what's worse in your biglaw job: total hours vs predictability Forum

[Anonymous User]

It's unpredictability until I start hitting 2200 hours or so. Currently on pace for 2550 and now its just sheer hours without question. There's lots of predictability at 2500 -- you are always working.

[Wubbles]

1800 hours, predictable or not, would be glorious right now, you're not wrong

[Monochromatic Oeuvre]

Would be interested to hear from someone who voted for total hours and their argument why that is worse (and what practice group they’re in) since I can’t imagine total hours being worse than unpredictability.

A lot of my free time is spent on the Internet anyway, so downtime in the office doesn't feel like a loss. All else equal, I would rather do 1800 hours heavy on nights and weekends than 2200 all sunrise to sunset.

I've moved a lot of drinks with friends or movies or dates around when I could. I only really fought for something like a party or concert where it's either that night or it's not happening. Word of advice: asking for permission makes you more comfortable in the short term, but just doing it and asking for forgiveness later is better for your long-term well-being.

Also, I feel like this thread isn't really distinguishing between lack of predictability and lack of control. They're not the same thing. As you get more senior many more things will come to your attention during "off hours" but you'll have much more latitude to decide whether they can wait, or to delegate them.

do you just bring your personal computer or do you do everything on the work computer?

All on the work computer. Everything but email and social media (blocked) and porn (I shouldn't have to clarify, but I've seen it happen). I was talked to one time about wearing headphones for YouTube and Netflix; I did not listen. When I was a junior, my screen faced the hallway with glass offices and partners saw a lot of ESPN, Reddit and chess. If they didn't like it, they should have given me more work.

I have paranoid friends who won't do anything on their desktop. I'd like to politely remind them that IT has zero interest in checking your browser history unless you give them a reason to.

I also lived five minutes from the office and regularly went home for lunch, which was also a huge plus. Power naps kept my caffeine tolerance low.