Taking advantage of firm policies Forum

[umichman]

Does anybody stick around a little longer than they maybe have to in order to get the free dinner and ride home? Not like you are done at 5 and get those things at 6. But you are done at 540 and have an hour of tomorrows work you can do today to get the free stuff at 6.

Edit. To respond to below, you would have to work from home anyways.

[estefanchanning]

If, to you, sticking around for an hour to get a free meal is worth more than an extra hour with your loved ones, then I'm sorry.

[jd20132013]

life hack, stay in big law long enough and all your loved ones will leave

[PorscheFanatic]

You can expense dinners if you work past 6? By that standard, people in my office would be expensing dinners like 5 nights/week then.

From my perspective, it seems like the group I work with simply doesn't eat (they snack on the free potato chips and other things in our kitchen).

As a first year, would it be weird if I started expensing the cheap meals I buy when I work later? I value my health and waist line, so I'd rather buy something decent for $10 than just eat chips, but feel like I'd be the only one and not sure how that might be viewed when I constantly expense my meals.

No one would judge me for eating dinner instead of chips if I'm here working, I just wonder how the expense thing would go over since I think the partners are the ones that approve expenses, and I'm in a small office.

[umichman]

You can expense dinners if you work past 6? By that standard, people in my office would be expensing dinners like 5 nights/week then.

From my perspective, it seems like the group I work with simply doesn't eat (they snack on the free potato chips and other things in our kitchen).

As a first year, would it be weird if I started expensing the cheap meals I buy when I work later? I value my health and waist line, so I'd rather buy something decent for $10 than just eat chips, but feel like I'd be the only one and not sure how that might be viewed when I constantly expense my meals.

No one would judge me for eating dinner instead of chips if I'm here working, I just wonder how the expense thing would go over since I think the partners are the ones that approve expenses, and I'm in a small office.

Yeah able to expense at 6

[Anonymous User]

Does anybody stick around a little longer than they maybe have to in order to get the free dinner and ride home? Not like you are done at 5 and get those things at 6. But you are done at 540 and have an hour of tomorrows work you can do today to get the free stuff at 6.

Edit. To respond to below, you would have to work from home anyways.

Yes, I did this all the time. Might as well take advantage of the perks.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

Do you count your lentils before you cook them to make sure you don't use too many?

jfc, some of you people.

[Anonymous User]

As long as it doesn't affect deadlines, and assuming the Partners I'm working with have left or I've confirmed they don't need anything, I like to leave the office as early as possible. I might still do more work later from home, but the freedom of leaving the office even an hour earlier is far more worth it to me than a free meal. Sure, the meals may add up in $$$ but so does the free time (if your workload legitimately allows it). As a big law associate, your time is now more valuable than meal expenses. Try and knock out the gym early for the day, go for a run, grab dinner with friends/family/significant other, or spend time on a hobby.

If you already have time-sensitive work to do and/or need to pile on the hours, then stay as much as you need to. But wouldn't go out of my way for the meal. Alternatively, if you ARE going to stay later, maybe try to make a light Friday working remotely work every now and then.

FWIW, I'm a 2nd year big law corporate associate west coast. In my opinion, this all makes for a better quality of life - but you can ignore me if you just want to gun for hours, bonuses, partner, etc.

[lolwat]

If it's like 5:45 and you get the free stuff at 6:00, yeah. If it's like 5, no.

As a big law associate, your time is now more valuable than meal expenses.

This is only sort of true and not necessarily for everyone. I think many firms just pay a set salary and bonus based on class rather than individual performance. So you personally can't earn more money just by billing more hours (and in fact, if you do work beyond what is required, you're diluting your personal hourly income... not taking into account other factors like gunning for partnership). When it's down to your free time you just have to determine whether the money you earn/save from things like meal expenses is worth the extra 15-20 minutes you have to stay at the office. Maybe that $20-something a day is worth it. Maybe you'd prefer to spend those 20 minutes at home. But it's the same concept as like, people who tutor on the weekends for some extra spending cash.

[1styearlateral]

Which biglaw associates are going home at 5 because I want to apply.

[Danger Zone]

Which biglaw associates are going home at 5 because I want to apply.

Or even 6 for that matter

[LaLiLuLeLo]

Which biglaw associates are going home at 5 because I want to apply.

Or even 6 for that matter

Oh no, NYC vs. other markets discussion incoming

(I leave around 6 if I'm slow)

[rpupkin]

life hack, stay in big law long enough and all your loved ones will leave

thread winner

[SmokeytheBear]

Which biglaw associates are going home at 5 because I want to apply.

Or even 6 for that matter

Oh no, NYC vs. other markets discussion incoming

(I leave around 6 if I'm slow)

I don't go in if I'm slow.

[Lincoln]

Which biglaw associates are going home at 5 because I want to apply.

Or even 6 for that matter

Oh no, NYC vs. other markets discussion incoming

(I leave around 6 if I'm slow)

I don't go in if I'm slow.

What's a "slow"?

[KM2016]

Which biglaw associates are going home at 5 because I want to apply.

Or even 6 for that matter

Oh no, NYC vs. other markets discussion incoming

(I leave around 6 if I'm slow)

I don't go in if I'm slow.

RT

[Anonymous User]

JFC you're not making partner anyway. Milk that shit for all it's worth and then bounce.