When did you realize you hate your biglaw job? Forum

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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Nov 18, 2015 1:42 pm

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.
100% this to a T.

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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Nov 18, 2015 2:31 pm

Anonymous User wrote:As others have said it is highly dependent on who you work for.
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.

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?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Nov 18, 2015 3:35 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:As others have said it is highly dependent on who you work for.
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.

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.
Well that sucks.... did you think the grass was greener on the other side?

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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Nov 18, 2015 4:21 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:As others have said it is highly dependent on who you work for.
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.

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.
Well that sucks.... did you think the grass was greener on the other side?
No actually, I never wanted to leave in the first place. I lateraled because I was moving.

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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?

Post by 84651846190 » Wed Nov 18, 2015 9:23 pm

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?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Nov 18, 2015 9:30 pm

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.
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.

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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Nov 18, 2015 10:33 pm

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?

Post by 5ky » Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:20 pm

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.
you're telling me you're enjoying a job where you work 5 hours a week and get paid 6 figures?

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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?

Post by Big Shrimpin » Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:26 pm

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.
rofl

it gets worse

pepper thy angus

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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?

Post by seespotrun » Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:29 pm

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.
Everybody knows that there's no such thing as a free lunch. Prepare to pay the toll.

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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?

Post by Big Shrimpin » Thu Nov 19, 2015 12:41 am

seespotrun wrote:
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.
Everybody knows that there's no such thing as a free lunch. Prepare to pay the toll.
yah ur fuckt tbh

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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Nov 19, 2015 2:44 am

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.
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).

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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?

Post by krads153 » Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:30 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
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.
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).
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.

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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:32 pm

krads153 wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
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.
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).
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.
This is probably right. If you were a mid-level lateral, it would be a different story.

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Re: When did you realize you hate your biglaw job?

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Nov 19, 2015 11:45 pm

krads153 wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
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.
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).
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.
Yeah it's a big office -- around 300 attorneys in this city, 800 total in the firm.

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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