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Is making a high salary in order to payoff student loans the primary reason to want a biglaw job. Assuming no financial burdens, what would be the alternatives for a rewarding career with good work/life balance?

The exit opportunities are often better in Biglaw as well. So you get your debt paid off in a few years, get recruited to go in-house or have a better chance at getting a gov't job. Because your loans are paid off, you can take the smaller salary. In-house jobs generally, but not always, have better hours.

There's also something to be said for learning the trade in a place where resources are almost limitless and where you get feedback on essentially all your work product for the first eight years of your career.

Is it true that you have to bill 200 hours per month in biglaw? Sounds like a lot...

Lincoln wrote:There's also something to be said for learning the trade in a place where resources are almost limitless and where you get feedback on essentially all your work product for the first eight years of your career.

Big law can be miserable but I think this aspect of big law is under-appreciated/underrated on TLS.

Mark Aldridge wrote:Is it true that you have to bill 200 hours per month in biglaw? Sounds like a lot...

The few people I know 2 people who have worked in big law have done it for very different reasons. Money and prestige probably rank at the top for most people. I think sometimes just not having any real passion for a particular type of law can lead some people there. A friend of mine who works at a big firm certainly told me that was his reason. I guess when you're ambivalent about what type of law you want to practice might as well take the highest paying job you can get.

200 hours a month sounds about right. Could even be on the low side if you are trying to hit 2400+ hours.

ETA: I'm a 0L. A lot of what I understand about BL is from 2 friends and everything I've read on this forum.

1. No you do not have to bill 200 hours a month. But you'll also have limited control over whether you hit it anyway.

2. People generally do not aim for 2400+ hours. 2400+ hours happens to you.