best big law work/balance Forum

[gaucholaw]

I am looking for a big law firm in NYC, that specializes in litigation .... and most importantly allows a work/life balance. I'm fine working 60 hours a week... but I also want to have my weekends to myself

[DCDuck]

Doesn't exist. Sometimes, especially in litigation, you need to work weekends. (And 60 hours is a good week).

[thegrayman]

They don't just give away $160K paychecks, you'll earn every penny

[unc0mm0n1]

They don't just give away $160K paychecks, you'll earn every penny

At least in every NYC law firm I've heard of. If you weren't married to NYC then you could find places that 60 hrs would be a normal work week. I interviewed at a Texas firm and the associate said he hadn't worked a weekend in 2 months.

[FlanAl]

Very anecdotal, but the biglaw guys I know from california complain about how much they have to work but then say that they have absolutely no idea how anyone could do nyc.

[kwais]

I get that NYC biglaw = long hours, but I think TLS takes it a little too far. I talked to dozens of lawyers who had lateralled out of the V10 or V20 to V50 or V100 and said their lives changed significantly. So you will still work long hours, but I think TLS could be a little more helpful in explaining even the minor differences in hours that, in reality, probably make large differences in QOL.

[Anonymous User]

I am looking for a big law firm in NYC, that specializes in litigation .... and most importantly allows a work/life balance. I'm fine working 60 hours a week... but I also want to have my weekends to myself

Define what biglaw means to you for us, no? 100 lawyers? 500 lawyers? 1000 lawyers? Partners get a lot of time to work from home (and some senior associates, too) but junior or new associates.....not that I've seen

[Lincoln]

You should just tell the interviewer in your screeners that you're looking for the firm with the best work-life balance and ask if they are that firm.

[Lincoln]

In all seriousness, if you're concerned about your weekends I would recommend working in government.

[Wile E.]

Kansas City

[deebs]

In all seriousness, if you're concerned about your weekends I would recommend working in government.

Also recommended if you like hour lunches and leaving at 5.

[ajax]

Some biglaw firms do indeed work their associates much less than others. As much as 20 billables less / week. I am a 0L but have 5 plus close relationships working in NYC biglaw. Some are much busier than others. From what I gather a lot of it depends on practice area.

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[bhan87]

I am looking for a big law firm in NYC, that specializes in litigation .... and most importantly allows a work/life balance. I'm fine working 60 hours a week... but I also want to have my weekends to myself

You're likely not going to find this in NYC.

http://www.law.yale.edu/documents/pdf/C ... e_hour.pdf

12 Hours / Day for 5 Days / Week gets you to 1997 hours billed per year. Considering most firms have a target of 2000-2100 minimum hours, you're going to need to work more than 60 hours a week, which means more than 12 hours / weekday or coming in on some weekends.

[Old Gregg]

I am looking for a big law firm in NYC, that specializes in litigation .... and most importantly allows a work/life balance. I'm fine working 60 hours a week... but I also want to have my weekends to myself

You're likely not going to find this in NYC.

http://www.law.yale.edu/documents/pdf/C ... e_hour.pdf

12 Hours / Day for 5 Days / Week gets you to 1997 hours billed per year. Considering most firms have a target of 2000-2100 minimum hours, you're going to need to work more than 60 hours a week, which means more than 12 hours / weekday or coming in on some weekends.

Makes a lot of unrealistic assumptions. I almost always eat lunch while working, for example.

[PinkCow]

I am looking for a big law firm in NYC, that specializes in litigation .... and most importantly allows a work/life balance. I'm fine working 60 hours a week... but I also want to have my weekends to myself

You're likely not going to find this in NYC.

http://www.law.yale.edu/documents/pdf/C ... e_hour.pdf

12 Hours / Day for 5 Days / Week gets you to 1997 hours billed per year. Considering most firms have a target of 2000-2100 minimum hours, you're going to need to work more than 60 hours a week, which means more than 12 hours / weekday or coming in on some weekends.

I'd take anything Yaleol says about Big Law with a grain of salt. What is it now? 20, 30% of graduates go to firm jobs?

[dailygrind]

A casual reminder to 0Ls: this forum is for law students.