How To Hustle for Work in Big Law? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I've admittedly been lazy hustling for work, and have waited for work to come to me. I've gotten a lot of hours this way, but about 15 less per week than I should have (varies between 25 and 40 per week). My work is also not as strong as it would be if I went through partners and senior associates I have good relationships with to get work, largely because people only reach out to first years when they're really busy, which tends to be when shit hits the fan so they don't have the time to explain the big picture like they did a couple weeks ago. This also makes it harder to develop, because I'm basically doing typical first year work, but am not learning as quickly as I think I would if I was on something from the beginning until the end as opposed to from when shit hits the fan until the end.

Having an idea of what works for me and what doesn't, I'd like to start creating good opportunities for myself. At the same time, it feels weird and a little desperate to randomly e-mail somebody asking for work. How can you go about this without looking phony or desperate?

[El Pollito]

Do a good job and you'll always have too much work.

[2014]

Does your firm have any mechanism for notifying associates of new matters? When you see something pop up that seems interesting or with a someone senior listed who you want to work with you could reach out under the guise of "I saw this new matter pop up, does it need junior staffing? I think it sounds interesting!"

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

Do a good job and you'll always have too much work.

[blsingindisguise]

Stand outside the delegating partner's office shouting "Trabajo! Trabajo! Tengo brazos fuertes!"

[eaternation]

Stand outside the delegating partner's office shouting "Trabajo! Trabajo! Tengo brazos fuertes!"

Not helpful but hilarious. Translation for our non Spanish speaking friends is something like "work! work! I have strong arms!"

Anyone have any idea what happened to Dr. Dre or darascal. Two other off topic but funny posters.

[Johann]

just chill if youre a first year. theyll get you in the mix later. enjoy your down time.

[El Pollito]

Stand outside the delegating partner's office shouting "Trabajo! Trabajo! Tengo brazos fuertes!"

[El Pollito]

just chill if youre a first year. theyll get you in the mix later. enjoy your down time.

lawyers are fundamentally incapable of enjoying down time

[Anonymous User]

OP - No, I'd love to have really low hours but not be fired. Do they not care if you have low hours as a first year? Honestly, even billing 30 hours week norm comes out to 50 hours with social stuff, downtime, administrative, etc.

[Johann]

OP - No, I'd love to have really low hours but not be fired. Do they not care if you have low hours as a first year? Honestly, even billing 30 hours week norm comes out to 50 hours with social stuff, downtime, administrative, etc.

Depends on the economy of course, group, etc. But I think Generally speaking, low hours are fine for first years especially if they haven't given you the work. I missed hours and was fine. I left Friday's at 2 took 1-2 hour long lunches during the week and never stressed. I didn't get a bonus but that was cool by me.

[Anonymous User]

Not OP but also a first year, maybe I'm really underthinking it but when I slow down I just email the partners/seniors I normally work with and say that I'm available to help if they have anything. (My firm has a 2000 hour minimum requirement for bonuses).

As said above, it's also good to reach out to the partner on a new matter that just came in if it interests you.

The reason I think it's good to send an email as a first year is that when something comes in on a tight timeline on a saturday afternoon, the partner will have you in mind instead of just reflexively staffing the people s/he would have before you started.

[El Pollito]

Not OP but also a first year, maybe I'm really underthinking it but when I slow down I just email the partners/seniors I normally work with and say that I'm available to help if they have anything. (My firm has a 2000 hour minimum requirement for bonuses).

As said above, it's also good to reach out to the partner on a new matter that just came in if it interests you.

The reason I think it's good to send an email as a first year is that when something comes in on a tight timeline on a saturday afternoon, the partner will have you in mind instead of just reflexively staffing the people s/he would have before you started.

why would you want this

[Anonymous User]

Not OP but also a first year, maybe I'm really underthinking it but when I slow down I just email the partners/seniors I normally work with and say that I'm available to help if they have anything. (My firm has a 2000 hour minimum requirement for bonuses).

As said above, it's also good to reach out to the partner on a new matter that just came in if it interests you.

The reason I think it's good to send an email as a first year is that when something comes in on a tight timeline on a saturday afternoon, the partner will have you in mind instead of just reflexively staffing the people s/he would have before you started.

You sound like a dweeb

[Anonymous User]

Not OP but also a first year, maybe I'm really underthinking it but when I slow down I just email the partners/seniors I normally work with and say that I'm available to help if they have anything. (My firm has a 2000 hour minimum requirement for bonuses).

As said above, it's also good to reach out to the partner on a new matter that just came in if it interests you.

The reason I think it's good to send an email as a first year is that when something comes in on a tight timeline on a saturday afternoon, the partner will have you in mind instead of just reflexively staffing the people s/he would have before you started.

You sound like a dweeb

lol, I'm low on hours and want a bonus. That was a bad example to use -- I don't want to get assigned work on the weekend, but I almost never have to work on the weekend (like 3-4 days total since starting in October) so it isn't an issue currently. I do want to be a person they think of to put on new matters though. OP said they were trying to get more work. If you're at a lockstep firm and don't want to do more than is necessary, then yes, obviously don't email people asking for work.

I've landed in good position/group (i.e. I'm not corp or lit) at a good time and actually really like what I'm doing so far. Ask me in a year and I may change my mind.

[El Pollito]

Not OP but also a first year, maybe I'm really underthinking it but when I slow down I just email the partners/seniors I normally work with and say that I'm available to help if they have anything. (My firm has a 2000 hour minimum requirement for bonuses).

As said above, it's also good to reach out to the partner on a new matter that just came in if it interests you.

The reason I think it's good to send an email as a first year is that when something comes in on a tight timeline on a saturday afternoon, the partner will have you in mind instead of just reflexively staffing the people s/he would have before you started.

You sound like a dweeb

lol, I'm low on hours and want a bonus. That was a bad example to use -- I don't want to get assigned work on the weekend, but I almost never have to work on the weekend (like 3-4 days total since starting in October) so it isn't an issue currently. I do want to be a person they think of to put on new matters though. OP said they were trying to get more work. If you're at a lockstep firm and don't want to do more than is necessary, then yes, obviously don't email people asking for work.

I've landed in good position/group (i.e. I'm not corp or lit) at a good time and actually really like what I'm doing so far. Ask me in a year and I may change my mind.

A first year bonus is basically nothing after tax. Why don't you just enjoy the slowness while it lasts?

[Anonymous User]

A first year bonus is basically nothing after tax. Why don't you just enjoy the slowness while it lasts?

Agreed, I've been taking some trips at least.

[blsingindisguise]

It's the kind of game that, when you win, you lose. Don't hustle for work, just do a good job on what you get assigned -- that will be more than enough to ensure you remain busy enough. Unless you really badly want to make partner more than you value having meaningful relationships or any sense of humanity.

[blsingindisguise]

And remember, "extra" hours you work for an early-stage bonus will be some of the lowest paid hours of your career.

[Anonymous User]

A first year bonus is basically nothing after tax. Why don't you just enjoy the slowness while it lasts?

Agreed, I've been taking some trips at least.

OP - That was my thought process. The way I see it most people only have the capacity to work at a certain intensity for so many years, and the difference of 500 billable hours over a year is massive - it's the difference between staying/getting out of shape, having a good/nonexistent personal life, being psychologically healthy/unhealthy. In the big picture I don't see a reality where 15k pre-tax, or $8,500 post tax is worth it. Personally, the only reason I'd care about the bonus is if you're hitting those hours you're virtually 100% safe.

So my point is if it's job/no job, I'm willing to work like a dog, which is why I made this thread. If it's just bonus/not bonus, I don't see how the bonus is a positive on the reward-cost scale.