When Big Law Lawyers Leave Standard "Success" to Create Personal Success

Just loved this story about how this Big Law lawyer, Jim Karger, dumped the usual trappings of success, chucked it all to follow his own heart...as a solo in Mexico.

“I had the giant house and the fancy cars . . . stuff that had been defined to me as evidence of success,” he says. But he also grew hostile at corporate America for creating the problems he was helping to diffuse, he says, and says he grew tired of solving problems that would later be repeated.

So in 2001 Karger stopped practicing law, sold everything and moved to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. In 2003, after seeing that there were “thousands” of homeless dogs in the region, he and Kelly started “Save A Mexican Mutt,” an animal rescue group that takes dogs such as Goku, a male terrier (pictured, left), out of pounds and off the streets; rehabilitates, spays and neuters them; and finds them homes in the U.S.

Karger, 55 years old and a father of three (and owner of eight dogs), spends half his time working for SAMM, which he funds, and much of rest as a management consultant. He also does a little labor law on the side, but only for clients who let him do it his way by addressing the fundamental problems that led to employee discontent. It’s “not the standard Sherman’s March to the sea,” he says, but a chance to “leave the place better than I found it.”

I know there are more of you out there.  We just don't hear about you.  Tell us.  We want to hear your story.