Top Law Schools

At my V50, I’m able to see every firm attorney’s matters and billables on our internal system. Is this normal in the industry?

Anonymous User wrote:At my V50, I’m able to see every firm attorney’s matters and billables on our internal system. Is this normal in the industry?

At mine, on each attorney's profile you can see all matters and hours billed to each matter but it's cumulative. So for each matter it shows hours billed all-time and then it also shows hours billed in the last 24 months. So, it's not like anyone can just see someone's YTD hours or a monthly breakdown.

This was also the case at my V50, but then someone blabbed and now no longer.

We were able to look up any attorney’s hours at my firm. It showed everything - entries, total hours, etc.

At my former firm we could all see everyone's time through our timekeeping software, but at my current firm we use the same software and they've set it so attorneys can't see anyone else's time (although our assistants can). I think it just depends on the firm (and if anyone has raised an issue). I really liked being able to see other people's time entries when I was a junior so I could make sure I was describing things in the right level of detail etc.

My first firm blocked it off on web view because someone snitched about it/complained about it. The firm said associate hours should be confidential and so they’re moving away from the practice.

My current firm allows it. I personally think it’s awkward to allow associates to view partners’ time entries and hours. I like to go onto partners’ only to look for matter numbers, but I have colleagues that use it to see how many hours partners have when they are slow.

Also, I guess it could be awkward to allow associates to view each other’s as well, since someone may figure out they’re not being given work.

At a V20 in NYC and very glad we do not have the ability to see anyone’s hours—I think it would create a toxic environment especially if someone turns down work and you see they are behind on billables.

At one of my previous firms (V50) we used Intapp and we could see everyone's hours. It was awesome and hilarious. I compiled an Excel spreadsheet at one point with everyone's hours. Really entertaining and enlightening to see which partners billed 10 hours a month and laugh about them behind their backs. Also saw tons of egregious overbilling (associates who billed 350 hours a month but who weren't online that much after working hours).

Management probably found out and then stopped allowing access. Good while it lasted.

Neff wrote:At one of my previous firms (V50) we used Intapp and we could see everyone's hours. It was awesome and hilarious. I compiled an Excel spreadsheet at one point with everyone's hours. Really entertaining and enlightening to see which partners billed 10 hours a month and laugh about them behind their backs. Also saw tons of egregious overbilling (associates who billed 350 hours a month but who weren't online that much after working hours).

Management probably found out and then stopped allowing access. Good while it lasted.

You have way too much free time on your hands (and also seem like an awful team player)

I don't know if I could see the hours but I do know I occasionally got Excel spreadsheets of people's hours not intended for me...

I think it's just generally firms are pretty shitty about protecting this sort of information but if someone brings it up, they'll restrict access.

FedFan123 wrote:

Neff wrote:At one of my previous firms (V50) we used Intapp and we could see everyone's hours. It was awesome and hilarious. I compiled an Excel spreadsheet at one point with everyone's hours. Really entertaining and enlightening to see which partners billed 10 hours a month and laugh about them behind their backs. Also saw tons of egregious overbilling (associates who billed 350 hours a month but who weren't online that much after working hours).

Management probably found out and then stopped allowing access. Good while it lasted.

You have way too much free time on your hands (and also seem like an awful team player)

You sound like you worship your boomer partners who bill 10 hours a month while expecting you to bill 3,000 hours a year.

Hutz_and_Goodman wrote:very glad we do not have the ability to see anyone’s hours—I think it would create a toxic environment especially if someone turns down work and you see they are behind on billables.

Absolutely second this. I'd hate having my colleagues looking over my billables.

Wild Card wrote:

FedFan123 wrote:

Neff wrote:At one of my previous firms (V50) we used Intapp and we could see everyone's hours. It was awesome and hilarious. I compiled an Excel spreadsheet at one point with everyone's hours. Really entertaining and enlightening to see which partners billed 10 hours a month and laugh about them behind their backs. Also saw tons of egregious overbilling (associates who billed 350 hours a month but who weren't online that much after working hours).

