ITT: Summer Associates Post About Their Anxiety (2012) Forum

[Big Shrimpin]

The last few poasts are TCR. Sorry dooder.

[Anonymous User]

I'm at a smaller office of a big firm, so only 8 of us SA's. But all of them are coming in before 8 a.m. when recruiting partners told us that we should be there 9-5. I'd rather not make things competitive and show up before 8, but I also don't want to look like the guy who doesn't "go the extra mile." Also, the times I've gone in early, no one notices whatsoever and it seems so very fruitless.

[goodolgil]

I'm at a smaller office of a big firm, so only 8 of us SA's. But all of them are coming in before 8 a.m. when recruiting partners told us that we should be there 9-5. I'd rather not make things competitive and show up before 8, but I also don't want to look like the guy who doesn't "go the extra mile." Also, the times I've gone in early, no one notices whatsoever and it seems so very fruitless.

Just worry about doing your work. Summer hours don't matter. Some people take on a ton of work (voluntarily or involuntarily) and feel the need to work extra hours to finish. If you don't, I wouldn't worry about it.

[vegeta]

The last few poasts are TCR. Sorry dooder.

What does TCR mean?

[Lawyerhead]

The same junior associate I've been working with has me staying past 9 or 10 every night for a week. Is this normal? I figured summers are essentially pushed out the door come close of business hours unless it is extraordinary circumstances. Sure, the junior associate is busy with work, but is it really normal to essentially keep a summer around to help every single night? My floor is relatively empty so no other attorney, and the recruiting folks have no idea I've been stuck here late every night, due to this one junion associate.

do you think this junior associate wants to bang you? serious question.

Nah def nothing like that

I think she is just out of touch with what the "deal" is for summers and what we are here for. Luckily, all the other work im doing is great, and with great people. This associate is just uber OCD and tense. She seemed really surprised when, in passing conversation, I mentioned that summers typically leave around 6 or 630 unless pressed to stay.

Next time just let the associate know how many hours you are supposed to work. I do it all the time.

[Anonymous User]

Similar as well. They only hired 2 of 4 last summer, though claimed this was the case because the associates themselves had work quality and behavior issues. Only 3 of us this summer.

Which market?

[Anonymous User]

I thought about telling someone in recruiting or some other attorney but can't figure out a way of doing that without sounding like im just whining about working too hard.

Some junior associates are just assholes -- I'm dealing with someone similar right now, though at least I'm lucky in that there are two other SA's on the assignment and none of us are happy. Finish the assignment, do the best job you can, and try to move on to other work with other people. Don't let one shitty person ruin your summer and make it so you don't get an offer.

If you want to talk to recruiting, do it in a way where you're just looking to get work in other departments. Like you can say, "look, I've been doing a ton of corporate (or whatever it is), but I really really want to try some work in litigation/real estate/tax/etc."

[swc65]

Update: Aaaaaand just got told to come in all day Sunday

OMG I just got asked to come in for the weekend to review transcripts. The request was "let me know what your weekend schedule is like."

Can I use that fact that it is Pride as an excuse?

I really like the people I am working with so it is fine.

[Anonymous User]

I thought about telling someone in recruiting or some other attorney but can't figure out a way of doing that without sounding like im just whining about working too hard.

Some junior associates are just assholes -- I'm dealing with someone similar right now, though at least I'm lucky in that there are two other SA's on the assignment and none of us are happy. Finish the assignment, do the best job you can, and try to move on to other work with other people. Don't let one shitty person ruin your summer and make it so you don't get an offer.

If you want to talk to recruiting, do it in a way where you're just looking to get work in other departments. Like you can say, "look, I've been doing a ton of corporate (or whatever it is), but I really really want to try some work in litigation/real estate/tax/etc."

...I think I might be one of those three summers on that assignment....Or we're just all in the same boat at the same time.

[Old Gregg]

Are you guys really complaining about working nights and weekends? For 3,000$ a week? This is called a summer job for a reason. Yes, we try not to "inconvenience" you by giving you work at bad times, but that's really more of a gift from us than an expectation or entitlement you should have. And when you work full time, you can sure as hell expect to work on nights and weekends. Might as well get ready for it now. This isn't a summer vacation.

