Top Law Schools

I started as an associate this week but haven't had any work. I've talked to the person who is responsible for coordinating work everyday but nothing's come my way. Suggestions on what I can be doing while waiting?

Take some really long dumps.

Not really helpful... Anyone else?

Go out to lunch with a senior person. Make the most of your downtime.

This really isn't the forum to ask this question. It really depends on how your firm does things. Talk to somebody at your firm.

Feel lucky?

For context, here are my first few months in billables:

First month: ~40

Second month: ~140

Third month: ~200

Fourth month: ~290

Anonymous User wrote:Feel lucky?

For context, here are my first few months in billables:

First month: ~40

Second month: ~140

Third month: ~200

Fourth month: ~290

This. However, in an effort to be helpful, if you're in corporate, I would recommend reading some articles on PLC (http://us.practicallaw.com/). I did this my first few months, specifically reading some of the "Practice Notes" they have and found them very useful (though a bit boring). If you're not sure what topics to look up, ask a junior associate for the documentation of the last deal they did and look up some terms you see but don't know.

If you're in litigation, sorry, this doesn't really help. Play online poker or watch Netflix or something.

I'm pretty sure your hours don't get counted during your stub year anyway so it doesn't really matter?

Just relax. The work will come.

It is natural to take even 2 or 3 months before you really get busy. It is hard to plug someone into new cases or deals as you simply don't know anything. And it is not like there are lots of 1-off research projects that you can be doing.

If a case enters a new phase which is busier or the client realizes the need to expend more resources on it, then you may get staffed on it. Alternatively, someone might leave for some reason (e.g., maternity leave, to clerk, lateral, etc.) and you can fill their spot. This does not happen that often though.

Most likely, you will just be waiting until there is new work which has not yet been staffed. Then you will start to get work.

It can take a long time to get real work. I'm a junior corporate associate at a V20 so I just went through this. For someone new it's to put them onto a new deal. Deals are very slow at the beginning and then ramp up. The less experience you have the more time they have to spend teaching you, so you'll basically have to wait until a new deal starts that they want to put you on.

Also if your firm has a pro bono office you can ask what pro bono assignments are available. It gets you experience and at least you're doing something.

I think I billed like 20 hours my first month. After a year or two you'll settle into a pattern. I can have months below 100 hours and months above 250. It can go up and down. Just go with it.