Accept offer at firm after summer Forum

[owlpride1]

I am currently a summer associate at a medium size law firm. I don't really like the law firm. I recently found out that they have high billable 2200 and poor pay $65k a year. Should I accept the offer if given or forgo it and find another job? I also don't know if I'll be in the same state 5 years from now.

[rpupkin]

I am currently a summer associate at a medium size law firm. I don't really like the law firm. I recently found out that they have high billable 2200 and poor pay $65k a year. Should I accept the offer if given or forgo it and find another job? I also don't know if I'll be in the same state 5 years from now.

Accept offer and then look for another job. As awful as the pay and hours sound, it beats unemployment. You definitely want that position there as a fallback in case you strike out.

[Bluem_11]

Not disputing those facts but that seems incredibly out of wack rates. That's a $100/hr billing rate with billing attorney taking home 30%.

[kryptix]

Not disputing those facts but that seems incredibly out of wack rates. That's a $100/hr billing rate with billing attorney taking home 30%.

Most NYC junior associates bill at over 400 and don't take home 30% of 800k-1M?

[reasonable_man]

You're not at a mid law firm. You're at an insurance defense firm. There is a big difference.

I'm guessing you're at an average to below average law school with middling grades. You probably don't have any better options available. So don't throw the opportunity away.

[yay]

I know people have resorted to worse with 15 bucks an hour.

[deadpanic]

That is absolutely wild re: hours & pay, but like reasonable_man said, that is an insurance defense sweatshop. You have to bill so many hours b/c the insurance companies audit and slash the hell out of them and now pay terrible rates.

You will learn pretty good litigation skills and it is not unemployment. I agree with whomever said take it and start looking elsewhere.

[PennBull]

Accept offer and then look for another job. As awful as the pay and hours sound, it beats unemployment.

[reasonable_man]

That is absolutely wild re: hours & pay, but like reasonable_man said, that is an insurance defense sweatshop. You have to bill so many hours b/c the insurance companies audit and slash the hell out of them and now pay terrible rates.

You will learn pretty good litigation skills and it is not unemployment. I agree with whomever said take it and start looking elsewhere.

TITCR

[tyroneslothrop1]

Pretty bad even for insurance defense. I work at a firm that does a lot of insurance work ($200 billable hour) and the pay is 85 for 1950 in a non major city.

[reasonable_man]

Pretty bad even for insurance defense. I work at a firm that does a lot of insurance work ($200 billable hour) and the pay is 85 for 1950 in a non major city.

Sounds like you're at a firm more like mine.... A midlaw firm that has some insurance based clients, but lots of other non-insurance/institutional clients. In my opinion, that is fairly different than being at a true insurance defense firm (where 65k for 2200 hours isn't that unusual). There is a pretty big difference. And while I do have some insurance work where the rates are lower, I have plenty of non-insurance work that pays a real rate (allowing my firm to pay me like a real lawyer).

[Magic Hat]

Take the job and learn how to litigate.

Also learn very quickly how to pad.