I worked in Big Law for 4 years but felt like I was sacrificing my morals. I took a 75% pay cut but love my work now.

• Priscilla Hamilton was a fourth-year associate at a Big Law firm making $315K when she quit.
• As a corporate lawyer, she worked long hours with little personal time, and pro bono work kept her going.
• She now works at a nonprofit that supports survivors of domestic violence and loves the work.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with 33-year-old Priscilla Hamilton, a lawyer based in New Rochelle, New York. Her salaries and work history have been verified by Business Insider. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

My parents always wanted me to be a doctor, but at 26 years old, I decided to go to law school instead.

I had done Teach for America in Miami and my students had grown up with .