Dealing with Paycuts Forum

[objctnyrhnr]

You all know that you can just, like, stop responding to this argument, right?

Totes. It doesn’t accomplish anything. If anyone has gone through any type of abuse, just know that there are people here who understand your challenges and don’t think your struggle is a good example, by any measure, in a conversation about salary cuts to an already overly inflated salary. That’s of course at least my opinion, coming from someone who clerked for 3 federal judges, worked over 5 years at a V50 litigation group, and have seen so many bad analogies made (including one akin to this that my judge and co-clerks railed on back in chambers).

I feel like for all thing silly argument/attacks against one another for things posted in this thread, this weird quasi-humblebrag (???) hasn’t gotten enough play.

[nixy]

Oh come on. I get called dude, guy, bro, all the time and I’m not even a guy. I call myself and my friends girls all the time. Don’t try to turn your fragile masculinity’s inability to be referred to as girl ONE time as somehow my fault. By the way, stop assuming I called “male users” girls. It could very well be that everyone here is a girl. That’s the whole point, to eliminate sexist assumptions.

Just to recap, in this thread alone, I’ve been referred to as a boomer (even though I’m not of that generation), a literal brick wall, and a dude, among other things, and that’s fine. But I make a general reference to a group of people which includes at least one girl (me) as girls and I get a citation and the word “girl” is redacted, with an implication that I should’ve instead ignored my gender and said “guys” instead. Ok....

No, you could have said folks, people, y’all, friends, assholes, or anything else that didn’t assume anyone’s gender.

But I honestly did think you were calling people “girls” because you thought you were talking to men who’d find it insulting (in the vein of calling a guy a little bitch). It’s not my fragile masculinity talking - I’m not a guy either. I just get annoyed when people think calling a guy feminine is some kind of huge insult. (I also get annoyed at being a grown ass woman and being called a girl, though. Presumably if you’ve clerked for that many judges and worked for a firm for over 5 years you are also a grown woman.)

[Newbie2TLS]

Oh come on. I get called dude, guy, bro, all the time and I’m not even a guy. I call myself and my friends girls all the time. Don’t try to turn your fragile masculinity’s inability to be referred to as girl ONE time as somehow my fault. By the way, stop assuming I called “male users” girls. It could very well be that everyone here is a girl. That’s the whole point, to eliminate sexist assumptions.

Just to recap, in this thread alone, I’ve been referred to as a boomer (even though I’m not of that generation), a literal brick wall, and a dude, among other things, and that’s fine. But I make a general reference to a group of people which includes at least one girl (me) as girls and I get a citation and the word “girl” is redacted, with an implication that I should’ve instead ignored my gender and said “guys” instead. Ok....

No, you could have said folks, people, y’all, friends, assholes, or anything else that didn’t assume anyone’s gender.

But I honestly did think you were calling people “girls” because you thought you were talking to men who’d find it insulting (in the vein of calling a guy a little bitch). It’s not my fragile masculinity talking - I’m not a guy either. I just get annoyed when people think calling a guy feminine is some kind of huge insult. (I also get annoyed at being a grown ass woman and being called a girl, though. Presumably if you’ve clerked for that many judges and worked for a firm for over 5 years you are also a grown woman.)

You’re right. I am a woman, but also a girl. It’s weird to call a group “women” when talking to the group (I.e, “ok I’ll see you later women!”) I don’t normally do that, and my girlfriends don’t normally do that. It sounds weird. We use “ladies” and “girls.” There’s nothing wrong with that. And no. I’m not going to sit here and watch you freely use male-centered terms like “guys” and “dude” to refer to me and other women but prohibit me from using terms more representative of my gender. The fact that you support that yet think I’m the problem is mind blowing. And I’ve given no indication that I’m sexist (in fact, I’ve consistently used female-centered terms in my comments), so not sure why you’d interpret my use of “girls” right now as sexist, unless of course your own implicit sexism makes you think being called a girl is somehow a bad thing.

This has gotten blown way off topic. Again, girls (including me, who apparently doubles as a literal brick wall), please feel free to go back to talking about salary reductions.

