New associate banter Forum

[IAFG]

Summoned to the office for an emergency.

Am I allowed to delude myself and think this is kind of exciting, or is at an obligation to realize how insane and farcical this has become?

You are allowed to think it's exciting

Yeah but you'll probably look back and think you were being a schmuck in 3 years.

[rad lulz]

Summoned to the office for an emergency.

Am I allowed to delude myself and think this is kind of exciting, or is at an obligation to realize how insane and farcical this has become?

You are allowed to think it's exciting

Yeah but you'll probably look back and think you were being a schmuck in 3 years.

Yes

[TooOld4This]

Summoned to the office for an emergency.

Am I allowed to delude myself and think this is kind of exciting, or is at an obligation to realize how insane and farcical this has become?

Both. If you continue to think it's exciting, then you are the rare breed that actually belongs in a firm.

[Anonymous User]

Summoned to the office for an emergency.

Am I allowed to delude myself and think this is kind of exciting, or is at an obligation to realize how insane and farcical this has become?

Both. If you continue to think it's exciting, then you are the rare breed that actually belongs in a firm.

A little worried that may be true.

It's both too early and too narcissistic to imagine the following article being applied to myself, but it's a very interesting take. The author was an associate at S&C and is now a therapist who writes a lot about the trials / tribulations / insanity of biglaw, which is important to keep in mind given the topic of this article:

http://thepeoplestherapist.com/2013/04/24/odd-ducks/

[Gorki]

Summoned to the office for an emergency.

Am I allowed to delude myself and think this is kind of exciting, or is at an obligation to realize how insane and farcical this has become?

Both. If you continue to think it's exciting, then you are the rare breed that actually belongs in a firm.

A little worried that may be true.

It's both too early and too narcissistic to imagine the following article being applied to myself, but it's a very interesting take. The author was an associate at S&C and is now a therapist who writes a lot about the trials / tribulations / insanity of biglaw, which is important to keep in mind given the topic of this article:

http://thepeoplestherapist.com/2013/04/24/odd-ducks/

lol, my only point of reference for this dood is the ATL commentators shitting on him 24/7.

[IAFG]

He also said once that in the first 6 months at his firm he was still singing its praises so definitely premature.

[Old Gregg]

It kind of starts to become a negative feedback loop. Once you start somewhat disliking your firm or big law, it can turn quickly into hating it. Just need to stay as objective as possible, find the positives and the negatives, don't turn the negatives into positives and don't turn the positives into the negatives. But if you do find negatives that you can correct, then correct them.

Often times, many negatives many be associated with working with a particular person as opposed to working at that firm; correcting that negative would be as simple as trying to work for someone else. As a junior associate, many of you all owe it to yourself to try out different attorneys to work under. Before you know it, you'll be permanently under one's shadow and you won't be able to escape from it. Best to shop around now rather than commit (that is, unless you're already working under someone you really like working under).

[wildhaggis]

Just started at my firm and have ran into a nightmare apartment scenario - may need to move soon.

That said, can anyone recommend a good apartment building in Chicago? The only thing I really, actually care about is noise transfer between units. Anyone know any good, quiet buildings?

[dixiecupdrinking]

It kind of starts to become a negative feedback loop. Once you start somewhat disliking your firm or big law, it can turn quickly into hating it. Just need to stay as objective as possible, find the positives and the negatives, don't turn the negatives into positives and don't turn the positives into the negatives. But if you do find negatives that you can correct, then correct them.

Often times, many negatives many be associated with working with a particular person as opposed to working at that firm; correcting that negative would be as simple as trying to work for someone else. As a junior associate, many of you all owe it to yourself to try out different attorneys to work under. Before you know it, you'll be permanently under one's shadow and you won't be able to escape from it. Best to shop around now rather than commit (that is, unless you're already working under someone you really like working under).

This is good advice. It's also true of a lot of (non-law) jobs in general. Once you start focusing on the negative aspects, you can slip down that rabbit hole of loathing pretty quick. IME the people who are satisfied with their work, whether they're lawyers or plumbers, are the ones who focus on taking pride in being good at the day-to-day of their jobs rather than getting mired in the big picture stuff they can't control. It's a hard lesson to learn though, easier said than done, probably even harder than usual in biglaw where the nature of the job means the negative stuff is exactly the stuff that pops up when you're trying to relax on the weekend or getting a drink with your friends or whatever. Putting that kind of shit in a positive broader context must take some real zen moves.

[keg411]

It kind of starts to become a negative feedback loop. Once you start somewhat disliking your firm or big law, it can turn quickly into hating it. Just need to stay as objective as possible, find the positives and the negatives, don't turn the negatives into positives and don't turn the positives into the negatives. But if you do find negatives that you can correct, then correct them.

Often times, many negatives many be associated with working with a particular person as opposed to working at that firm; correcting that negative would be as simple as trying to work for someone else. As a junior associate, many of you all owe it to yourself to try out different attorneys to work under. Before you know it, you'll be permanently under one's shadow and you won't be able to escape from it. Best to shop around now rather than commit (that is, unless you're already working under someone you really like working under).