[Ofta3184]

I don't know if this is discussed already, but are people sending thank-you emails to partners/associates that take them to lunch/dinner? Don't wanna seem like too much of a gunner

[itbdvorm]

Are you guys really complaining about working nights and weekends? For 3,000$ a week? This is called a summer job for a reason. Yes, we try not to "inconvenience" you by giving you work at bad times, but that's really more of a gift from us than an expectation or entitlement you should have. And when you work full time, you can sure as hell expect to work on nights and weekends. Might as well get ready for it now. This isn't a summer vacation.

Agreed.

While I don't often give summers impossible tasks (for a variety of reasons) or dump work on them, if someone asks you to do something (i.e., you're being valuable to their team and actually earning the nice salary you're making / making the firm money by doing useful, billable work) you should say thank you sir may I have another and do your best job. I pulled an all-nighter as a summer to close a massive deal and because of that I (a) actually saw what being a junior associate was like, (b) earned the undying gratitude of an overworked 2nd year and (c) actually got a reputation that followed me when I came back.

Those junior associates you're complaining about now will be mid-levels when you return. They can make or break you, never think otherwise. By ingratiating yourself now you miss out on what, an open bar at a baseball game for a few hours? And you gain a serious career advantage.

[swc65]

Are you guys really complaining about working nights and weekends? For 3,000$ a week? This is called a summer job for a reason. Yes, we try not to "inconvenience" you by giving you work at bad times, but that's really more of a gift from us than an expectation or entitlement you should have. And when you work full time, you can sure as hell expect to work on nights and weekends. Might as well get ready for it now. This isn't a summer vacation.

isn't it a rite of passage to complain about working nights and weekends?

[Anonymous User]

My firm makes me promise I won't work on weekends. Dat midlaw.

[Anonymous User]

while my firm hasn't ever pressured me to come in on weekends, I don't mind doing it. like they said above when you're a real associate it's going to happen. why not understand whether you can handle it earlier than later

[Old Gregg]

Are you guys really complaining about working nights and weekends? For 3,000$ a week? This is called a summer job for a reason. Yes, we try not to "inconvenience" you by giving you work at bad times, but that's really more of a gift from us than an expectation or entitlement you should have. And when you work full time, you can sure as hell expect to work on nights and weekends. Might as well get ready for it now. This isn't a summer vacation.

isn't it a rite of passage to complain about working nights and weekends?

Not when you're making 3,000$ a week and there's 8%+ unemployment. In this circumstance, you thank the sweet lord you have a job and that you are making $3,000 a week at the age of 24. If that is something you can't abide, work somewhere else.

Besides, the posts above don't reek of complaint, they reek of entitlement and whining.

[dixiecupdrinking]

Are you guys really complaining about working nights and weekends? For 3,000$ a week? This is called a summer job for a reason. Yes, we try not to "inconvenience" you by giving you work at bad times, but that's really more of a gift from us than an expectation or entitlement you should have. And when you work full time, you can sure as hell expect to work on nights and weekends. Might as well get ready for it now. This isn't a summer vacation.

isn't it a rite of passage to complain about working nights and weekends?

Not when you're making 3,000$ a week and there's 8%+ unemployment. In this circumstance, you thank the sweet lord you have a job and that you are making $3,000 a week at the age of 24. If that is something you can't abide, work somewhere else.

Besides, the posts above don't reek of complaint, they reek of entitlement and whining.

Many firms would never demand these kinds of hours from their summers. In that context it's not crazy for people to express disappointment about it. Of course the summer salaries are nuts but so are first-year salaries, etc. The fact that there's 8% unemployment has nothing to do with it. I could link to a dozen posts on Above The Law bitching about how first-year bonuses are "only" 1/4 of the annual salary I made at my first job but it would be missing the point because it's all about relative expectations.

