector plans publish plain-language guides that can give you these answers in writing.
Step 7: Map out a transition budget you can actually live with.
- Months -6 to 0: Stuff that TFSA. Cut your Anchors – like that high-interest debt you’re carrying on credit cards. Investigate and price health/dental gaps in case of a benefits delay in your new role.
- Months 0–6 in role: Trigger RAP (if applicable), keep spending at floor levels while you verify true take-home after pension/benefits deductions; rebuild 2–3-month buffer; then resume RRSP/TFSA investing. Spending below your means will build confidence and long-term sustainability within your new role.
- Joy is a Line Item: Where a starvation diet will lead to binge eating, a joy-starved budget will lead to binge-spending. Avoid self-sabotage and budget yourself some frivolous joy.
In Canadian data, the strongest predictor of feeling financially secure isn’t income; it’s the health of your savings account, especially for emergencies. Notably, 80% of Canadians who self-identify as financially secure report six months’ income in savings.
Step 8: Get ready to advocate for yourself.
You’ve done the planning, now comes the conversation. Whether you’re networking, negotiating, or clarifying an offer, having a few prepared lines can turn an awkward moment into a confident one. Think of these scripts as road maps that you’ve stuffed into your back pocket. Your fallback safety net, just in case you need to reconfirm your direction.
Start some conversations: “I’m exploring mission-aligned roles in access-to-justice and public-interest law. Could I treat you to a coffee and ask a few questions about clinic work and hiring cycles? I’d love your insight on what skills are most in demand and how people make the leap successfully.”
Thoughtful Circle Backs: “Thank you again for taking the time to speak with me. Your advice about public-sector hiring timelines was invaluable. I’ve already investigated a few postings you mentioned. If you think of anyone else, I should reach out to as I explore this move, I’d be grateful for the introduction.”
Negotiating an offer with a DB pension: “Thank you for the offer, I’m very interested. To get a clear comparison to private practice, could you share the employer pension contribution rate, whether there’s a bridge benefit before 65, and if there’s a professional-development or Continuing Professional Development (CPD) allowance built in?”
Salary-neutral but value-focused conversation: “I understand salary grids are structured. If there isn’t room to adjust the number, could we talk about other areas, such as vacation, Professional Development funding, or a flex-work arrangement which would make the transition sustainable long term?”
Your letter doesn’t say where you want to pursue a career in public interest law. Given the limited range of agencies that engage in public interest work, your change of career may involve a change of location as well. I asked Pam Lajoie how to factor a move to a new city into this kind of career change. She reminded me that it is important to know the real cost of living in the location you’re considering moving to. In some parts of Canada (like Northern Canada or even somewhere like Vancouver Island), your grocery bill could be much higher than it is elsewhere. Of course, housing costs can vary enormously from one location to another. Even the cost of auto or home insurance can be wildly different from place to place.
You could try to gather all that information yourself. Statistics Canada, for example, has excellent information about both housing, food and other regular costs across the country. However, Pam pointed out that most financial planning agencies that have offices across Canada can also help you in this area. For example, Pam can ask other Lawyers’ Financial advisers in the area you’re thinking about moving to for information on the real cost of moving there and provide that to you as well. Your current financial planner may be able to do much the same.
You don’t say in your letter what your current position is or the structure of your workplace. Are you an employee? Are you a partner? Do you operate through a professional corporation? Your work situation is unique, and your departure may have tax implications and may also require some legal work to unwind what you have set up. Pam’s suggestion is much the same as what we lawyers tell people who try to represent themselves in court: Get professional advice!
I’m going to give Alison the last word here. Included in her advice was some great wisdom on dealing with the anxiety you’ll almost certainly feel making this kind of change:
You can honour your bank account and your calling; I promise that the two are not sworn enemies. Think of this as a slow pivot, not a cliff dive. Build your buffer, borrow a little courage, and keep your eyes on the horizon instead of the ledge.
If the stress hums louder than reason, call your Lawyer Assistance Program before your thoughts spiral; it’s confidential, free, and designed exactly for moments like this. Then, build your TFSA runway, pull the RAP lever if student loans are chewing at your calm, and remember that a defined-benefit pension may be less flashy than a bonus cheque, but infinitely steadier when the markets hiccup.
If it helps, here’s a small checklist you can copy into your notes app and tick off when your brain feels noisy:
- Define your minimum monthly spend and aim to save 6 to 12 times that amount in your TFSA.
- Turn on RAP as your income dips; re-apply every six months
- Shortlist employers and schedule four coffees with public-interest counsel.
- Compare total compensation (DB pension, benefits, PD/CPD funds, top-ups) not just salary
- Book a confidential LAP call to keep your mental footing steady
- Build a Financial Plan, either using the DIY My Plan tool, or by working with a Certified Financial Planner – it’s for free.
Remember, you’re never going to feel ready - because ready isn’t a feeling, it’s a decision. Build your plan, take the step, and let courage catch up later.”
Be well,
Advy
