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I went to LS straight from ugrad, so I don't have full-time WE. (This summer I worked for a judge and worked 8-5.) Is anyone else concerned about physically adjusting to biglaw hours? I don't exercise, but think that I should start. Advice?

Forum Rules wrote:Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are revealing sensitive employment related information about a firm, job, clerkship, etc.

I really don't understand why OP is anon. Kinda annoying.

To answer your question though, I don't think you need to start exercising unless you're a complete fat-ass. You might want to exercise just to stay healthy, but it's not a necessity.

bostonboy870 wrote:I really don't understand why OP is anon. Kinda annoying.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=130748

Please read and follow, thank you.

You've never held a full-time job, but have nonetheless committed to a 60+ hour workweek in a stressful environment? Exercise would certainly help, but I suspect that there is very little that can help you make this adjustment.

vanwinkle wrote:

bostonboy870 wrote:I really don't understand why OP is anon. Kinda annoying.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=130748

Please read and follow, thank you.

Not to derail the thread, but I follow the protocol in the linked thread regularly, and the mods respond more or less instantly.

bostonboy870 wrote:

Forum Rules wrote:Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are revealing sensitive employment related information about a firm, job, clerkship, etc.

To answer your question though, I don't think you need to start exercising unless you're a complete fat-ass. You might want to exercise just to stay healthy, but it's not a necessity.

Exercise is not just about looking slim. Exercise gives people more energy and helps them focus. I'm just wondering how people are preparing themselves for 10-12+ hour workdays. I think it might be a particularly hard adjustment for those of us, like me, who went straight to LS from undergrad and have never held a real job.

Anonymous Loser wrote:You've never held a full-time job, but have nonetheless committed to a 60+ hour workweek in a stressful environment? Exercise would certainly help, but I suspect that there is very little that can help you make this adjustment.

I think a lot of people who work in biglaw were in a similar position. Also a lot of people with WE who end up in law school had "easy" 40 hour/week jobs before LS. (I only worked for the judge for 3 months, but 9 (let alone 8 ) hours a day wasn't bad at all.) I'm just wondering what I can do to prepare myself physically for working 10/12 hours a day.

Any real advice is appreciated.

I don't think that a huge adjustment needs to be made. Chances are, if you made it into biglaw, you worked quite hard in law school (and maybe undergrad). I'm guessing that a lot of law students put in the same kind of time into their studies as big law associates do into their job. Granted, the work is different, but the time commitment is probably similar. You'll just have to get used to doing work in regular clothes instead of studying in sweatpants!

warumnicht wrote:I'm guessing that a lot of law students put in the same kind of time into their studies as big law associates do into their job. Granted, the work is different, but the time commitment is probably similar.

You have to be joking.

With class, I do about 60-70 hrs/wk, so no...I don't think he's joking. Sounds about right.

RVP11 wrote:

warumnicht wrote:I'm guessing that a lot of law students put in the same kind of time into their studies as big law associates do into their job. Granted, the work is different, but the time commitment is probably similar.

You have to be joking.

I'm in UG but my typical day is class 9-3PM (3 15 minute breaks), work 4-7. Plus additional studying every day (including LSAT). Given I have some lab courses that are several hour time chunks but I would be fairly surprised if my school + work + out of class school work + LSAT (At least 3 full practice tests a week) ends up being less than 70 hours per week. Given the mental toll sitting in a lecture taking notes is significantly less than that of doing real work, not having much down time still sucks.

I don't think you need to be in shape to work long hours. At least, that hasn't been my experience. Maybe it will be tiring at first, but you'll get used to it quickly.

Unshake wrote:

RVP11 wrote:

warumnicht wrote:I'm guessing that a lot of law students put in the same kind of time into their studies as big law associates do into their job. Granted, the work is different, but the time commitment is probably similar.

You have to be joking.

I'm in UG but my typical day is class 9-3PM (3 15 minute breaks), work 4-7. Plus additional studying every day (including LSAT). Given I have some lab courses that are several hour time chunks but I would be fairly surprised if my school + work + out of class school work + LSAT (At least 3 full practice tests a week) ends up being less than 70 hours per week. Given the mental toll sitting in a lecture taking notes is significantly less than that of doing real work, not having much down time still sucks.

from 2 months at law school i have come to the conclusion that law students are whiny

.

MrKappus wrote:With class, I do about 60-70 hrs/wk, so no...I don't think he's joking. Sounds about right.

with class, i'm lucky if i do 15.

RVP11 wrote:

warumnicht wrote:I'm guessing that a lot of law students put in the same kind of time into their studies as big law associates do into their job. Granted, the work is different, but the time commitment is probably similar.

You have to be joking.

It's not the 16 hour days that'll get to me, it'll be the two months of doing jack shit before that I'm going to miss.

60 hour work weeks really aren't bad.

Force yourself to get in early (6 am), get out 12 hours later, and have 4-5 hours of non-work life to break up the monotony.

...

Anonymous Abuser wrote:60 hour work weeks really aren't bad.

Force yourself to get in early (6 am), get out 12 hours later, and have 4-5 hours of non-work life to break up the monotony.

You're not going to get in at 6 am at a big law firm. Lawyers are not morning people. Partners are going to want you there at 9-10 am just like them.

rayiner wrote:

Anonymous Abuser wrote:60 hour work weeks really aren't bad.

Force yourself to get in early (6 am), get out 12 hours later, and have 4-5 hours of non-work life to break up the monotony.

You're not going to get in at 6 am at a big law firm. Lawyers are not morning people. Partners are going to want you there at 9-10 am just like them.

+1

Is it really only a 60 hour work-week? Either you're grossly underestimating, or this biglaw stuff is not that bad.

Blindmelon wrote:Is it really only a 60 hour work-week? Either you're grossly underestimating, or this biglaw stuff is not that bad.

Depends on the practice and the week.

MrKappus wrote:With class, I do about 60-70 hrs/wk, so no...I don't think he's joking. Sounds about right.

During the entire semester? That has got to be pretty unusual.

I think most people generally put in a crazy hours in the weeks before finals, but that's it. Biglaw is very different from this slack-slack-slack-cram approach.

Blindmelon wrote:Is it really only a 60 hour work-week? Either you're grossly underestimating, or this biglaw stuff is not that bad.

From what I've heard, this is a fair estimate in certain practice areas.

Which practice areas?

Deal support: tax and EB. Might also be true for lit at some places that don't have a lot of doc review.