This is good advice. It's also true of a lot of (non-law) jobs in general. Once you start focusing on the negative aspects, you can slip down that rabbit hole of loathing pretty quick. IME the people who are satisfied with their work, whether they're lawyers or plumbers, are the ones who focus on taking pride in being good at the day-to-day of their jobs rather than getting mired in the big picture stuff they can't control. It's a hard lesson to learn though, easier said than done, probably even harder than usual in biglaw where the nature of the job means the negative stuff is exactly the stuff that pops up when you're trying to relax on the weekend or getting a drink with your friends or whatever. Putting that kind of shit in a positive broader context must take some real zen moves.

Yup. I found all of this completely true in my job prior to law school. And I agree with Fresh Prince about focusing on fixing the negatives where possible and not just trying to spin them in your head.

However, I still have a week left before I start, so I have no clue yet if I'll be able to do it again (especially since the negatives will likely be the polar opposite).

[beach_terror]

I have to say, arguing on the internet was not bad practice for quick "need it yesterday" research assignments.

Almost every research assignment I've received in my first month is a need-it-yesterday. Sweating while reading cases on Lexis is getting pretty common for me, along with muttering expletives at the decisions that aren't giving me what I'm looking for.

[IAFG]

I have to say, arguing on the internet was not bad practice for quick "need it yesterday" research assignments.

Almost every research assignment I've received in my first month is a need-it-yesterday. Sweating while reading cases on Lexis is getting pretty common for me, along with muttering expletives at the decisions that aren't giving me what I'm looking for.

I almost cited to Twombly... as a district court opinion. Whoops.

[20160810]

Blowing money after dat first paycheck. Went out and bought some groceries, a tank of gas, two new ties, and a bunch of prepackaged red beans and rice from Amazon Prime. I am a wild, wild man.

[Old Gregg]

Blowing money after dat first paycheck. Went out and bought some groceries, a tank of gas, two new ties, and a bunch of prepackaged red beans and rice from Amazon Prime. I am a wild, wild man.

Models and bottles.

[beach_terror]

Blowing money after dat first paycheck. Went out and bought some groceries, a tank of gas, two new ties, and a bunch of prepackaged red beans and rice from Amazon Prime. I am a wild, wild man.

Living with my parents so I'm sticking to ridiculously overpriced brunches

[rad lulz]

.

[Big Shrimpin]

Freshly-minted 2nd year here.

Just wait until you've billed a few 250+hr months in a row.

I just did dry cleaning for the first time in months. Because billables.

[rad lulz]

Freshly-minted 2nd year here.

Just wait until you've billed a few 250+hr months in a row.

I just did dry cleaning for the first time in months. Because billables.

What have you been wearing

[IAFG]

Freshly-minted 2nd year here.

Just wait until you've billed a few 250+hr months in a row.

I just did dry cleaning for the first time in months. Because billables.

Being married FTW

[Big Shrimpin]

Freshly-minted 2nd year here.

Just wait until you've billed a few 250+hr months in a row.

I just did dry cleaning for the first time in months. Because billables.

What have you been wearing

Non-iron shirts and funky pants breh.

[Stanford4Me]

Blowing money after dat first paycheck. Went out and bought some groceries, a tank of gas, two new ties, and a bunch of prepackaged red beans and rice from Amazon Prime. I am a wild, wild man.

Living with my parents so I'm sticking to ridiculously overpriced brunches

If one more person asks me where I'm living I'm going to rip their hands off.

[09042014]

Freshly-minted 2nd year here.

Just wait until you've billed a few 250+hr months in a row.

I just did dry cleaning for the first time in months. Because billables.

What have you been wearing

Non-iron shirts and funky pants breh.

Isn't it bad for wool to be cleaned often anyway? Aren't you supposed to wash them as infrequently as possible?

[09042014]

I don't start til Oct 7 but I have a 4k Visa bill due the 2nd. Ouch.

[Anonymous User]

Do most firms have biz development accounts for first years? My secondary market biglaw firm gives us like $800 a year for client development, and I have no idea how to spend it. (First world problem, I know.) I know very few people here, and I highly doubt anyone I know in this town will ever be a client of the firm. How do you guys use these funds?

[Old Gregg]

Freshly-minted 2nd year here.

Just wait until you've billed a few 250+hr months in a row.

I just did dry cleaning for the first time in months. Because billables.

What have you been wearing

Non-iron shirts and funky pants breh.

Isn't it bad for wool to be cleaned often anyway? Aren't you supposed to wash them as infrequently as possible?

Correcto. Only way to clean wool is to dry clean, and you don't want to dry-clean often. My suits get it only once a year, and my trousers once every 4-5 months. If you need to straighten them, get a jiffy travel steamer. Your clothes will last longer and you'll pay less in pressing bills in the long run.