Any biglaw lawyers here genuinely enjoy their job? Forum

[sprezz]

love it but it's early so who knows

a lot depends on who you work for, i think. i work for really good people

[valen]

there are plenty of biglaw lawyers that enjoy their job. everyone at dla piper for example.

Please explain

[Stringer6]

However, I have no idea how anyone can find any aspect of corporate interesting.

I have no idea how someone could like a thing that I do not like myself

Sure, just that the number of people capable of enjoying corporate biglaw for the substance of the work is near zero. Especially if they've done any other white collar job. I've been at it for awhile at 2 firms. I don't know of any other white collar job so full of people that wish they could leave their profession entirely.

The OP was clearly asking for opinions, and I don't know anyone that enjoys the actual substance of the work. It's literally just paperwork and dealing with what are usually pointless regulations. The only people I've met that "like" it are into the money or have self-deluded themselves into thinking it's prestigious. If you like it, great. I'm just saying if OP's a 0L thinking about law school and biglaw, then my advice is to consider why even after all that money it's consistently rated as the most miserable white collar profession.

well I know several, including myself, who are certainly not in it for the money or give a shit for the prestige

sorry everyone you know just works in shitty transactional practices

what are you in it for?

[dabigchina]

there are plenty of biglaw lawyers that enjoy their job. everyone at dla piper for example.

Please explain

Enjoy dla piper is an old meme.

[El Pollito]

are you saying you'd do this for much less money? lol.

[smaug]

are you saying you'd do this for much less money? lol.

I'd do half the work for half the pay in a heartbeat, but I think most everyone would?

[glitched]

are you saying you'd do this for much less money? lol.

I'd do half the work for half the pay in a heartbeat, but I think most everyone would?

I'd do 3/4 of the work for 3/4 of the pay. Half would be boring.

[Anonymous User]

are you saying you'd do this for much less money? lol.

I'd do half the work for half the pay in a heartbeat, but I think most everyone would?

Same here - we both need gov jobs

[El Pollito]

are you saying you'd do this for much less money? lol.

I'd do half the work for half the pay in a heartbeat, but I think most everyone would?

i didn't read that to mean a proportional reduction in work. of course i'd do that.

[Anonymous User]

I've spoken to 5 senior partners at my firm who straight up told me they don't want their kids to be lawyers...so I'm guessing they don't even enjoy their jobs and they're just in it because they get paid millions. Associates are only paid like 1/10th to 1/20th of what a partner is paid though - so the money doesn't seem that good for what they make you give.

Biglaw would be perfectly fine IMO if it were 9 to 5, not on call. But the constant 24/7 and constant working on the weekends/nights thing just ruins it for me - there's no amount of money that would be enough for me to stay in biglaw for a long time if I had no down time since we're constantly on call 24/7.

I think biglaw is like living intern year of residency over and over and over again - except there's no end in biglaw and there's no real light at the end of the tunnel. You also need to be at least a 5th year or maybe even 6th year to land a decent in house job these days...5-6 years is a LONG time, and not all in house jobs are great either.

So yeah, I don't think I've met a larger proportion of the population who literally wants to quit their profession

I truly enjoy my practice and the work I do. When my kids start to think about careers I will strongly push them away from law.

[Anonymous User]

I've spoken to 5 senior partners at my firm who straight up told me they don't want their kids to be lawyers...so I'm guessing they don't even enjoy their jobs and they're just in it because they get paid millions. Associates are only paid like 1/10th to 1/20th of what a partner is paid though - so the money doesn't seem that good for what they make you give.

Biglaw would be perfectly fine IMO if it were 9 to 5, not on call. But the constant 24/7 and constant working on the weekends/nights thing just ruins it for me - there's no amount of money that would be enough for me to stay in biglaw for a long time if I had no down time since we're constantly on call 24/7.

I think biglaw is like living intern year of residency over and over and over again - except there's no end in biglaw and there's no real light at the end of the tunnel. You also need to be at least a 5th year or maybe even 6th year to land a decent in house job these days...5-6 years is a LONG time, and not all in house jobs are great either.

So yeah, I don't think I've met a larger proportion of the population who literally wants to quit their profession

I truly enjoy my practice and the work I do. When my kids start to think about careers I will strongly push them away from law.

