That’s how it feels as I write this, my farewell Careerist column. I dread using the word “bittersweet”—because that’s the default adjective on these occasions—but how else to describe leaving a workplace after 20 years?

Let’s be clear: I’ve had a great run at The American Lawyer and leave with good thoughts. It’s the place where I’ve enjoyed extraordinary freedom and support. And it’s the place where I found my voice. The only hitch is that I’ve been at Am Law for an obscene amount of time and I’m long due for a change. So I’m going to another publication. To use Big Law parlance, I am making a “lateral” move.