Typical Week for a Bankruptcy Attorney? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Can someone do me a massive favor and walk me through the typical work week for a v10 bankruptcy associate?

[Anonymous User]

Sure. Midlevel at a V10, mostly debtor side.

As a midlevel, I oversee juniors and run particular workstreams. As a junior, you're mostly taking the pen on first drafts of docs, performing first-day prep, and handling anything else the team needs.

Here's this week for me.

Monday: morning: handle things that came in over the weekend that weren't particularly important or that I didn't feel like doing (not much this weekend); calls on a few different matters at different stages (some in BK, some near term filings, others in very early stages); afternoon: more calls, review draft docs for near-term filing matter, meeting on early-stage matter; leave, don't work in evening

Tuesday: morning: few calls in the morning, continue reviewing docs for near-term filing; review docs for in-court matter; afternoon, more calls, more reviewing; leave, don't work in evening

Wednesday: hear from partner early AM that we have an in-person meeting for early-stage matter and I need to be there, make travel plans, run home to pack; while at home, take calls as necessary; evening, head to airport

Thursday (tomorrow): in person meeting all day, will likely get super behind, travel home in evening

Friday: calls in AM, catch up on stuff that I ignored yesterday, call it a day at 5:30 or so

Sat/Sun: hopefully nothing more than answering a few emails, none of my matters are in an urgent stage right now, and most of my clients are fairly reasonable about this stuff

B/c of travel, I'll probably bill 55ish hours this week. In a typical week w/o travel, could be as little as 40-45 or 60+ if we're near filing. I'm usually out of the office by 5:30-6 most days and don't really work much in the evening other than answering a few emails or taking a call now and then. Running up to a filing is much busier, and that happens a few times per year, but I typically know when that's coming (for the most part). I'd say I probably travel at least 1-2 times per month for 1-2 days (hearings, meetings), longer if we're filing a case.

As a junior, you won't be traveling much other than for filings (and diligence if necessary), but instead will be turning the comments that I/partner provide, take the first draft of presentations and other docs, research particular issues as they come up, and pretty much do anything the team needs.

[s1m4]

Sure. Midlevel at a V10, mostly debtor side.

As a midlevel, I oversee juniors and run particular workstreams. As a junior, you're mostly taking the pen on first drafts of docs, performing first-day prep, and handling anything else the team needs.

Here's this week for me.

Monday: morning: handle things that came in over the weekend that weren't particularly important or that I didn't feel like doing (not much this weekend); calls on a few different matters at different stages (some in BK, some near term filings, others in very early stages); afternoon: more calls, review draft docs for near-term filing matter, meeting on early-stage matter; leave, don't work in evening

Tuesday: morning: few calls in the morning, continue reviewing docs for near-term filing; review docs for in-court matter; afternoon, more calls, more reviewing; leave, don't work in evening

Wednesday: hear from partner early AM that we have an in-person meeting for early-stage matter and I need to be there, make travel plans, run home to pack; while at home, take calls as necessary; evening, head to airport

Thursday (tomorrow): in person meeting all day, will likely get super behind, travel home in evening

Friday: calls in AM, catch up on stuff that I ignored yesterday, call it a day at 5:30 or so

Sat/Sun: hopefully nothing more than answering a few emails, none of my matters are in an urgent stage right now, and most of my clients are fairly reasonable about this stuff

B/c of travel, I'll probably bill 55ish hours this week. In a typical week w/o travel, could be as little as 40-45 or 60+ if we're near filing. I'm usually out of the office by 5:30-6 most days and don't really work much in the evening other than answering a few emails or taking a call now and then. Running up to a filing is much busier, and that happens a few times per year, but I typically know when that's coming (for the most part). I'd say I probably travel at least 1-2 times per month for 1-2 days (hearings, meetings), longer if we're filing a case.

As a junior, you won't be traveling much other than for filings (and diligence if necessary), but instead will be turning the comments that I/partner provide, take the first draft of presentations and other docs, research particular issues as they come up, and pretty much do anything the team needs.

That doesn't sound bad at all - whats up with the bankruptcy practice horror stories and sleepless nights / 24/7 work schedule that we all see on this board?

[Anonymous User]

V10 mid level.

Some cases are worse than others, and if you’re on one of those, your life can suck for a period of time, but it’s not constant.

Even as a first year, I never broke 90, and that was in a filing week when you have to be up until 3-4a for a few days to get a company into chapter 11. My worst 2-week stretch was a few months back where as a mid level on a small-ish where I was running the first-day prep/deal docs/financing and had to pull a 80ish hour week followed by a 100+ hour week, but the weeks before/after were as I described.

It’s very exaggerated, but the weeks leading up to a filing can be rough.

I should also add that, as you move up, your ability to push work down/manage up becomes easier.

[Anonymous User]

V10 mid level.

Some cases are worse than others, and if you’re on one of those, your life can suck for a period of time, but it’s not constant.

Even as a first year, I never broke 90, and that was in a filing week when you have to be up until 3-4a for a few days to get a company into chapter 11. My worst 2-week stretch was a few months back where as a mid level on a small-ish where I was running the first-day prep/deal docs/financing and had to pull a 80ish hour week followed by a 100+ hour week, but the weeks before/after were as I described.

It’s very exaggerated, but the weeks leading up to a filing can be rough.

I should also add that, as you move up, your ability to push work down/manage up becomes easier.

Is that 100+ hour week BILLABLE or WORKED?

[Anonymous User]

V10 midlevel

De minimis difference. If you’re working that much, there’s not a lot of dead time.