New associate banter Forum

[run26.2]

Yeah. But the whole site is like this. Humblebrag everywhere. Disputes that continue on for pages over petty details. Inane questions, whose answers are matters of personal preference or common sense.

I mean, if it's true of TLS, it's still just a microcosm for our profession and all the wonderful specimens of humanity[FN1] it attracts

[FN1] not excluding myself from this description

I thought about making that same point. While the discourse on TLS and in real-life are analogous, I think several aspects of the internet make the issues I referenced more significant on TLS. Having to consistently interact with someone professionally, or even having to say something directly to someone else's face, makes a person less prone to engage in these behaviors.

Probably just stating the obvious here...

[Hodgy]

How's the hidden forum?

[rad lulz]

m

[desertlaw]

Need into the hidden forum. Please tell me how to access. Thank you.

[thesealocust]

Need into the hidden forum. Please tell me how to access. Thank you.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL, DESERTLAW: http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 3&t=217064

[desertlaw]

Need into the hidden forum. Please tell me how to access. Thank you.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL, DESERTLAW: http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 3&t=217064

Looks like a lot of work. Will get to it in the morning when the scotch has subsided.

[Big Shrimpin]

I still have to get in there. Might do that today. Is it worth it?

[Dr. Review]

I still have to get in there. Might do that today. Is it worth it?

I'd say it's a bit less active because of the smaller number of eligible posters, but I think the value of the threads to a post-grad is much higher.

[thesealocust]

Yeah, the discussions are a lot more intimate. People still keep a good amount of personal details to the chest, but since the posts aren't public / google indexed there's definitely more discussion of background and specific issues than you see in other forums. I'd say it's working well and as intended, though obviously still in its infancy.

[Stanford4Me]

I just found out I can get sworn in by our office manager. LOL.

[Anonymous User]

My firm allows associates to order food (with limits on amount of course) and bill it to the firm account if you bill a certain amount in a day. I've been doing this a lot. Any negatives of taking advantage of this as much as possible?

[thesealocust]

You probably bill clients around $300/hour (or more!) for your services. How much are you allowed to bill for dinner? How many minutes extra do you have to bill per day to "pay" for the meal?

Associate Pro Tip: the firm is buying you dinner because it keeps you grinding. Dinner is a very cheap and effective way to exploit their bottomless pool of labor. It's a bit of cheese that gets you to spin your wheel faster and longer. Nightly Pad Thai delivery is a very profitable investment on the firm's part.

[Amity]

Yeah, the discussions are a lot more intimate. People still keep a good amount of personal details to the chest, but since the posts aren't public / google indexed there's definitely more discussion of background and specific issues than you see in other forums. I'd say it's working well and as intended, though obviously still in its infancy.

Are there discussions on how biz is doing these days, downsizing, expanding, working absurdly long days, if working directly with partners is a norm or are the discussions totally about something else?

[Old Gregg]

Yeah, the discussions are a lot more intimate. People still keep a good amount of personal details to the chest, but since the posts aren't public / google indexed there's definitely more discussion of background and specific issues than you see in other forums. I'd say it's working well and as intended, though obviously still in its infancy.

Are there discussions on how biz is doing these days, downsizing, expanding, working absurdly long days, if working directly with partners is a norm or are the discussions totally about something else?

They're mostly just about your mom.

[Dr. Review]

They're mostly just about your mom.

Can confirm.

[Big Shrimpin]

You probably bill clients around $300/hour (or more!) for your services. How much are you allowed to bill for dinner? How many minutes extra do you have to bill per day to "pay" for the meal?

Associate Pro Tip: the firm is buying you dinner because it keeps you grinding. Dinner is a very cheap and effective way to exploit their bottomless pool of labor. It's a bit of cheese that gets you to spin your wheel faster and longer. Nightly Pad Thai delivery is a very profitable investment on the firm's part.

CR.

I ate dinner at my desk over 200 nights in the past year.

WOMP.

[20160810]

How many hours do you guys have to bill before dinner is free? I always thought you just got dinner if you were still there at 7.

[Anonymous User]

How many hours do you guys have to bill before dinner is free? I always thought you just got dinner if you were still there at 7.

Paul Hastings is 8 pm with no billable requirement but many clients have rules that say you gotta bill x hours to us or you cannot expense the client.

[thesealocust]

I think in writing it's something like 10 billable hours in the day, but in practice that either means '10 hours in the system' rather than 10 billable hours or else it's just not enforced at all.

[Big Shrimpin]

Generally past 8PM, but depends on client.

TBF, dinner is such a small fraction of the total work bill anyway.

[20160810]

For some reason 8 pm sounds really rough whereas 7 pm sounds like a neat perk. My firm does not allow any expensing of meals whatsoever unless it's with the client or opposing counsel.

[Anonymous User]

Do most of you intend on coming into work the day after thanksgiving? I currently am in NY but family is in CA. Am considering flying out Wed. night and coming back Saturday or Saunday. While the firm I work for isn't discouraging associates from making these plans, its not really encouraging it either.

[run26.2]

Do most of you intend on coming into work the day after thanksgiving? I currently am in NY but family is in CA. Am considering flying out Wed. night and coming back Saturday or Saunday. While the firm I work for isn't discouraging associates from making these plans, its not really encouraging it either.

You can tell them of your plans and let them know that you are available to work remotely, if there is a need. Most biglaw attorneys I know are not coming into the office to work on Thanksgiving.

ETA: Most biglaw attorneys probably won't work much, if at all, the day after Thanksgiving. You might end up doing a bit of work, but not a full day.

[dixiecupdrinking]

Do most of you intend on coming into work the day after thanksgiving? I currently am in NY but family is in CA. Am considering flying out Wed. night and coming back Saturday or Saunday. While the firm I work for isn't discouraging associates from making these plans, its not really encouraging it either.

I'd just make the plans and make sure the people you work with know. Worst case is they need you to work remotely. I don't think anyone will ever encourage you to take time off, seems like it's probably up to you to take the initiative and make sure there isn't a conflict.

[masterbrowski]

Do most of you intend on coming into work the day after thanksgiving? I currently am in NY but family is in CA. Am considering flying out Wed. night and coming back Saturday or Saunday. While the firm I work for isn't discouraging associates from making these plans, its not really encouraging it either.

I'd just make the plans and make sure the people you work with know. Worst case is they need you to work remotely. I don't think anyone will ever encourage you to take time off, seems like it's probably up to you to take the initiative and make sure there isn't a conflict.

How many days does the avg 1st or 2nd year associate take off for Xmas? I know you're all about to say "well it depends on if they have a lot of work..." but I'm just looking for an average. Barring legal emergencies, are the 24th and 25th generally safe?