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

[romothesavior]

For the people who work late: is it possible to ever take work home or conversely, to go home around dinner time, then come back later in the evening?


Or more specifically: does anyone working late hours have a dog, and what do you do with your dog?

I sometimes bill an hour or two at home. I also left for a haircut appointment around 5 and came back at 6 one time. That was the only time I stayed past 9.

[los blancos]

Is no-offer anxiety kind of spoiling the summer experience for anyone else?

[Anonymous User]

Is no-offer anxiety kind of spoiling the summer experience for anyone else?

Everyone in my firm actually speaks assuming that I will be there next year. Like it's not even a question. Several associates have commented on how we will all get offers. Partners take us to lunch and talk about things that we will be doing when we start next year. It's been made pretty clear that we have to seriously fuck up to not get an offer.

That being said, yeah I still worry about seriously fucking up. I freak out when I'm about to hit the send button on an assignment. I drink less drinks at events to make sure I don't pull a Tucker Max in a drunken stupor.

Probably being overly cautious, but better that then underly employed.

[rad lulz]

Is no-offer anxiety kind of spoiling the summer experience for anyone else?

ya

[Anonymous User]

Is no-offer anxiety kind of spoiling the summer experience for anyone else?

ya

Yes. My associate told me they no offered my counterpart from last summer for reasons that sounded fairly minor. Now I'm terrified on every assignment that a minor error will kill me as well.

[Anonymous User]

Is no-offer anxiety kind of spoiling the summer experience for anyone else?

ya

It was, but then I had my midsummer review and it was far better than expected. Plus, people who have been at the firm for a while and are on the recruiting committee said you needed to do serious things like blow deadlines in order to get no-offered.

[IAFG]

For the people who work late: is it possible to ever take work home or conversely, to go home around dinner time, then come back later in the evening?


Or more specifically: does anyone working late hours have a dog, and what do you do with your dog?

I live very close to my firm and it has been no problem at all for me to run home to eat a snack, change shoes, grab a suit for court, etc. It is rare that my physical presence is required.

[jess]

.

[Anonymous User]

Is no-offer anxiety kind of spoiling the summer experience for anyone else?

ya

ya

thinking my firm took waaay too many SA & will cut a ton of us even without making major mistakes....freaking out but trying to look cool is adding to the stress....otherwise i'd say it's been great :/

[Holly Golightly]

Wow, basically everyone ITT is insane. Shouldn't surprise me, I suppose, but Jesus Christ...

[r6_philly]

Wow, basically everyone ITT is insane. Shouldn't surprise me, I suppose, but Jesus Christ...

It's probably good to stay on your toes ITE.

[Anonymous User]

First half just ended. Exit interview went pretty well, but they were really vague on offers. All I know is I'll know one way or the other in August. Sigh.

[Anonymous User]

So far I have really enjoyed most of the work I've been given- about 90% of my assignments have been substantive and challenging. My firm's clients are top notch and the summer events have been pretty spectacular too.

However, I can tell already that I don't exactly "fit in" with the firm culture. Don't get me wrong- the people I work with are polite and courteous at the office. But the things they value and enjoy visiting about are pretty much the exact opposite of my values and background.

Name dropping and bragging about what high school/grade school/block you grew up on/etc. seem to be a national pastime here at the SA lunches. Most associates could not give a fuck about actually getting to know the summers- they view us as a necessary evil that must be endured so they can stuff their face or get shitfaced for free on the company dime. And while I understand this mindset to a degree, the level of brazenness with which they act is sometimes pretty stunning.

I was positive this was the place for me after my callback in the fall- it seemed like such a great fit. Now I'm almost anxious for the summer to end. Of course I'll grin and bear it and happily cash my pay check for the next month, but still, this is kind of a sinking feeling.

Anyone else having a similar experience?

I am this poaster.

I have since switched practice groups and it's like I work at an entirely different firm. I fucking love it. People are smart, funny and nice in this area and actually give a fuck about teh summers.

So weird how practice groups can have such different personalities at the same firm.

[Anonymous User]

So, I'm in a somewhat similar nautical vessel and am mainly wondering what I'm doing wrong. I just looked at my time entries for June. If I had started in January and worked at roughly this pace, I'd be on pace to work about 2,700 hours this year and bill around 2,300-2,400.

I don't think they even expect me to put in these kind of hours, but it's the only way I'm able to meet the deadlines on the various projects I have. The mechanism that's supposed to coordinate my workload isn't working, but I don't want to say anything about it, nor do I want to turn down work or ask for extensions. I can't believe I'm working that inefficiently, either. What should I be doing here? I don't want to do bad work or miss a deadline because I'm juggling too many things. Thoughts?

