Is an Hour (Driving) Commute a Dealbreaker for Big Law? Forum

[dabigchina]

Gotta factor in Texas drivers, which are literally the worst. If this is Houston and you're, like, coming in from Sugarland or Katy or something then best of luck.

Everyone always insists their city has the worst drivers.

this is very true.

[BigZuck]

Gotta factor in Texas drivers, which are literally the worst. If this is Houston and you're, like, coming in from Sugarland or Katy or something then best of luck.

Everyone always insists their city has the worst drivers.

this is very true.

Yeah but I've lived in cities with notoriously bad drivers and they ain't got nothing on Houston

Sorry bros you're just going to have to take the L on this one

[emkay625]

Is public transportation an option? Could you, for instance, drive to a park and ride and then ride in on the bus? That way you could get a MiFi or some other wireless device and bill for like 30 minutes of your commute each day.

[elendinel]

An hour's not that bad. I've had a 45-min/longer commute after 16-hour days; it was actually a nice time to decompress and not have to worry a whole lot about anything for an hour, because no one could bug me about anything while I was in transit. Most people probably have the same (or worse) commutes, I imagine (I had a similar one for awhile and I'm in a large city).

I didn't read the other posts, but another possible solution (if it really bothers you that much and you don't mind a move) is to move halfway between fiancee's job and yours (assuming it's not balls expensive, and this is assuming fiancee works in the area you live in right now and isn't already an hour in the other direction), and rent out your current house. You keep the property, and you both get inconvenienced an equal amount while still both being able to pursue jobs you really want. This does come with the wrinkle of having to be landlords, though.

[Anonymous User]

An hour's not that bad. I've had a 45-min/longer commute after 16-hour days; it was actually a nice time to decompress and not have to worry a whole lot about anything for an hour, because no one could bug me about anything while I was in transit. Most people probably have the same (or worse) commutes, I imagine (I had a similar one for awhile and I'm in a large city).

I didn't read the other posts, but another possible solution (if it really bothers you that much and you don't mind a move) is to move halfway between fiancee's job and yours (assuming it's not balls expensive, and this is assuming fiancee works in the area you live in right now and isn't already an hour in the other direction), and rent out your current house. You keep the property, and you both get inconvenienced an equal amount while still both being able to pursue jobs you really want. This does come with the wrinkle of having to be landlords, though.

OP here. Moving closer is not really an option for two reasons, (a) it would put my fiance further away from work, which is already a 30 minute commute, and (b) the area just isn't very desirable compared to where we live now.

Seems like the overwhelming consensus is to just do the commute. I did tell the firm "Oh ya, I want to live downtown and would love to get an apartment here." Will they call me on this eventually, or do they know it's all part of the salesmanship and blah blah that goes on in interviews?

[RaceJudicata]

An hour's not that bad. I've had a 45-min/longer commute after 16-hour days; it was actually a nice time to decompress and not have to worry a whole lot about anything for an hour, because no one could bug me about anything while I was in transit. Most people probably have the same (or worse) commutes, I imagine (I had a similar one for awhile and I'm in a large city).

I didn't read the other posts, but another possible solution (if it really bothers you that much and you don't mind a move) is to move halfway between fiancee's job and yours (assuming it's not balls expensive, and this is assuming fiancee works in the area you live in right now and isn't already an hour in the other direction), and rent out your current house. You keep the property, and you both get inconvenienced an equal amount while still both being able to pursue jobs you really want. This does come with the wrinkle of having to be landlords, though.

OP here. Moving closer is not really an option for two reasons, (a) it would put my fiance further away from work, which is already a 30 minute commute, and (b) the area just isn't very desirable compared to where we live now.

Seems like the overwhelming consensus is to just do the commute. I did tell the firm "Oh ya, I want to live downtown and would love to get an apartment here." Will they call me on this eventually, or do they know it's all part of the salesmanship and blah blah that goes on in interviews?

Well, idk why you decided to lie about something this silly. That said, I don't think the firm is going to "require" you to live anywhere. May come off as strange to lie about such a thing. But I doubt they'll (1) know, (2) care or (3) remember. And if you are gonna lie, might as well say that your wife got a promotion that requires her to travel a bit further in the other direction making the move impossible. So long as you show up to work on time and stay as long as necessary, you should be good. Others may have different opinions?

Edit: spelling

[JenDarby]

I wouldn't dig in deeper to the "lie." It's pretty reasonable to say you want to live downtown but then just never make the move because you love your house, you don't mind the commute, you actually like the commute, you realize you don't like the downtown area as a place to live, you get a one eyed cat that needs a large home for its mental well being, etc.

As long as you do your job and slave away for those billables, no one will give a shit. I'm sure plenty of people commute.

[Anonymous User]

It's doable. I commute 3.5 hours each day. I have no life other than biglaw as a result, but hey, you have to set your priorities! For me, compelling family circumstances mean that I have to make the commute. But I only get about one hour to myself before getting home to sleep.

[jkpolk]

This is an incredibly personal decision so it's hard to say objectively either way. What matters most in the world to you? What's number two and three? If you lost your current job with no backup plan how would that change your life and could you live with that? What are the chances of that happening?

Personally (my background is big law, no commute), I'd keep your current situation. That's another two hrs/day for your wife, pursuing whatever makes you happy, etc. It doesn't sound like you NEED the extra money and, in any case, there's nothing more valuable than actively pursuing the things you love. Staying gives you the time to focus on whatever those things are.