[nixy]

I haven’t called you “guy” or “dude.” I did make assumptions about who you were/were talking to when I assumed you were trying insult male posters by calling them girls, which seemed part of your general claiming of the high ground here, so my bad on that. But calling grown women “girls” irks me, not because I have a problem with being female, but because for so long it was such ingrained sexism on the part of men to call women “girls” in professional contexts, it’s annoying to see women infantilize themselves. I didn’t have a problem with being called a girl when I was a girl, but I’m not one any more.

[sms18]

Oh come on. I get called dude, guy, bro, all the time and I’m not even a guy. I call myself and my friends girls all the time. Don’t try to turn your fragile masculinity’s inability to be referred to as girl ONE time as somehow my fault. By the way, stop assuming I called “male users” girls. It could very well be that everyone here is a girl. That’s the whole point, to eliminate sexist assumptions.

Just to recap, in this thread alone, I’ve been referred to as a boomer (even though I’m not of that generation), a literal brick wall, and a dude, among other things, and that’s fine. But I make a general reference to a group of people which includes at least one girl (me) as girls and I get a citation and the word “girl” is redacted, with an implication that I should’ve instead ignored my gender and said “guys” instead. Ok....

No, you could have said folks, people, y’all, friends, assholes, or anything else that didn’t assume anyone’s gender.

But I honestly did think you were calling people “girls” because you thought you were talking to men who’d find it insulting (in the vein of calling a guy a little bitch). It’s not my fragile masculinity talking - I’m not a guy either. I just get annoyed when people think calling a guy feminine is some kind of huge insult. (I also get annoyed at being a grown ass woman and being called a girl, though. Presumably if you’ve clerked for that many judges and worked for a firm for over 5 years you are also a grown woman.)

You’re right. I am a woman, but also a girl. It’s weird to call a group “women” when talking to the group (I.e, “ok I’ll see you later women!”) I don’t normally do that, and my girlfriends don’t normally do that. It sounds weird. We use “ladies” and “girls.” There’s nothing wrong with that. And no. I’m not going to sit here and watch you freely use male-centered terms like “guys” and “dude” to refer to me and other women but prohibit me from using terms more representative of my gender. The fact that you support that yet think I’m the problem is mind blowing. And I’ve given no indication that I’m sexist (in fact, I’ve consistently used female-centered terms in my comments), so not sure why you’d interpret my use of “girls” right now as sexist, unless of course your own implicit sexism makes you think being called a girl is somehow a bad thing.

This has gotten blown way off topic. Again, girls (including me, who apparently doubles as a literal brick wall), please feel free to go back to talking about salary reductions.

girl.
noun.
1. a female child.
2. a daughter
3. (sometimes offensive) a young woman
4. (old-fashioned, offensive) a female worker
5. a girlfriend; sweetheart.

Yes, our own implicit sexism makes us think being called a "girl" can at times be intended as an insult.

[QContinuum]

I haven’t called you “guy” or “dude.” I did make assumptions about who you were/were talking to when I assumed you were trying insult male posters by calling them girls, which seemed part of your general claiming of the high ground here, so my bad on that. But calling grown women “girls” irks me, not because I have a problem with being female, but because for so long it was such ingrained sexism on the part of men to call women “girls” in professional contexts, it’s annoying to see women infantilize themselves. I didn’t have a problem with being called a girl when I was a girl, but I’m not one any more.

There's a lot of obfuscating smoke from Newbie2TLS, nixy, but in my view it's clear that their initial statement was sexist. Their later protests center on the argument, "but how could I be sexist?! I am the least sexist person you'd ever meet. I'm a woman myself!" Well, sadly, plenty of women are sexist. And plenty of sexist people of all genders claim not to be sexist.

But they literally wrote, “it’s like . . . .” And why would someone use an analogy if they don’t want to compare the two situations? Anyway, there’s no point in running around in circles. I concede. I was wrong. There. Girls, go back to talking about salary cuts.

The context makes the sexism clear. "Anyway, there's no point in running around in circles. I concede. I was wrong. There." Clear exasperation toward the other posters, who are implied to be illogical/unreasonable. Then, next sentence: "Girls, go back to talking about salary cuts." Referring to the allegedly illogical/unreasonable posters not as "folks", or "people", or whatnot, but as women specifically, and not even "women", but "girls". Straight out of the old sexist playbook, associating a purported lack of logic/reason with the female gender.