No idea but I'm in the same situation. Working for a partner with a reputation for being very demanding, and my requests to have some variety in my assignments have been fruitless. I feel like I'm being forced to either crack under all the pressure or appear extremely unprofessional (and get no-offered) by trying to turn it down a notch on my own since no one else seems willing to. I don't even mind working that much, it's just robbing me of the opportunity to explore different practice areas and all those things you're supposed to do as a summer.

[los blancos]

Is no-offer anxiety kind of spoiling the summer experience for anyone else?

Everyone in my firm actually speaks assuming that I will be there next year. Like it's not even a question. Several associates have commented on how we will all get offers. Partners take us to lunch and talk about things that we will be doing when we start next year. It's been made pretty clear that we have to seriously fuck up to not get an offer.

That being said, yeah I still worry about seriously fucking up. I freak out when I'm about to hit the send button on an assignment. I drink less drinks at events to make sure I don't pull a Tucker Max in a drunken stupor.

Probably being overly cautious, but better that then underly employed.

You don't understand what an amazing luxury that is...

[traehekat]

Is no-offer anxiety kind of spoiling the summer experience for anyone else?

ya

yeah for sure. a lot of the associates have sort of referenced how reserved we all are compared to previous classes. but i think most of them get it - good ol days are gone, so everyone is just kinda scared to fuck up somehow.

[keg411]

You don't understand what an amazing luxury that is...

Do you have a legitimate reason to be worried about being no-offered? Because my firm is definitely more like the one where they assume everyone is going to get an offer and you have to screw up pretty seriously not to.

[IAFG]

You don't understand what an amazing luxury that is...

Do you have a legitimate reason to be worried about being no-offered? Because my firm is definitely more like the one where they assume everyone is going to get an offer and you have to screw up pretty seriously not to.

I think he's trying to hint at the fact that his firm is NOT like that.

[keg411]

You don't understand what an amazing luxury that is...

Do you have a legitimate reason to be worried about being no-offered? Because my firm is definitely more like the one where they assume everyone is going to get an offer and you have to screw up pretty seriously not to.

I think he's trying to hint at the fact that his firm is NOT like that.

That sucks .

[Anonymous User]

Is no-offer anxiety kind of spoiling the summer experience for anyone else?

Everyone in my firm actually speaks assuming that I will be there next year. Like it's not even a question. Several associates have commented on how we will all get offers. Partners take us to lunch and talk about things that we will be doing when we start next year. It's been made pretty clear that we have to seriously fuck up to not get an offer.

That being said, yeah I still worry about seriously fucking up. I freak out when I'm about to hit the send button on an assignment. I drink less drinks at events to make sure I don't pull a Tucker Max in a drunken stupor.

Probably being overly cautious, but better that then underly employed.

You don't understand what an amazing luxury that is...

I be the one that was quoted.

Trust me, I understand how fortunate I am. I count blessings every day and then I put my head down and work work work work to make sure i don't fuck it up.

[r6_philly]

You don't understand what an amazing luxury that is...

Do you have a legitimate reason to be worried about being no-offered? Because my firm is definitely more like the one where they assume everyone is going to get an offer and you have to screw up pretty seriously not to.

I think he's trying to hint at the fact that his firm is NOT like that.

Some firms are definitely more reassuring than others, regardless of what the stats are. It's nice to be at a firm without that anxiety. I think we are supposed to enjoy our summer while learning what it feels like to work at the firm. Hard to enjoy yourself with that kind of uncertainty.

[Holly Golightly]

Wow, basically everyone ITT is insane. Shouldn't surprise me, I suppose, but Jesus Christ...

It's probably good to stay on your toes ITE.

Eh, some of this stuff would piss me off if I were the employer (i.e., staying late just to stay late, sucking up, etc.). But I'm not your employer, so carry on...

[r6_philly]

Wow, basically everyone ITT is insane. Shouldn't surprise me, I suppose, but Jesus Christ...

It's probably good to stay on your toes ITE.

Eh, some of this stuff would piss me off if I were the employer (i.e., staying late just to stay late, sucking up, etc.). But I'm not your employer, so carry on...

I leave at 5. I am just making a general statement. If there is a need/expectation to stay late, I will. Luckily, there is not.

[r6_philly]

Eh, some of this stuff would piss me off if I were the employer (i.e., staying late just to stay late, sucking up, etc.). But I'm not your employer, so carry on...

Also, I take it you were never an employer? I don't generally expect/need my employees to do these things, but I wouldn't them making extra effort when not asked.

[underdawg]

Wow, basically everyone ITT is insane. Shouldn't surprise me, I suppose, but Jesus Christ...

It's probably good to stay on your toes ITE.

Eh, some of this stuff would piss me off if I were the employer (i.e., staying late just to stay late, sucking up, etc.). But I'm not your employer, so carry on...

some of the associates will roll their eyes at you but it's not like the partners care