[favabeansoup]

Work at biglaw + finance the shit out of a Tesla + Tesla autopilot = start billin during that commute.

Kidding, but like not really? I actually know a senior associate who has one and works on autopilot during rush hour traffic every day.

I think an hourish commute for a biglaw salary is not terrible. It's obviously not ideal, but if I was doubling my salary, I'd put up with it.

[kaw0230]

Is renting out your home and getting an apartment in between your SO's job and your job an option?

[KM2016]

No offense, but this thread is so melodramatic. It's an hour. Millions and millions of people commute an hour or longer for 1/3 of the pay of big law every day.

[RaceJudicata]

No offense, but this thread is so melodramatic. It's an hour. Millions and millions of people commute an hour or longer for 1/3 of the pay of big law every day.

Was just about to comment to say the same. Bananaland.

[elendinel]

No offense, but this thread is so melodramatic. It's an hour. Millions and millions of people commute an hour or longer for 1/3 of the pay of big law every day.

To be fair, a lot of those people also don't have biglaw hours.

But yeah, an hour is NBD. Some people in biglaw live in entirely different states and have to commute back and forth.

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

I commute 45 mins to big law in NYC (subway). I know a number of people who do more than an hour. It's not perfect, but if it sucks you sell/rent your house or maybe rent a pied-a-terre in the city where you work.

[nealric]

Gotta factor in Texas drivers, which are literally the worst. If this is Houston and you're, like, coming in from Sugarland or Katy or something then best of luck.

Everyone always insists their city has the worst drivers.

this is very true.

Yeah but I've lived in cities with notoriously bad drivers and they ain't got nothing on Houston

Sorry bros you're just going to have to take the L on this one

I live in Houston. NYC is worse.

[BigZuck]

Gotta factor in Texas drivers, which are literally the worst. If this is Houston and you're, like, coming in from Sugarland or Katy or something then best of luck.

Everyone always insists their city has the worst drivers.

this is very true.

Yeah but I've lived in cities with notoriously bad drivers and they ain't got nothing on Houston

Sorry bros you're just going to have to take the L on this one

I live in Houston. NYC is worse.

K but pretty sure driving in New York City isn't even a thing that actually happens nice try though.

Admit it, you're one of those pass people on the right going 85 MPH Houstonians aren't you? We all know you tax bros go buck wild.

(By all means take your life into you own hands by driving two hours a day with a bunch of Houstonians but let's not pretend that isn't a harrowing, death defying experience)

[dabigchina]

Gotta factor in Texas drivers, which are literally the worst. If this is Houston and you're, like, coming in from Sugarland or Katy or something then best of luck.

Everyone always insists their city has the worst drivers.

this is very true.

Yeah but I've lived in cities with notoriously bad drivers and they ain't got nothing on Houston

Sorry bros you're just going to have to take the L on this one

I live in Houston. NYC is worse.

K but pretty sure driving in New York City isn't even a thing that actually happens nice try though.

Admit it, you're one of those pass people on the right going 85 MPH Houstonians aren't you? We all know you tax bros go buck wild.

(By all means take your life into you own hands by driving two hours a day with a bunch of Houstonians but let's not pretend that isn't a harrowing, death defying experience)

North Carolina/South Carolina are way worse.
Lol getting passed on the right at 85 is considered death defying? Aren't we a delicate flower.

Try having that happen while you get getting tailgated and blinded by a brodozer.

[RaceJudicata]

Could we get some opinions on who has worse weather? Detroit or Chicago winter? Houston or Miami summer? Jfc. Everybody thinks their city has the "worst drivers."

[BigZuck]

Could we get some opinions on who has worse weather? Detroit or Chicago winter? Houston or Miami summer? Jfc. Everybody thinks their city has the "worst drivers."

It's the OP's fault for being a CRAVEN ANON and not saying whether they're talking about Dallas or Houston.

Houston traffic is extremely relevant if they're talking about Houston. Katy/Sugarland/Woodlands to downtown can be quite the slog.

[BigZuck]

Eh actually there is a lot of other identifying info there so I guess maybe not saying the city kinda sorta makes sense. But there's people from both those cities on here that could probably give better/more specific advice on what that commute is really like.

[TheSpanishMain]

There was an associate at my summer firm who lived about an hour outside DC. Like, deep in the Virginia burbs. She seemed to be able to make it work. If it's an hour of actually driving as opposed to sitting in gridlock, I don't think it would be so terrible. Get a good audiobook, listen to some podcasts, etc. Might actually be a nice way to decompress at the end of the day.

[Desert Fox]

There was an associate at my summer firm who lived about an hour outside DC. Like, deep in the Virginia burbs. She seemed to be able to make it work. If it's an hour of actually driving as opposed to sitting in gridlock, I don't think it would be so terrible. Get a good audiobook, listen to some podcasts, etc. Might actually be a nice way to decompress at the end of the day.

I know some people who do this, but I really can't understand how they do it.

[dabigchina]

Could we get some opinions on who has worse weather? Detroit or Chicago winter? Houston or Miami summer? Jfc. Everybody thinks their city has the "worst drivers."

Chicago has way worse winters. Detroit is relatively mild for how far north it is.

[TheSpanishMain]

I think her MO was to come late, like 10:30, and then leave around 8 to miss most of the traffic. She had a huge house way out past Reston.