Someone who purportedly clerked for not one, not two, but three federal judges should really know better.

[Newbie2TLS]

Omg. The fact that a word has historically been used in a sexist way does not mean you perpetuate that sexism by assuming every use of that word is sexist and banning the use of the word, especially while using and expecting other people to use male-centered communication styles. THAT is actually sexist. You instead let the word be reclaimed and used without yourself attributing sexist assumptions to it. I’m not sexist when I refer to my girlfriends as girlfriends instead of womenfriends or female friends. And I’m not going to refer to them as “guys” when talking about them generally, or be forced to adopt some weird communication style by only using the word “women” or “female” when boys get to use boys, men, bro, dude, guys, fellas, and all other types interchangeably. What kind of fuckery would that be, to limit the use of female-inclusive language in the guise of “preventing” sexism!? Certain publications now require that pronouns of unspecified people be “She/her” instead of the assumed “he/his,” precisely to be gender-inclusive and to not perpetuate the same sexist BS you’re perpetuating here.

I’m just stunned at what I suspect is, at best, mansplaining. This would be as cringey as if a gay friend of mine said, “bye gays!” and I threw a temper tantrum about our group being referred to as gays since not everyone in the group is gay and the word has been used in homophobic ways in the past (I.e. “that’s so gay” to mean “that’s so stupid”).

Nothing in the way I used “girls” suggested it was used with sexist meaning or intent. The only way it can be read as sexist is if the reader makes the sexist assumptions that women/girls/mah gwuurrllss are not part of this forum and thread at all such that the “girls” must have been targeting only “male users” as someone said. Like I said, women exist! We’re here. Stop assuming it’s just boys with fragile masculinity all the time, and maybe you’ll read things the way they were intended to be read.

[JusticeSquee]

Omg. The fact that a word has historically been used in a sexist way does not mean you perpetuate that sexism by assuming every use of that word is sexist and banning the use of the word, especially while using and expecting other people to use male-centered communication styles. THAT is actually sexist. You instead let the word be reclaimed and used without yourself attributing sexist assumptions to it. I’m not sexist when I refer to my girlfriends as girlfriends instead of womenfriends or female friends. And I’m not going to refer to them as “guys” when talking about them generally, or be forced to adopt some weird communication style by only using the word “women” or “female” when boys get to use boys, men, bro, dude, guys, fellas, and all other types interchangeably. What kind of fuckery would that be, to limit the use of female-inclusive language in the guise of “preventing” sexism!? Certain publications now require that pronouns of unspecified people be “She/her” instead of the assumed “he/his,” precisely to be gender-inclusive and to not perpetuate the same sexist BS you’re perpetuating here.

I’m just stunned at what I suspect is, at best, mansplaining. This would be as cringey as if a gay friend of mine said, “bye gays!” and I threw a temper tantrum about our group being referred to as gays since not everyone in the group is gay and the word has been used in homophobic ways in the past (I.e. “that’s so gay” to mean “that’s so stupid”).

Nothing in the way I used “girls” suggested it was used with sexist meaning or intent. The only way it can be read as sexist is if the reader makes the sexist assumptions that women/girls/mah gwuurrllss are not part of this forum and thread at all such that the “girls” must have been targeting only “male users” as someone said. Like I said, women exist! We’re here. Stop assuming it’s just boys with fragile masculinity all the time, and maybe you’ll read things the way they were intended to be read.

Just want to pop in and say that it is idiotic to do 3 clerkships. Also, please stop bragging about your V50 lmao. xoxohth.

[Newbie2TLS]

Just want to pop in and say that it is idiotic to do 3 clerkships. Also, please stop bragging about your V50 lmao. xoxohth.

xoxo Justice. How’s Gibson? Btw thanks all for keeping me entertained today. I appreciate it.

[nixy]

“Girlfriend” isn’t the same word as “girl.” Come on.