Management probably found out and then stopped allowing access. Good while it lasted.

You have way too much free time on your hands (and also seem like an awful team player)

You sound like you worship your boomer partners who bill 10 hours a month while expecting you to bill 3,000 hours a year.

Do you ever make a post on here that isn’t absurdly stupid?

Wild Card wrote:

FedFan123 wrote:

Neff wrote:At one of my previous firms (V50) we used Intapp and we could see everyone's hours. It was awesome and hilarious. I compiled an Excel spreadsheet at one point with everyone's hours. Really entertaining and enlightening to see which partners billed 10 hours a month and laugh about them behind their backs. Also saw tons of egregious overbilling (associates who billed 350 hours a month but who weren't online that much after working hours).

Management probably found out and then stopped allowing access. Good while it lasted.

You have way too much free time on your hands (and also seem like an awful team player)

You sound like you worship your boomer partners who bill 10 hours a month while expecting you to bill 3,000 hours a year.

It's okay, he's just another generic middle-class striver who has spent the last three years memorizing his civ pro and con law [Personal attack redacted] to get into da biglaw club. Do not mock what for him is holy.

Neff wrote:

Wild Card wrote:

FedFan123 wrote:

Neff wrote:At one of my previous firms (V50) we used Intapp and we could see everyone's hours. It was awesome and hilarious. I compiled an Excel spreadsheet at one point with everyone's hours. Really entertaining and enlightening to see which partners billed 10 hours a month and laugh about them behind their backs. Also saw tons of egregious overbilling (associates who billed 350 hours a month but who weren't online that much after working hours).

Management probably found out and then stopped allowing access. Good while it lasted.

You have way too much free time on your hands (and also seem like an awful team player)

You sound like you worship your boomer partners who bill 10 hours a month while expecting you to bill 3,000 hours a year.

It's okay, he's just another generic middle-class striver who has spent the last three years memorizing his civ pro and con law [Personal attack redacted] to get into da biglaw club. Do not mock what for him is holy.

Doubling down on the crappy personality I see

Where in Intapp would you be able to see the hours of others? I'm assuming my firms have blocked it.

TigerIsBack wrote:Where in Intapp would you be able to see the hours of others? I'm assuming my firms have blocked it.

At my last firm, we used the standalone Intapp software, and there was an option to change the ID# of the timekeeper (and you could see the names associated with all of the ID#s). When you change it, you can see all of the time entries of that other person just as you would your own.

Management knew about this for years but didn't take action until quite recently. In fact, at year-end evaluations some top-billing associates were known to present data showing their hours relative to peers to argue for a higher bonus.

Neff wrote:At my last firm, we used the standalone Intapp software, and there was an option to change the ID# of the timekeeper (and you could see the names associated with all of the ID#s). When you change it, you can see all of the time entries of that other person just as you would your own.

This was true at my last firm too.

Neff wrote:

TigerIsBack wrote:Where in Intapp would you be able to see the hours of others? I'm assuming my firms have blocked it.

At my last firm, we used the standalone Intapp software, and there was an option to change the ID# of the timekeeper (and you could see the names associated with all of the ID#s). When you change it, you can see all of the time entries of that other person just as you would your own.

Management knew about this for years but didn't take action until quite recently. In fact, at year-end evaluations some top-billing associates were known to present data showing their hours relative to peers to argue for a higher bonus.

This might be an explanation for why my V50 took away the ability to see others' hours. At my V50, bonuses are discretionary (i.e., in the practice group leader's discretion). Some associates who billed 2000ish didn't get bonuses at all or received less than full bonuses, whereas other associates who billed as little as 1600ish were getting full bonuses.

