Just had a 100 hour work week...how do people do this continuously? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm a midlevel in biglaw (not a junior) and I think I've probably averaged 60 hour work weeks in biglaw aside from first year (where I averaged 65-70 hours a week in the office and averaged billing around 50 to 60 of that each week).

But holy shit - just came off a 100 hour work week and I feel completely fried, like I'm literally dying.

Some of my friends have pulled 90-100 hour weeks back to back in biglaw...how do they do it for one month or more? Am I just weak? Are they on drugs? What gives?

[dixiecupdrinking]

No idea. Depends on what you're doing for all those hours to some extent but, yeah, you can literally feel it taking weeks off your life.

[Anonymous User]

No idea. Depends on what you're doing for all those hours to some extent but, yeah, you can literally feel it taking weeks off your life.

I spent most of my time revising/drafting transactional agreements.....it's funny because when you're sleep deprived and tired the last thing you can comprehend is convoluted legalese

It's probably pretty easy to bill if you're just on conference calls and not leading them, but revising/drafting shit for like 90-100 hours a week is mental

[dixiecupdrinking]

No idea. Depends on what you're doing for all those hours to some extent but, yeah, you can literally feel it taking weeks off your life.

I spent most of my time revising/drafting transactional agreements.....it's funny because when you're sleep deprived and tired the last thing you can comprehend is convoluted legalese

Yeah that sounds like a horrible 100 hours. If you're traveling, or trying a case or something, the hours are probably a bit easier or at least go more quickly. But my big weeks have been more like yours (though on the lit side) and yeah, dunno how people could do it with any regularity.

[Anonymous User]

This is why states should pass laws that prohibit law firms and other professional private organizations from forcing their employees to work ridiculous hours that degrades their physical and mental health. Any firms that force their employees to work over 60-70 hours per week should face massive civil penalties. I used to respect freedom of contract between consenting parties, but since no one else in the modern political era does, I might as well use these norms to my advantage.

[los blancos]

I'm a midlevel in biglaw (not a junior) and I think I've probably averaged 60 hour work weeks in biglaw aside from first year

Sounds like bullshit

[Anonymous User]

I'm a midlevel in biglaw (not a junior) and I think I've probably averaged 60 hour work weeks in biglaw aside from first year

Sounds like bullshit

Too little? For clarity, I don't mean billing 60 hours a week, I mean being in the office on weekdays and working on weekends at home around 60 hours a week; otherwise, that would mean I average 2800 billables a year. I've generally billed in the early 2000s a year.

I'm sure people bill 2800 a year, but that means they probably work like 90 hour weeks on average.

[Anonymous User]

No idea. Depends on what you're doing for all those hours to some extent but, yeah, you can literally feel it taking weeks off your life.

I spent most of my time revising/drafting transactional agreements.....it's funny because when you're sleep deprived and tired the last thing you can comprehend is convoluted legalese

Yeah that sounds like a horrible 100 hours. If you're traveling, or trying a case or something, the hours are probably a bit easier or at least go more quickly. But my big weeks have been more like yours (though on the lit side) and yeah, dunno how people could do it with any regularity.

Yeah, it's insane. My brain is fried. I think I look ill too.

[los blancos]

I'm a midlevel in biglaw (not a junior) and I think I've probably averaged 60 hour work weeks in biglaw aside from first year

Sounds like bullshit

Too little? For clarity, I don't mean billing 60 hours a week, I mean being in the office on weekdays and working on weekends at home around 60 hours a week; otherwise, that would mean I average 2800 billables a year. I've generally billed in the early 2000s a year.

I'm sure people bill 2800 a year, but that means they probably work like 90 hour weeks on average.

Oh yeah my bad then. 60 hour work week is pretty typical in biglaw. I misread your post and was like "yeah, you're not averaging 3k billables".

[84651846190]

ppl who bill insane amounts use/have one or more of the following:

1) illicit drugs

2) an indomitably desire to strive coupled with self-hate and no life outside of work

3) a complete lack of conscience when it comes to padding

[Anonymous User]

ppl who bill insane amounts use/have one or more of the following:

1) illicit drugs

2) an indomitably desire to strive coupled with self-hate and no life outside of work

3) a complete lack of conscience when it comes to padding

lol this senior associate I HATE reviewed a document I sent him for an hour (he literally responded within one hour of me emailing him the doc). yet he billed 1.5 hours for it. little does he know that i see the bill....

that said some of my friends have legitimately worked 18 hour days straight for a month...i know because they leave the office at like 4 am everyday and i talk to them daily....dunno how they do it - probably the first? at the very least, they probably take adderall

[Tls2016]

I was probably number 2 on that list, but it didn't seem like self hate at the time. When you get almost all your identity from work, it just seems like a good thing to do.
I did have friends and family outside of work but probably only because I grew up in NYC and had them already.

I'm sure it's hard to understand that thinking from the outside. I didn't take drugs but drank a lot of coffee.