[objctnyrhnr]

Just want to pop in and say that it is idiotic to do 3 clerkships. Also, please stop bragging about your V50 lmao. xoxohth.

xoxo Justice. How’s Gibson? Btw thanks all for keeping me entertained today. I appreciate it.

Idiotic is probably too strong, but it definitely isn’t brag-worthy nor is the “several years at v50 lit.” if you think those two things will impress other posters, you’re definitely on the wrong forum. Most of us regular posters fedclerked (albeit not 3 times because...why) and most of us work/ed at firms ranked far above v50.

To be honest when I first read that humblebrag thing in there I thought it was subtly satirical and I truly found it hilarious. But I’m now thinking that you really posted that in seriousness to impress people here or something...which to me is far more worthy of follow up conversation than the “girls” comment...but that’s just me.

[QContinuum]

Most of us regular posters fedclerked (albeit not 3 times because...why) and most of us work/ed at firms ranked far above v50.

objct, don't be jealous because you, unlike Newb, weren't cool enough to fedclerk thrice.

Mere mortals who've only fedclerked once or twice can't possibly realize "analogy" means the same thing as "simile", that "women" and "girls" are interchangeable, that "girl" means the same thing as "girlfriend", and that the best way to fight sexism is to say sexist things. It's like Trump and the Mexicans - no one loves the Mexicans more than Trump.

We can't understand any of the above because we ain't worthy. These are secrets you only learn if you fedclerk thrice and work at a V50.

[Newbie2TLS]

Most of us regular posters fedclerked (albeit not 3 times because...why) and most of us work/ed at firms ranked far above v50.

objct, don't be jealous because you, unlike Newb, weren't cool enough to fedclerk thrice.

Mere mortals who've only fedclerked once or twice can't possibly realize "analogy" means the same thing as "simile", that "women" and "girls" are interchangeable, that "girl" means the same thing as "girlfriend", and that the best way to fight sexism is to say sexist things. It's like Trump and the Mexicans - no one loves the Mexicans more than Trump.

We can't understand any of the above because we ain't worthy. These are secrets you only learn if you fedclerk thrice and work at a V50.

Lol guys. (I hope I don’t get booted for saying guys). I didn’t clerk 3 times. I don’t work for a V50. I think Justice figured it out (I knew he would. He works for a V10 after all).

There were a couple posters up top who made fun of someone for trying to sincerely participate in this thread. They said the post was the worst one this year or something to that effect and just railed on the person, and to me it just looked stupid, especially because they followed it up with comments about starvation and child molestation in an analogy about salary cuts. When I started trolling them, one of them bragged about being “a litigator” and not being able to let go of the conversation, so I trolled again by taking that off-putting persona and amplifying it, saying I clerked 3 times and worked at a V50. Almost all the things I said here were taken from you and thrown back at you to troll you. It’s kinda funny because the only thing that’s true is that I really did mean “girls” in a gender-inclusive way (and do use the words with my girlfriends and try to be as gender-inclusive as I can) but for some reason that wasn’t believed lol.

But with all seriousness, that analogy was so bad, reminded me of Michael Scott from The Office, and it actually is sexist to censor the word girls because you yourself associate it with the word “bitch.” That part reminded me Dwight Schrute.

[cavalier1138]

When I started trolling them, one of them bragged about being “a litigator” and not being able to let go of the conversation

Just to make sure this part is clear (since apparently you're not trolling anymore, just continuing to be dense): That was self-deprecation. It was abundantly clear from the post, and you need to get much, much better at reading.

So congrats. You were inspired to troll by a lack of comprehension, which was ironically a key part of your trolling persona. It's very Inception-y.

[Newbie2TLS]

When I started trolling them, one of them bragged about being “a litigator” and not being able to let go of the conversation

Just to make sure this part is clear (since apparently you're not trolling anymore, just continuing to be dense): That was self-deprecation. It was abundantly clear from the post, and you need to get much, much better at reading.

So congrats. You were inspired to troll by a lack of comprehension, which was ironically a key part of your trolling persona. It's very Inception-y.

