V10 Associate Taking Questions Forum

[Anonymous User]

Working late tonight. Please keep me awake. Thanks.

[TheFactor]

tell us about the models and bottles BRO

[ph14]

Market/Practice Group/Law School/Law School Grades, etc.

[bk1]

How long have you been in biglaw? How long do you plan on staying? Why that long?

[Anonymous User]

I've got a bottle of whisky next to me. My girlfriend is as beautiful as a model, so all in all it's pretty good.

[Anonymous User]

Market/Practice Group/Law School/Law School Grades, etc.

NYC, M&A, top 6 law school, grades... hmmm after 1L year... around top third?

Bloodtype: lol you wish.

[TheFactor]

Market/Practice Group/Law School/Law School Grades, etc.

lol

[Anonymous User]

What's the best 1L summer experience in your opinion? Can it offset lower grades? Do you consider 2L fall externships at all in hiring?

[Anonymous User]

How long have you been in biglaw? How long do you plan on staying? Why that long?

I'm a junior associate. I intend to stay as long as I can. I anticipate being told I won't make partner by around year 7-8, at which point I'll do something else. Why this long? Hmm, pretty much because to become a partner you have to be extremely talented, and I just don't think I'm talented or that lucky. But we'll see.

[Anonymous User]

answered above

[AntipodeanPhil]

Two questions:

1. Are there junior associates over the age of 30 at your office? Do you think that being over 30 would be a disadvantage for getting a 2L summer position at your firm?

2. How much variety is there in the work of a junior associate at your firm, in general? Does it involve doing minor variations on the same task again and again, or are there significant differences between tasks?

[Anonymous User]

What's the best 1L summer experience in your opinion? Can it offset lower grades? Do you consider 2L fall externships at all in hiring?

I'm not directly involved in recruiting, but from what I know:
Best summer 1L experience is working at a big firm.
Yes, it can offset lower grades, but not by much.
Not really.

[Anonymous User]

Two questions:

1. Are there junior associates over the age of 30 at your office? Do you think that being over 30 would be a disadvantage for getting a 2L summer position at your firm?

I think so. No, not that I know of. If anything, you should have some decent work experience pre-law school. You can parlay that into an interviewing advantage when OCI comes around.

2. How much variety is there in the work of a junior associate at your firm, in general? Does it involve doing minor variations on the same task again and again, or are there significant differences between tasks?

A bit of both. There are variations of the same task, usually, but the variations are significant. There are also a lot of different tasks, but I'd say that a good 60% of my work involves significant variations of the same task.

[Bobby Jones]

Do you pad your hours? What is this "talent" that you think partners have?

[Vronsky]

Have you or any people in your year been really yelled at/reamed/skewered by a partner? How bad was it?

[Anonymous User]

Do you pad your hours? What is this "talent" that you think partners have?

I don't know whether I pad my hours. I honestly report what I bill, but sometimes it's difficult to tell when you should bill time and when you shouldnt.


In terms of talent, I think the partners have a certain corporate instinct that you have to be talented to develop. They also make it rain. Back to the talent: They're capable of understanding in dollars and cents the amount of risk various elements in a deal pose, and they're able to negotiate for their clients with those in mind They also quickly see the issues inherent in any potential deal that comes across their desk. I guess it could be because they're experienced, but I don't know it's still quite intimidating as a junior.

[thisguy456]

Are these work-until-11pm nights fairly common?

[Anonymous User]

Have you or any people in your year been really yelled at/reamed/skewered by a partner? How bad was it?

No, not that I know of. The partners I've worked with are extremely nice. Maybe my only complaint is that it's hard to get a hold of them (i.e., you don't call them, they'll call you), but I get that, so I'm cool with it.

[Anonymous User]

Are these work-until-11pm nights fairly common?

In my group? Yes. In fact, this is a little on the early side.

[dixiecupdrinking]

How unpredictable are your hours? Have you had to cancel any major plans?

[ph14]

How big of a difference is it between being a summer associate and a junior associate?

[Anonymous User]

How big of a difference is it between being a summer associate and a junior associate?

Huge. As a summer, virtually nothing is expected of you. As a real associate, you've got real responsibilities.

[Anonymous User]

How unpredictable are your hours? Have you had to cancel any major plans?

Not super unpredictable. I usually have a fairly good idea whether I'll keep my weekends. My weeknights, on the other hand... completely unknown. Depends a lot on the client.

[thisguy456]

How unpredictable are your hours? Have you had to cancel any major plans?

Not super unpredictable. I usually have a fairly good idea whether I'll keep my weekends. My weeknights, on the other hand... completely unknown. Depends a lot on the client.

Is there anything you do/did to get used to the long hours? Since you plan on staying for 7/8 years I assume the hours and the schedule doesn't bother you as much as it may others.

[Anonymous User]

How unpredictable are your hours? Have you had to cancel any major plans?

Not super unpredictable. I usually have a fairly good idea whether I'll keep my weekends. My weeknights, on the other hand... completely unknown. Depends a lot on the client.

Is there anything you do/did to get used to the long hours? Since you plan on staying for 7/8 years I assume the hours and the schedule doesn't bother you as much as it may others.

Work from home. All in I make close to $200,000 a year, so I pretty much have no right to complain about the hours. My GF works similar hours for less than 25% of the pay. This economy sucks.