Summer Associates 2014: Thoughts, Anxieties, Experiences... Forum

[sap]

Should we be using our secretaries? I really don't know what I would possibly give her to do, other than just let my phone ring and have her answer it for the PRESTIGE.

I've used my secretary for tasks that take 20 minutes but don't involve any legal judgment, such as "pull all these types of motions from x docket." Not having to do that stuff makes me tons more efficient.

[Yeshia90]

Should we be using our secretaries? I really don't know what I would possibly give her to do, other than just let my phone ring and have her answer it for the PRESTIGE.

I've used my secretary for tasks that take 20 minutes but don't involve any legal judgment, such as "pull all these types of motions from x docket." Not having to do that stuff makes me tons more efficient.

Yep. Pretty nice to head down to a training session and have the 30 cases I needed in PDF form in my inbox when I got back to my office half an hour later.

I'm just annoyed because my first rotation is in a small practice area where I'm one of two summers, and the other one is the resident gunner in the class. Making me look bad. Why won't you just leave at 5:30 like everyone else, man?

[timmyd]

My firm says to leave by 5 every day. I partner literally told me to leave once and it was 5:05. It's obviously firm specific, but I think if you are there late when they tell you that you probably should leave early...you look like a douche. I think it's far more important to get to know the people at th firm and have them like you than to gun on menial projects. Again, every firm is different and I'm not exactly at a super prestigious firm.

[BuckinghamB]

My firm says to leave by 5 every day. I partner literally told me to leave once and it was 5:05. It's obviously firm specific, but I think if you are there late when they tell you that you probably should leave early...you look like a douche. I think it's far more important to get to know the people at th firm and have them like you than to gun on menial projects. Again, every firm is different and I'm not exactly at a super prestigious firm.

I think alot of it depends on the practice area, too. I'm on the M&A floor and most people are still there until at least 6:30-7, so it wouldn't be super weird to see a summer or two working late on something due the next morning. Totally different story on other floors, though.

[shock259]

I'm just annoyed because my first rotation is in a small practice area where I'm one of two summers, and the other one is the resident gunner in the class. Making me look bad. Why won't you just leave at 5:30 like everyone else, man?

The gunner is making themselves look bad by staying late. As long as you aren't blowing deadlines by leaving at 5:30, you are doing it right.

[timmyd]

I am sick as a dog and trying to tough it out at the office because tommorow we have only half a day of work because they are taking us on a kind of retreat day...Has anyone ever had to miss like half a day due to sickness? It's getting to the point where I can't really even work...I just don't want to come off poorly.

[Old Gregg]

I am sick as a dog and trying to tough it out at the office because tommorow we have only half a day of work because they are taking us on a kind of retreat day...Has anyone ever had to miss like half a day due to sickness? It's getting to the point where I can't really even work...I just don't want to come off poorly.

You'll come off more poorly if you come into work and spread it around. If you're legit sick, stay home and keep your firm informed out the wazoo. There is no alternative.

[jbagelboy]

I am sick as a dog and trying to tough it out at the office because tommorow we have only half a day of work because they are taking us on a kind of retreat day...Has anyone ever had to miss like half a day due to sickness? It's getting to the point where I can't really even work...I just don't want to come off poorly.

You'll come off more poorly if you come into work and spread it around. If you're legit sick, stay home and keep your firm informed out the wazoo. There is no alternative.

bring your laptop home and keep working?

at least at my firm it seems like medical stuff is pretty excusable; I'm missing a few morning hours for a dental appointment next week. we just can't take vacation days for no legitimate reason

[Anonymous User]

Do other SAs have billing requirements?

I am a 1L SA at a mid sized firm in Chicago (myself and 2 other SAs) and we were told that the expectation is for us to bill 7 hours per day. Is this normal? Also, I feel like we aren't getting enough work to satisfy that requirement. We are usually given one or two assignments per day that take usually take around 4-5 hours to complete. I have fallen between 5 and 6.5 billable hours each day this week so far. Fockkk

[Danger Zone]

Do other SAs have billing requirements?

I am a 1L SA at a mid sized firm in Chicago (myself and 2 other SAs) and we were told that the expectation is for us to bill 7 hours per day. Is this normal? Also, I feel like we aren't getting enough work to satisfy that requirement. We are usually given one or two assignments per day that take usually take around 4-5 hours to complete. I have fallen between 5 and 6.5 billable hours each day this week so far. Fockkk

Seven hours?? WAT

[09042014]

Do other SAs have billing requirements?

I am a 1L SA at a mid sized firm in Chicago (myself and 2 other SAs) and we were told that the expectation is for us to bill 7 hours per day. Is this normal? Also, I feel like we aren't getting enough work to satisfy that requirement. We are usually given one or two assignments per day that take usually take around 4-5 hours to complete. I have fallen between 5 and 6.5 billable hours each day this week so far. Fockkk

Actual billing or just 7 hours of recording of what you were doing.

[Anonymous User]

Do other SAs have billing requirements?

