100% this to a T.dixiecupdrinking wrote:Liked it ok for the first 6 months or so, hated the next 6 months, then settled into a low-grade tolerance marked by periods of genuine interest in and utter contempt for my job.
When did you realize you hate your biglaw job? Forum
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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?
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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?
This. I started out at a firm where I loved practicing and liked to work with all of the partners I worked with. They were genuinely nice people, and even though there could be long hours, there really weren't "surprise" projects or false urgency, and it really felt like the team was working on things together and not dumping work on junior associates. And junior and mid-levels were actually given interesting things to do, like opportunities to take and defend depos, at least attend major hearings, be on-site for trial, etc.Anonymous User wrote:As others have said it is highly dependent on who you work for.
I lateraled to another firm, and absolutely hated it. I was unexpectedly siloed to working for a single partner, who had a volatile/emotional personality, didn't provide clear guidance, and would always dump "last minute" things on me. I am senior enough to know that he was creating false urgency, especially when it would be some bullshit research memo. It was also really hierarchical in that all I did was stay in the office, and he was super secretive about client meetings, etc. The other associates would warn each other about when he was coming in, so we could be ready. Gah. Once the job started to impact my sleeping and eating habits, I left. Not worth it, and I felt like I had no future there anyways.
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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?
Well that sucks.... did you think the grass was greener on the other side?Anonymous User wrote:This. I started out at a firm where I loved practicing and liked to work with all of the partners I worked with. They were genuinely nice people, and even though there could be long hours, there really weren't "surprise" projects or false urgency, and it really felt like the team was working on things together and not dumping work on junior associates. And junior and mid-levels were actually given interesting things to do, like opportunities to take and defend depos, at least attend major hearings, be on-site for trial, etc.Anonymous User wrote:As others have said it is highly dependent on who you work for.
I lateraled to another firm, and absolutely hated it. I was unexpectedly siloed to working for a single partner, who had a volatile/emotional personality, didn't provide clear guidance, and would always dump "last minute" things on me. I am senior enough to know that he was creating false urgency, especially when it would be some bullshit research memo. It was also really hierarchical in that all I did was stay in the office, and he was super secretive about client meetings, etc. The other associates would warn each other about when he was coming in, so we could be ready. Gah. Once the job started to impact my sleeping and eating habits, I left. Not worth it, and I felt like I had no future there anyways.
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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?
No actually, I never wanted to leave in the first place. I lateraled because I was moving.Anonymous User wrote:Well that sucks.... did you think the grass was greener on the other side?Anonymous User wrote:This. I started out at a firm where I loved practicing and liked to work with all of the partners I worked with. They were genuinely nice people, and even though there could be long hours, there really weren't "surprise" projects or false urgency, and it really felt like the team was working on things together and not dumping work on junior associates. And junior and mid-levels were actually given interesting things to do, like opportunities to take and defend depos, at least attend major hearings, be on-site for trial, etc.Anonymous User wrote:As others have said it is highly dependent on who you work for.
I lateraled to another firm, and absolutely hated it. I was unexpectedly siloed to working for a single partner, who had a volatile/emotional personality, didn't provide clear guidance, and would always dump "last minute" things on me. I am senior enough to know that he was creating false urgency, especially when it would be some bullshit research memo. It was also really hierarchical in that all I did was stay in the office, and he was super secretive about client meetings, etc. The other associates would warn each other about when he was coming in, so we could be ready. Gah. Once the job started to impact my sleeping and eating habits, I left. Not worth it, and I felt like I had no future there anyways.
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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?
If you have a family or kids who you would like to see (ever), you will not like it.
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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?
Completely agree with this. I do transactional work, but my group lacks the volatility of a general corporate/M&A group. I know when I'll have to work in the evening or on the weekend, which makes things easier. Sure, I've had to put in some long nights but it was something I saw in advance. Some people in my group have crazy hours (I think partly because they don't know how to say no), but on average it doesn't seem terrible.Anonymous User wrote: My 2 cents: It's tough to compare biglaw jobs even within firms, let alone against other firms. I've had a chill run but I know people in other groups within my firm have had a totally different experience. The people I get work from seem to have a solid work life balance and no one expects a tight turnaround. Not the same for another stub year in a different group. Different groups are different.
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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?
I'm in my eighth week as a corporate associate at a V50 in a big secondary market. I read a lot of TLS over the years and was expecting the worst. But my experience so far has been laughable. I billed 25 hours my first month and 30 my second month. Everyone is reassuring me that they won't fire me and work will probably pick up early next year. Meanwhile I go to a lot of happy hours and eat a lot of free lunches and leave at 5:15-5:30 basically every day.
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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?
you're telling me you're enjoying a job where you work 5 hours a week and get paid 6 figures?Anonymous User wrote:I'm in my eighth week as a corporate associate at a V50 in a big secondary market. I read a lot of TLS over the years and was expecting the worst. But my experience so far has been laughable. I billed 25 hours my first month and 30 my second month. Everyone is reassuring me that they won't fire me and work will probably pick up early next year. Meanwhile I go to a lot of happy hours and eat a lot of free lunches and leave at 5:15-5:30 basically every day.