[clshopeful]

seems like transactional work is really the killer...so boring, such trivial work, barely involves law/arguing

[Anonymous User]

I love it. T&E / mostly tax, tho. Would hate corporate. But I know people who like it.

[Danger Zone]

seems like transactional work is really the killer...so boring, such trivial work, barely involves law/arguing

This is the best part of being a transactional lawyer, besides the exit ops

[Anonymous User]

are you saying you'd do this for much less money? lol.

I'd do half the work for half the pay in a heartbeat, but I think most everyone would?

I'd do 3/4 of the work for 3/4 of the pay. Half would be boring.

Agreed.
Best ratio IMO. Work itself can be really awesome if you picked a practice area youre interested in.

[zot1]

seems like transactional work is really the killer...so boring, such trivial work, barely involves law/arguing

This is the best part of being a transactional lawyer, besides the exit ops

Imma have to strongly agree with this. I do some litigation now and I can't wait to get rid of it. I'd be so fine with never ever having to go through a trial again.

I think this could potentially be part of the discontent in biglaw, albeit a rather small part. You don't really get a chance to explore much what you really enjoy or don't. I came to law school thinking FOR SURE I wanted to be a litigator. I spent about four semesters doing prosecution work and one doing appellate work before I realized that litigation was most definitely not for me. Yes, I'm slow. Maybe it would take others less time.

But my point is that it is possible some people end up in the wrong box at biglaw which adds up to the dissatisfaction.

[Anonymous User]

I hear this a lot amongst the patent prosecutors I work with.

[kryptix]

seems like transactional work is really the killer...so boring, such trivial work, barely involves law/arguing

This is the best part of being a transactional lawyer, besides the exit ops

Honestly I'm in a lucky place that I get to do both, but I'm definitely more of a transactional person at heart. I like negotiating contracts and terms more than I do lit. I'm honestly OK with about 2000 hours, much more and you start losing too much time with the family etc. I think I can go the long haul at that kind of a level, but a few 3000 hour years would probably make me want to consider other options...

I'd enjoy patent prosecution more if it wasn't under so much time pressure at our billing rates, 8 hours of focusing on that and you just want a drink and a long nights sleep...

[Anonymous User]

I love it. T&E / mostly tax, tho. Would hate corporate. But I know people who like it.

Different anon. Love tax, would hate corporate.

[Anonymous User]

what are the best options if I'm a first year in lit and think I'd be a better fit in transactional, but my firm is more lit-focused and couldn't/wouldn't let me switch departments. I know most of this is firm/school dependent, but I don't really know what my roadmap should be.

[kryptix]

what are the best options if I'm a first year in lit and think I'd be a better fit in transactional, but my firm is more lit-focused and couldn't/wouldn't let me switch departments. I know most of this is firm/school dependent, but I don't really know what my roadmap should be.

You can always try to lateral by networking (perhaps be willing to drop a class year while you're at it). Also if you're a good performer you could try to get some work from trans partners directly and if they like you have them go to bat for you to make the switch?

[WhiteCollarBlueShirt]

seems like transactional work is really the killer...so boring, such trivial work, barely involves law/arguing

This is the best part of being a transactional lawyer, besides the exit ops

This is the worst part in my opinion (but it is the part that people who enjoy biglaw love and yearn for). These are the people who talk to opposing counsel at the end and say, "Hey that was well fought, can't wait to go up against you again!" I'll draft novel provisions and analyze terms all day, but what I don't have time or patience for is negotiating terms so far removed from the business purpose or negotiating the same terms over and over again just to tip the needle on what's market--that shit is woefully boring and a waste of brainpower.

Edit: For what it's worth, I am very patient and friendly with opposing counsel. The thing I hate more than negotiating itself, are the people who feel the need to be rude, shout, or take things personally.

[jkpolk]

seems like transactional work is really the killer...so boring, such trivial work, barely involves law/arguing

This is the best part of being a transactional lawyer, besides the exit ops

Seriously. I'll happily manage work streams and chase specialists. If the highlight of my year were an argument over a motion to extend discovery I'd turn in my bar card.

[dixiecupdrinking]

On a different note that is of course totally unrelated to the subject of this thread, raise your hand if you're working this holiday weekend.

[p1921]

I hear this a lot amongst the patent prosecutors I work with.

Can you elaborate?

Edit: what part of the thread are you referring to exactly?