Top Boston Firms - Annual Billable Hours? Forum

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Top Boston Firms - Annual Billable Hours?

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Jun 20, 2019 7:21 pm

How much are litigation associates in top boston firms such as Goodwin & Wilmerhale billing per year? Does anyone have any ballpark estimates (or actual figures?)

Thanks much!

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Re: Top Boston Firms - Annual Billable Hours?

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Jun 20, 2019 8:22 pm

When I was interviewing at Goodwin, an associate said that her team was averaging around 2200 hours. She said it was around average for the firm.

I didn’t end up going to Boston, but, from my interviews, it seems like the top firms (Ropes, Wilmer, Goodwin, Choate, Kirkland) bill near NY hours. It makes sense I guess (if you see the Boston firms’ RPL, they’re really high and I know rates aren’t as high as NY, meaning more hours).

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Re: Top Boston Firms - Annual Billable Hours?

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 25, 2019 4:07 pm

What class year are we talking? I have a couple friends in the Goodwin Boston lit group, and we haven't spoken at length/in detail about it, but it sounds like around 1900 - the 2000's ballpark is a good estimate for someone more junior. No idea about anyone more senior than that.

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Re: Top Boston Firms - Annual Billable Hours?

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 25, 2019 9:12 pm

From my experience, I think Ropes tends to be the highest, particularly in their M&A and PE groups. Not surprising given they do more of the high end PE work. Probably the most likely firm to have 2,500+ hour associates. I don’t know for sure with Kirkland, but I would assume they’re similar. Goodwin, Wilmer, Choate all tend to be a bit lower, with more associates around 2,100 to 2,400. Not sure on the rest. Have heard data points all over the place on other firms

Keep in mind, this is all highly variable. It depends on practice areas, some good/luck bad luck with deal and case timing and your personal ability to manage workloads and say no (some people do this better than others).

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Re: Top Boston Firms - Annual Billable Hours?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Jun 26, 2019 2:04 am

Mintz's billables target is 1950 and many associates are around that or just above. Only a few folks (corporate side) are far above (2400+). Dunno re lit.

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