Notable Hours Difference Btwn Lit and Transactional? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I've recently accepted a SA position at a firm that is heavily transactional, yet does have a strong and growing litigation practice. I'm wondering if there is a general consensus regarding any notable hours difference between the two. I'm guessing it may be a bit easier to reach billables in the corporate practice groups, just given the fact that it's what the firm is known for and work is always coming through the door, but I want to have as much of a life as possible outside of work (yes, I know that I generally won't have a social life, but humor me).

I've heard that corporate hours are much more unpredictable/restrictive because things can always change in an instant on a big deal, but I'm wondering if there is a significant difference between transactional and litigation hours in regards to working weekends, consistently working late nights, etc. Any input would be appreciated. I'm inclined to go corporate/transactional, but if my QOL will be notably worse, I may reconsider litigation.

Thanks!

[sesto elemento]

Bro do you even research? http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=228583

[A. Nony Mouse]

To be fair, I really don't think that thread answers OP's question.

I do think it's been discussed pretty regularly, but not so much in that thread. (The consensus, I think, is that the hours in litigation are not necessarily better, but are generally more predictable. And if you are on a case that goes to trial you will burn through tons of hours.)

[Anonymous User]

Thanks mouse, appreciate it. Anyone else have an opinion from their experience/what they've heard?

[Desert Fox]

People say the hours are the same, but it is all about "predictability." But I think that is sort of bullshit.

The average billable hours might work out to be the same, but the hours worked total seem fairly different. I'm not sure if the predictability causes inefficiencies or if there are different billing practices (lit associates tend to bill entire days to a case).

But the corp people at my firm NEVER leave before 7pm even if they have no work. If I have no work, I don't even come in.

[Anonymous User]

Looks like I may have to start thinking seriously about litigation...

[Desert Fox]

Looks like I may have to start thinking seriously about litigation...

Lets get some more opinions on this before everyone runs away. I'm just a first year.

We get if DF, you work in BIGLAW

[A. Nony Mouse]

I think (but am guessing) that what makes the difference is that lit people get to bill things like depos and trial in fairly big chunks of time (DF's whole days), which feels different from adding up all the individual .1s of corp? Also, when you're staffed on something like that for lit, you don't get the "sitting around waiting to get stuff back to send out tonight" time that you have to spend at the office, but not billing, that seems to happen in deals.

But this is extrapolating from my summer doing lit and how corp people here describe their lives. I could be totally wrong. (I'm sure corp people bill lots of hours at a time, too. I just think being in court/a depo may be different.)

[FSK]

Looks like I may have to start thinking seriously about litigation...

Lets get some more opinions on this before everyone runs away. I'm just a first year.

We get if DF, you work in BIGLAW

Do you work in Biglaw?

[Desert Fox]

Looks like I may have to start thinking seriously about litigation...

Lets get some more opinions on this before everyone runs away. I'm just a first year.

We get if DF, you work in BIGLAW

Do you work in Biglaw?

I got me some Vault 38 prefstige

[bk1]

My opinion is that any potential difference isn't large enough to justify picking the one you like less.

[FSK]

My opinion is that any potential difference isn't large enough to justify picking the one you like less.

Example if you prefer corporate: Even if you work 3 (or whatever itis) more raw hours per day doing corporate, you're still doing the bulk of your hours doing something you prefer.

[thelawyler]

My opinion is that any potential difference isn't large enough to justify picking the one you like less.

Example if you prefer corporate: Even if you work 3 (or whatever itis) more raw hours per day doing corporate, you're still doing the bulk of your hours doing something you prefer.

But if you work 3 less hours per day, that gives you 3 more hours per day to have a life. And I like having a life.

[dixiecupdrinking]

I think (but am guessing) that what makes the difference is that lit people get to bill things like depos and trial in fairly big chunks of time (DF's whole days), which feels different from adding up all the individual .1s of corp? Also, when you're staffed on something like that for lit, you don't get the "sitting around waiting to get stuff back to send out tonight" time that you have to spend at the office, but not billing, that seems to happen in deals.

But this is extrapolating from my summer doing lit and how corp people here describe their lives. I could be totally wrong. (I'm sure corp people bill lots of hours at a time, too. I just think being in court/a depo may be different.)

It's mostly the "sitting around waiting" thing. On a full lit workload you can bill your 8 hours from like 9-7 and go home. Seems to me like on a deal, you might bill the same hours from noon to midnight. There are lit fire drills, or just working for assholes who ask you for something at the end of the day, but corporate work kind of seems like one big fire drill to me.

[bk1]

My opinion is that any potential difference isn't large enough to justify picking the one you like less.

Example if you prefer corporate: Even if you work 3 (or whatever itis) more raw hours per day doing corporate, you're still doing the bulk of your hours doing something you prefer.

That's going too far. At three extra hours a day, it's eminently reasonable to pick the job you prefer less. Three hours a day is a shit ton. My point was more that the difference between the two is nowhere near large enough to justify it as a basis for picking the job you like less. Heck, even if there are overarching differences, OP's experiences are more likely to be determined by his firm and practice area than by broad generalized differences between transactional and lit.

[Anonymous User]

My opinion is that any potential difference isn't large enough to justify picking the one you like less.

Example if you prefer corporate: Even if you work 3 (or whatever itis) more raw hours per day doing corporate, you're still doing the bulk of your hours doing something you prefer.

That's going too far. At three extra hours a day, it's eminently reasonable to pick the job you prefer less. Three hours a day is a shit ton. My point was more that the difference between the two is nowhere near large enough to justify it as a basis for picking the job you like less. Heck, even if there are overarching differences, OP's experiences are more likely to be determined by his firm and practice area than by broad generalized differences between transactional and lit.

OP here. Thanks for the input guys. And I agree that 3 hours is definitely enough of a difference to make me choose the less enjoyable practice area. That being said, I hope it's nowhere near 3 hours more in transactional versus litigation.

I guess at this point I'm no longer leaning heavily transactional, and will really try to get a feel for the QOL within the litigation and the transactional practice groups at my particular firm during my rotation. I know BigLaw = no social life, but if I can salvage even a modest chunk of a social life (so that I don't run my 4+ year relationship into the ground), I may be open to the less exciting practice area.

[5ky]

I think (but am guessing) that what makes the difference is that lit people get to bill things like depos and trial in fairly big chunks of time (DF's whole days), which feels different from adding up all the individual .1s of corp? Also, when you're staffed on something like that for lit, you don't get the "sitting around waiting to get stuff back to send out tonight" time that you have to spend at the office, but not billing, that seems to happen in deals.

But this is extrapolating from my summer doing lit and how corp people here describe their lives. I could be totally wrong. (I'm sure corp people bill lots of hours at a time, too. I just think being in court/a depo may be different.)

It's mostly the "sitting around waiting" thing. On a full lit workload you can bill your 8 hours from like 9-7 and go home. Seems to me like on a deal, you might bill the same hours from noon to midnight. There are lit fire drills, or just working for assholes who ask you for something at the end of the day, but corporate work kind of seems like one big fire drill to me.

I've never yet had a situation where I've been forced to sit and wait around for something at night, really. If I'm there at night, there's always plenty of things to do.

For the other topic, I will say it depends on how much you like one vs. dislike another. I've been on matters I've really enjoyed and some I've absolutely hated. I would take 12 hours of corporate over 9 of something I hated every day. I've worked 85+ hours weeks, gone over two months straight without a day off, etc., but I've never hated my job more than when I was staffed on something I really disliked.