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Seconding this question. Heading to a T14 this fall, and looking to do BigLaw and am definitely considering Boston as an option if I had an offer from Ropes&Gray or another good Boston firm. Didn't go to UG in the Boston area nor will I LS, but was born/raised/worked in the greater Boston area so I'm hoping that counts as good enough ties. I hear that some of the firms do have a greater work/life balance and I'd also like to hear if anyone has more personal experience as an associate at a Boston firm.

I worked at one of the big Chicago firms for 5-6 years (Kirkland/Sidley/Mayer), and our Chicago associates billed more than the NYC associates when I was there.

I think the bottom line is that at any firm in the V20 range, you're going to bill 2000 hours when you're slow (or start looking for a new job), and 2400 hours when you're busy, and 2600 hours when you're insanely busy. The difference between firms is that the good (re: "humane") ones recognize the associates in the latter category and make sure that they get some down time.

(Full disclosure. After my 2500 year, my bosses specifically asked about my family life, and if I could sustain that sort of workload without getting divorced. I told them I probably couldn't. The next couple of years were 2200 years, and there were a number of times when I was specifically told to get a junior associate to help so I wasn't there all weekend.)

Anonymous User wrote:I worked at one of the big Chicago firms for 5-6 years (Kirkland/Sidley/Mayer), and our Chicago associates billed more than the NYC associates when I was there.

I think the bottom line is that at any firm in the V20 range, you're going to bill 2000 hours when you're slow (or start looking for a new job), and 2400 hours when you're busy, and 2600 hours when you're insanely busy. The difference between firms is that the good (re: "humane") ones recognize the associates in the latter category and make sure that they get some down time.

(Full disclosure. After my 2500 year, my bosses specifically asked about my family life, and if I could sustain that sort of workload without getting divorced. I told them I probably couldn't. The next couple of years were 2200 years, and there were a number of times when I was specifically told to get a junior associate to help so I wasn't there all weekend.)

all 3 of those firms are Chicago based though, so wouldn’t you expect the hours there to be similar to or greater than NY peer firms?

Anyone thinking living/raised in Northern CT is close enough to have claim "Boston" ties?