I recognized it. That’s why my response to that was also a half-assed “yea let’s let it go guys” with a throwaway reference to clerking and working at a v50 to get them riled up. I didn’t clerk and work at a V10 like Justice to not know what I’m doing

P.s. I’m kinda worried Q will pull an Angela from The Office and boot me.

[cavalier1138]

P.s. I’m kinda worried Q will pull an Angela from The Office and boot me.

I'm kinda worried that you keep referencing characters from the inferior version of "The Office."

[Newbie2TLS]

P.s. I’m kinda worried Q will pull an Angela from The Office and boot me.

I'm kinda worried that you keep referencing characters from the inferior version of "The Office."

You like the British one too eh?

[sms18]

Most of us regular posters fedclerked (albeit not 3 times because...why) and most of us work/ed at firms ranked far above v50.

objct, don't be jealous because you, unlike Newb, weren't cool enough to fedclerk thrice.

Mere mortals who've only fedclerked once or twice can't possibly realize "analogy" means the same thing as "simile", that "women" and "girls" are interchangeable, that "girl" means the same thing as "girlfriend", and that the best way to fight sexism is to say sexist things. It's like Trump and the Mexicans - no one loves the Mexicans more than Trump.

We can't understand any of the above because we ain't worthy. These are secrets you only learn if you fedclerk thrice and work at a V50.

Lol guys. (I hope I don’t get booted for saying guys). I didn’t clerk 3 times. I don’t work for a V50. I think Justice figured it out (I knew he would. He works for a V10 after all).

There were a couple posters up top who made fun of someone for trying to sincerely participate in this thread. They said the post was the worst one this year or something to that effect and just railed on the person, and to me it just looked stupid, especially because they followed it up with comments about starvation and child molestation in an analogy about salary cuts. When I started trolling them, one of them bragged about being “a litigator” and not being able to let go of the conversation, so I trolled again by taking that off-putting persona and amplifying it, saying I clerked 3 times and worked at a V50. Almost all the things I said here were taken from you and thrown back at you to troll you. It’s kinda funny because the only thing that’s true is that I really did mean “girls” in a gender-inclusive way (and do use the words with my girlfriends and try to be as gender-inclusive as I can) but for some reason that wasn’t believed lol.

But with all seriousness, that analogy was so bad, reminded me of Michael Scott from The Office, and it actually is sexist to censor the word girls because you yourself associate it with the word “bitch.” That part reminded me Dwight Schrute.

In your very first post on this thread (from 5/3), you said you worked at a V30, and that a few friends of yours already got the boot in other firms. And then you said you worked at a V50. And now you're saying you don't work at a V50. So it sounds like you were trolling from the very beginning.

[Newbie2TLS]

Most of us regular posters fedclerked (albeit not 3 times because...why) and most of us work/ed at firms ranked far above v50.

objct, don't be jealous because you, unlike Newb, weren't cool enough to fedclerk thrice.

Mere mortals who've only fedclerked once or twice can't possibly realize "analogy" means the same thing as "simile", that "women" and "girls" are interchangeable, that "girl" means the same thing as "girlfriend", and that the best way to fight sexism is to say sexist things. It's like Trump and the Mexicans - no one loves the Mexicans more than Trump.

We can't understand any of the above because we ain't worthy. These are secrets you only learn if you fedclerk thrice and work at a V50.

Lol guys. (I hope I don’t get booted for saying guys). I didn’t clerk 3 times. I don’t work for a V50. I think Justice figured it out (I knew he would. He works for a V10 after all).

There were a couple posters up top who made fun of someone for trying to sincerely participate in this thread. They said the post was the worst one this year or something to that effect and just railed on the person, and to me it just looked stupid, especially because they followed it up with comments about starvation and child molestation in an analogy about salary cuts. When I started trolling them, one of them bragged about being “a litigator” and not being able to let go of the conversation, so I trolled again by taking that off-putting persona and amplifying it, saying I clerked 3 times and worked at a V50. Almost all the things I said here were taken from you and thrown back at you to troll you. It’s kinda funny because the only thing that’s true is that I really did mean “girls” in a gender-inclusive way (and do use the words with my girlfriends and try to be as gender-inclusive as I can) but for some reason that wasn’t believed lol.