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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?
roflAnonymous User wrote:I'm in my eighth week as a corporate associate at a V50 in a big secondary market. I read a lot of TLS over the years and was expecting the worst. But my experience so far has been laughable. I billed 25 hours my first month and 30 my second month. Everyone is reassuring me that they won't fire me and work will probably pick up early next year. Meanwhile I go to a lot of happy hours and eat a lot of free lunches and leave at 5:15-5:30 basically every day.
it gets worse
pepper thy angus
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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?
Everybody knows that there's no such thing as a free lunch. Prepare to pay the toll.Anonymous User wrote:I'm in my eighth week as a corporate associate at a V50 in a big secondary market. I read a lot of TLS over the years and was expecting the worst. But my experience so far has been laughable. I billed 25 hours my first month and 30 my second month. Everyone is reassuring me that they won't fire me and work will probably pick up early next year. Meanwhile I go to a lot of happy hours and eat a lot of free lunches and leave at 5:15-5:30 basically every day.
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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?
yah ur fuckt tbhseespotrun wrote:Everybody knows that there's no such thing as a free lunch. Prepare to pay the toll.Anonymous User wrote:I'm in my eighth week as a corporate associate at a V50 in a big secondary market. I read a lot of TLS over the years and was expecting the worst. But my experience so far has been laughable. I billed 25 hours my first month and 30 my second month. Everyone is reassuring me that they won't fire me and work will probably pick up early next year. Meanwhile I go to a lot of happy hours and eat a lot of free lunches and leave at 5:15-5:30 basically every day.
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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?
You're probably fine, though it's a myth that firms don't fire first years. You won't see Lathamings but people do start getting pushed out fairly early (even if they don't actually get the boot until the beginning of year two).Anonymous User wrote:I'm in my eighth week as a corporate associate at a V50 in a big secondary market. I read a lot of TLS over the years and was expecting the worst. But my experience so far has been laughable. I billed 25 hours my first month and 30 my second month. Everyone is reassuring me that they won't fire me and work will probably pick up early next year. Meanwhile I go to a lot of happy hours and eat a lot of free lunches and leave at 5:15-5:30 basically every day.
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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?
It probably depends on the size of the office, too. If it's large enough to absorb slow first years, then you may last 2 years. If it's a smaller office, you may be let go much earlier.Anonymous User wrote:You're probably fine, though it's a myth that firms don't fire first years. You won't see Lathamings but people do start getting pushed out fairly early (even if they don't actually get the boot until the beginning of year two).Anonymous User wrote:I'm in my eighth week as a corporate associate at a V50 in a big secondary market. I read a lot of TLS over the years and was expecting the worst. But my experience so far has been laughable. I billed 25 hours my first month and 30 my second month. Everyone is reassuring me that they won't fire me and work will probably pick up early next year. Meanwhile I go to a lot of happy hours and eat a lot of free lunches and leave at 5:15-5:30 basically every day.
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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?
This is probably right. If you were a mid-level lateral, it would be a different story.krads153 wrote:It probably depends on the size of the office, too. If it's large enough to absorb slow first years, then you may last 2 years. If it's a smaller office, you may be let go much earlier.Anonymous User wrote:You're probably fine, though it's a myth that firms don't fire first years. You won't see Lathamings but people do start getting pushed out fairly early (even if they don't actually get the boot until the beginning of year two).Anonymous User wrote:I'm in my eighth week as a corporate associate at a V50 in a big secondary market. I read a lot of TLS over the years and was expecting the worst. But my experience so far has been laughable. I billed 25 hours my first month and 30 my second month. Everyone is reassuring me that they won't fire me and work will probably pick up early next year. Meanwhile I go to a lot of happy hours and eat a lot of free lunches and leave at 5:15-5:30 basically every day.
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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?
Yeah it's a big office -- around 300 attorneys in this city, 800 total in the firm.krads153 wrote:It probably depends on the size of the office, too. If it's large enough to absorb slow first years, then you may last 2 years. If it's a smaller office, you may be let go much earlier.Anonymous User wrote:You're probably fine, though it's a myth that firms don't fire first years. You won't see Lathamings but people do start getting pushed out fairly early (even if they don't actually get the boot until the beginning of year two).Anonymous User wrote:I'm in my eighth week as a corporate associate at a V50 in a big secondary market. I read a lot of TLS over the years and was expecting the worst. But my experience so far has been laughable. I billed 25 hours my first month and 30 my second month. Everyone is reassuring me that they won't fire me and work will probably pick up early next year. Meanwhile I go to a lot of happy hours and eat a lot of free lunches and leave at 5:15-5:30 basically every day.
I billed two hours today. Taking my grand total to about 60 hours in two months. After the three-day workweek next week, I get two weeks off in December because of how the holidays fall on weekdays this year plus vacation days. Now all I need is to have/adopt a kid and get another 2-3 months off.
Let's see how long my luck lasts before I either get busy or I get fired. My own bet is late January. We'll see.
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