Lawyers who made the jump from law firms to in-house say they've welcomed leaving behind billable hours and have embraced the opportunity to tackle problems from more of a business perspective. But they've also had to make do with fewer legal resources.

And the differences between the two work environments arent's as great as they once were, as budget constraints and remote work escalate stresses for in-house counsel, in some cases reducing work-life balance advantages.

"There are certainly pros and cons to both," said David Breland, general counsel and head of risk and compliance at Bloom Credit in New York City. Breland has held in-house roles since leaving Burr & Forman in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2012.