FedFan123 wrote:

Neff wrote:At one of my previous firms (V50) we used Intapp and we could see everyone's hours. It was awesome and hilarious. I compiled an Excel spreadsheet at one point with everyone's hours. Really entertaining and enlightening to see which partners billed 10 hours a month and laugh about them behind their backs. Also saw tons of egregious overbilling (associates who billed 350 hours a month but who weren't online that much after working hours).

Management probably found out and then stopped allowing access. Good while it lasted.

You have way too much free time on your hands (and also seem like an awful team player)

Seconding this. Neff seems like a tryhard [Personal attacks redacted]. Try not to be [Personal attacks redacted], xoxohth.

Can't see hours at my firm. But can see the percentage of time people spend on each matter. So you can see Person A spent X% on Matters A B and C; and then within each matter you can see the percentage of time spent... so Matter X --> People A B and C spent X% each.

Partners can, associates can't. You're probably in the system incorrectly if you are an associate. I know an associate got in trouble at my friend's firm previously for not saying anything and looking at it frequently. It becomes an HR problem

JusticeSquee wrote:

FedFan123 wrote:

Neff wrote:At one of my previous firms (V50) we used Intapp and we could see everyone's hours. It was awesome and hilarious. I compiled an Excel spreadsheet at one point with everyone's hours. Really entertaining and enlightening to see which partners billed 10 hours a month and laugh about them behind their backs. Also saw tons of egregious overbilling (associates who billed 350 hours a month but who weren't online that much after working hours).

Management probably found out and then stopped allowing access. Good while it lasted.

You have way too much free time on your hands (and also seem like an awful team player)

Seconding this. Neff seems like a tryhard [Personal attacks redacted]. Try not to be [Personal attacks redacted], xoxohth.

[Sexist language redacted] gonna hate because I have fun and am deemed not a "team player" on this biglaw gravy train. What if I just like entertaining myself by looking at other people's hours for my private viewing pleasure and breaking to you all the facade of 2000+ hours or else in the biglaw sweatshops? I am ROFLMAO my way to the bank while the TLS boy scouts here shit their pants about offending their boomer partners [Personal attacks redacted]. Wake up people, this is not some exalted "profession" just a gravy train -- just ask those loyal, collegial "professionals" at e.g. K&E. Ignore this wisdom at your peril. xoxohth

Neff wrote:

JusticeSquee wrote:

FedFan123 wrote:

Neff wrote:At one of my previous firms (V50) we used Intapp and we could see everyone's hours. It was awesome and hilarious. I compiled an Excel spreadsheet at one point with everyone's hours. Really entertaining and enlightening to see which partners billed 10 hours a month and laugh about them behind their backs. Also saw tons of egregious overbilling (associates who billed 350 hours a month but who weren't online that much after working hours).

Management probably found out and then stopped allowing access. Good while it lasted.

You have way too much free time on your hands (and also seem like an awful team player)

Seconding this. Neff seems like a tryhard [Personal attacks redacted]. Try not to be [Personal attacks redacted], xoxohth.

[Sexist language redacted] gonna hate because I have fun and am deemed not a "team player" on this biglaw gravy train. What if I just like entertaining myself by looking at other people's hours for my private viewing pleasure and breaking to you all the facade of 2000+ hours or else in the biglaw sweatshops? I am ROFLMAO my way to the bank while the TLS boy scouts here shit their pants about offending their boomer partners [Personal attacks redacted]. Wake up people, this is not some exalted "profession" just a gravy train -- just ask those loyal, collegial "professionals" at e.g. K&E. Ignore this wisdom at your peril. xoxohth

You’re clearly missing the point. People think you are a weird [Personal attack redacted] because you actually spend your free time compiling spreadsheets and comparing other people’s billables hours. Who does that? You like to pretend that you don’t give a fuck but clearly you care more than anyone else. Get a hobby and lighten up

Anonymous User wrote:Partners can, associates can't. You're probably in the system incorrectly if you are an associate. I know an associate got in trouble at my friend's firm previously for not saying anything and looking at it frequently. It becomes an HR problem

True at my firm too.