Not getting credit for nonbillable work is TTT Forum

[ph14]

Why not pretend your quota is 200 higher?

I mean, if you're gunning for partnership then hitting your quota is probably the least of your concerns. But most associates just want to hit their numbers so they can take a vacation, start/maintain a family, etc. Income/nonequity partner might be an option if they're exceptionally talented and/or lucky. For these (the vast majority), adding on 200 hours of work is a big deal. A really big deal.

200 billed is a lot. A lot a lot a lot. Hitting 2000 isn't that bad. 2200 is a whole different ballgame. The rare person hits 2600. I don't understand them and have no desire to ever do that.

200 billable hours, for most associates, is over a month's worth of work.

[Anonymous User]

Is there a best way to find out ahead of time how different firms handle this? Just ask the firm? NALP?

also curious. i'm a 3l who accepted an offer so not like i can do anything, but still would like to know. i know that summers normally don't do anything of value, but i was given a *ton* of nonbillable stuff over the summer, and it made me wonder whether it was just because i was a summer, or because the firm was slow. not going to ask them directly because i'm going to find out anyway...

[dixiecupdrinking]

Is there a best way to find out ahead of time how different firms handle this? Just ask the firm? NALP?

also curious. i'm a 3l who accepted an offer so not like i can do anything, but still would like to know. i know that summers normally don't do anything of value, but i was given a *ton* of nonbillable stuff over the summer, and it made me wonder whether it was just because i was a summer, or because the firm was slow. not going to ask them directly because i'm going to find out anyway...

Probably because you're a summer. Seems like people save up a lot of "oh this article research would be great for a summer" assignments all year.

[rad lulz]

m

[NotMyRealName09]

Is there a best way to find out ahead of time how different firms handle this? Just ask the firm? NALP?

also curious. i'm a 3l who accepted an offer so not like i can do anything, but still would like to know. i know that summers normally don't do anything of value, but i was given a *ton* of nonbillable stuff over the summer, and it made me wonder whether it was just because i was a summer, or because the firm was slow. not going to ask them directly because i'm going to find out anyway...

Probably because you're a summer. Seems like people save up a lot of "oh this article research would be great for a summer" assignments all year.

Yeah bc you're a summer

Way easier to tell you to help with an article than to drop you in the middle of litigation thats been going on for 3 yrs or whatever

I'll just add that this may or may not indicate slowness at the firm and/or hording of work. Summers definately get BS busy work, but at the same time you want to evaluate whether that person has the makings of an actual lawyer, which you can only assess by giving them some real stuff to do. This is very case-by-case and difficult to generalize about, however.

[Anonymous User]

Is there a best way to find out ahead of time how different firms handle this? Just ask the firm? NALP?

also curious. i'm a 3l who accepted an offer so not like i can do anything, but still would like to know. i know that summers normally don't do anything of value, but i was given a *ton* of nonbillable stuff over the summer, and it made me wonder whether it was just because i was a summer, or because the firm was slow. not going to ask them directly because i'm going to find out anyway...

Probably because you're a summer. Seems like people save up a lot of "oh this article research would be great for a summer" assignments all year.

I dunno it's b/c these assignments are "saved up" or that nothing summers ever do is billable anyway. Yes, you'll get a client charge number and put in your time, but I doubt these summer hours ever show up on a client's bill. It becomes more difficult when it's a first-year and the client balks at paying $400/hr for your Westlaw-a-thon.

[vanwinkle]

Is there a best way to find out ahead of time how different firms handle this? Just ask the firm? NALP?

also curious. i'm a 3l who accepted an offer so not like i can do anything, but still would like to know. i know that summers normally don't do anything of value, but i was given a *ton* of nonbillable stuff over the summer, and it made me wonder whether it was just because i was a summer, or because the firm was slow. not going to ask them directly because i'm going to find out anyway...

A summer is only there for 8-10 weeks. If you're brought onto a large project it might take several weeks to teach you what's going on and what you're needed for, and by then you're close to being on your way out the door. Basic research and writing stuff is more discrete, it's easy to assign and requires less training effort, especially since it kind of resembles what you do in law school.