[Old Gregg]

Are you guys really complaining about working nights and weekends? For 3,000$ a week? This is called a summer job for a reason. Yes, we try not to "inconvenience" you by giving you work at bad times, but that's really more of a gift from us than an expectation or entitlement you should have. And when you work full time, you can sure as hell expect to work on nights and weekends. Might as well get ready for it now. This isn't a summer vacation.

isn't it a rite of passage to complain about working nights and weekends?

Not when you're making 3,000$ a week and there's 8%+ unemployment. In this circumstance, you thank the sweet lord you have a job and that you are making $3,000 a week at the age of 24. If that is something you can't abide, work somewhere else.

Besides, the posts above don't reek of complaint, they reek of entitlement and whining.

Many firms would never demand these kinds of hours from their summers. .

Then go work for those firms. Thanks.

[dixiecupdrinking]

Then go work for those firms. Thanks.

Why are you even reading this thread if it's going to get your panties in such a bunch?

[IAFG]

Many firms would never demand these kinds of hours from their summers. In that context it's not crazy for people to express disappointment about it. Of course the summer salaries are nuts but so are first-year salaries, etc. The fact that there's 8% unemployment has nothing to do with it. I could link to a dozen posts on Above The Law bitching about how first-year bonuses are "only" 1/4 of the annual salary I made at my first job but it would be missing the point because it's all about relative expectations.

I am confused about why anyone making $3k a week as a summer intern would expect to have their evenings and weekends respected.

[dixiecupdrinking]

Many firms would never demand these kinds of hours from their summers. In that context it's not crazy for people to express disappointment about it. Of course the summer salaries are nuts but so are first-year salaries, etc. The fact that there's 8% unemployment has nothing to do with it. I could link to a dozen posts on Above The Law bitching about how first-year bonuses are "only" 1/4 of the annual salary I made at my first job but it would be missing the point because it's all about relative expectations.

I am confused about why anyone making $3k a week as a summer intern would expect to have their evenings and weekends respected.

Because it's usually what happens? Expecting it to happen and thinking you're entitled to it are two different things. Clearly no summer associate deserves to have his or her personal time respected, whatever "deserves" means.

[de5igual]

F&*k...gained ten pounds already and only halfway through...

[IAFG]

Many firms would never demand these kinds of hours from their summers. In that context it's not crazy for people to express disappointment about it. Of course the summer salaries are nuts but so are first-year salaries, etc. The fact that there's 8% unemployment has nothing to do with it. I could link to a dozen posts on Above The Law bitching about how first-year bonuses are "only" 1/4 of the annual salary I made at my first job but it would be missing the point because it's all about relative expectations.

I am confused about why anyone making $3k a week as a summer intern would expect to have their evenings and weekends respected.

Because it's usually what happens? Expecting it to happen and thinking you're entitled to it are two different things. Clearly no summer associate deserves to have his or her personal time respected, whatever "deserves" means.

I guess I never had the impression that no nights/weekends was what "usually" happens to summers because all the people I have known who summered in NY in the past two years had to work some nights/weekends.

[swc65]

F&*k...gained ten pounds already and only halfway through...

Well, you're getting paid 3K/week so you shouldn't say anything negative about anything.

[swc65]

Many firms would never demand these kinds of hours from their summers. In that context it's not crazy for people to express disappointment about it. Of course the summer salaries are nuts but so are first-year salaries, etc. The fact that there's 8% unemployment has nothing to do with it. I could link to a dozen posts on Above The Law bitching about how first-year bonuses are "only" 1/4 of the annual salary I made at my first job but it would be missing the point because it's all about relative expectations.

I am confused about why anyone making $3k a week as a summer intern would expect to have their evenings and weekends respected.

Because it's usually what happens? Expecting it to happen and thinking you're entitled to it are two different things. Clearly no summer associate deserves to have his or her personal time respected, whatever "deserves" means.

I guess I never had the impression that no nights/weekends was what "usually" happens to summers because all the people I have known who summered in NY in the past two years had to work some nights/weekends.

Even if it were commonplace, I don't think it's crazy or weird for people to express disappointment that they have to work on a weekend. It's kind of human nature. Whiny moaning and flailing about it unnecessary.