I am a 1L SA at a mid sized firm in Chicago (myself and 2 other SAs) and we were told that the expectation is for us to bill 7 hours per day. Is this normal? Also, I feel like we aren't getting enough work to satisfy that requirement. We are usually given one or two assignments per day that take usually take around 4-5 hours to complete. I have fallen between 5 and 6.5 billable hours each day this week so far. Fockkk

Actual billing or just 7 hours of recording of what you were doing.

They said to try to have 7 billable hours per day but include anything and everything and they will cut it down to the appropriate billable amount to go to the client. They made it seem like since we are here from like 8-5 or so, we should be able to account for at least 7 of those hours.

And this firm doesn't even pay market. I'm happy and lucky to have a 1L SA but getting the feeling this firm is pretty TTT.

[jbagelboy]

Do other SAs have billing requirements?

I am a 1L SA at a mid sized firm in Chicago (myself and 2 other SAs) and we were told that the expectation is for us to bill 7 hours per day. Is this normal? Also, I feel like we aren't getting enough work to satisfy that requirement. We are usually given one or two assignments per day that take usually take around 4-5 hours to complete. I have fallen between 5 and 6.5 billable hours each day this week so far. Fockkk

Actual billing or just 7 hours of recording of what you were doing.

They said to try to have 7 billable hours per day but include anything and everything and they will cut it down to the appropriate billable amount to go to the client. They made it seem like since we are here from like 8-5 or so, we should be able to account for at least 7 of those hours.

And this firm doesn't even pay market. I'm happy and lucky to have a 1L SA but getting the feeling this firm is pretty TTT.

we were given the impression that few, if any, of our hours would even be billed to the client. one of our clients doesn't even accept research hours, which is most of what I do, lol. And they certainly aren't billing an associate rate for my slow ass shitty research

We have to record at least 7 hours each day in the timekeeping system, but that includes a lot of training hours and other miscellanea - ideally, we are spending as much of those 7 hours "billing," but little if any of the work is truly "bill-able" to a client.

ETA: actually what they said sounds pretty reasonable, a lot like what my firm does. You enter in 7 hours worth of stuff each day, and the partners can decide whether they want to leave any of it in there. From what you're saying here it sounds pretty standard, unless I'm relaly misreading.

Sorry about the below market tho

[Kikero]

Are you including your two hour free lunches in that 7 hours? Because if not I'm nowhere close.

[Anonymous User]

Are you including your two hour free lunches in that 7 hours? Because if not I'm nowhere close.

Lunch breaks at usually an hour (1.5 max). Most days, associates take us out. But, again, it is a small firm and small SA class so I don't think the whole free lunch thing is going to last.

I do not include this in my time submitted. Nor do the other SAs.

[gypsyking]

This is one hell of a goodbye by a Summer Associate.

http://abovethelaw.com/2014/06/a-summer ... farming/2/

Would any of your have the balls to send something like this before walking out the door?

[Danger Zone]

This is one hell of a goodbye by a Summer Associate.

http://abovethelaw.com/2014/06/a-summer ... farming/2/

Would any of your have the balls to send something like this before walking out the door?

Who the hell would quit this job

[brotherdarkness]

.

[Anonymous User]

I usually leave between 6:30 and 7. Today I left at 6 and my officemate, who is an associate said "you're leaving NOW? I really wouldn't do that". I got concerned but had to catch a train so left anyways and now I'm panicking because my office mate emailed me to say I have missed a few calls on my office phone.

What's especially annoying is that I know other summers have left at 6 or earlier this summer. And no my office mate isn't trolling she's very serious/intense overall.

Should I be worried about this?

[brotherdarkness]

.

[Anonymous User]

I usually leave between 6:30 and 7. Today I left at 6 and my officemate, who is an associate said "you're leaving NOW? I really wouldn't do that". I got concerned but had to catch a train so left anyways and now I'm panicking because my office mate emailed me to say I have missed a few calls on my office phone.

What's especially annoying is that I know other summers have left at 6 or earlier this summer. And no my office mate isn't trolling she's very serious/intense overall.

Should I be worried about this?

Do you have a Blackberry from the firm or alternate means by which they can reach you? If they needed you, they'd email you and bring you back... I doubt leaving at 6 is a problem unless you didn't check in with the associates/partners you're working for currently before strolling out the door.

I have an office blackberry and haven't received any urgent emails or anyone asking me to do anything. But apparently partners were calling my office phone, according to my office mate.

[Jsa725]

.

[Anonymous User]

Did you tell the partner(s) you were leaving for the day?

I had just wrapped up my one assignment at the time and finished a final meeting with the partner. I didn't say I was going to be leaving at six or anything but he said 'have a good weekend'

[Anonymous User]

So, hypothetically, how bad of an idea would it be to ask out one of the recruiting staff? (After the summer, with offer in hand.)

[09042014]

So, hypothetically, how bad of an idea would it be to ask out one of the recruiting staff? (After the summer, with offer in hand.)

They are paid to flirt with you brah.