But with all seriousness, that analogy was so bad, reminded me of Michael Scott from The Office, and it actually is sexist to censor the word girls because you yourself associate it with the word “bitch.” That part reminded me Dwight Schrute.

In your very first post on this thread (from 5/3), you said you worked at a V30, and that a few friends of yours already got the boot in other firms. And then you said you worked at a V50. And now you're saying you don't work at a V50. So it sounds like you were trolling from the very beginning.

Good eye. I do work for a V30. The friends I referred to are not necessarily at a V30. So that comment was accurate. When I trolled, I said V50 to match the vibe of the trolling (hence it got people to say it’s nothing to brag about). But technically you’re right, a V30 is a V50. But I didn’t wanna be a d-bag when stopping the trolling by saying bUt I rEaLlY wOrK fOr a V30, nOt a V50 since it doesn’t really matter.

Anyway, folks, including my womenfriends, stay safe and healthy. And let’s hope we all weather this salary cut / job cut / coronavirus storm!

[objctnyrhnr]

When I started trolling them, one of them bragged about being “a litigator” and not being able to let go of the conversation

Just to make sure this part is clear (since apparently you're not trolling anymore, just continuing to be dense): That was self-deprecation. It was abundantly clear from the post, and you need to get much, much better at reading.

So congrats. You were inspired to troll by a lack of comprehension, which was ironically a key part of your trolling persona. It's very Inception-y.

I recognized it. That’s why my response to that was also a half-assed “yea let’s let it go guys” with a throwaway reference to clerking and working at a v50 to get them riled up. I didn’t clerk and work at a V10 like Justice to not know what I’m doing

P.s. I’m kinda worried Q will pull an Angela from The Office and boot me.

See it was almost really funny because it sounds like something that somebody would say if they’re trying to lie to impress...but like clearly lying in a way that doesn’t actually impress (but knowingly said in a place where only us prestige obsessed people on this forum would recognize that it’s not actually impressive, hence the potentially subtle humor.)

I don’t know I think in a different context (and maybe from a different poster) it could have landed much better. Like I said, my first reaction was to think wow that’s some really subtly funny stuff; I like this poster.

But it got so muddied with everything else from you and I dunno the whole thing just wasn’t quite there and I’m still not even convinced now that it was a joke.

But if it was a joke and if you therefore do have a smart subtle humorous touch about you somewhere, I look forward to seeing it manifest in other posts.

[QContinuum]

But it got so muddied with everything else from you and I dunno the whole thing just wasn’t quite there and I’m still not even convinced now that it was a joke.

Whenever Newb's been called out on anything, she's doubled-down and insisted we just aren't smart enough to understand her.

First it was the sexist remark - "I intentionally said something sexist to fight sexism! So it's not really sexist, see? Also I'm a woman so I can't be sexist, and I say this to all of my girlfriends and none of them get offended, so how dare you say I'm sexist. You're sexist by telling me I can't say sexist stuff!"

Now it's the lame humblebrag - "can't y'all take a joke? Hahaha."

Anyway, to be clear, I'm not going to ban Newb, but any more trolling - or any more sexist remarks - and I will reevaluate. I don't care if the trolling's "funny" or if the sexist remarks are intended to "fight sexism".

[Anonymous User]

Anyway any one else enjoying law firm austerity and pay cuts?

[Anonymous User]

The notion of "layoffs" vs. "paycuts" is a false dichotomy. And that's what makes me angry.

My pay cut pales in comparison to the suffering that millions of americans are going through right now.

But that's not what these paycuts are about. Yes, firm collections are down, and that means that partner profits will still be lower. But at least from what my firm showed us at the Town Hall announcing paycuts, the firm would still be profitable EVEN IF they did not implement paycuts.

This is truly a case of partners refusing to draw "only" $600k for the year, instead of their usual $800k or whatever.

This is exactly the point.

What's even worse at my firm is that I'm busy, the office is busy and the whole firm is busy. The firm's numbers for March and April are even higher than last year and May seems to be fine as well. So there was and is no need for those salary reductions.

[The Lsat Airbender]

The notion of "layoffs" vs. "paycuts" is a false dichotomy. And that's what makes me angry.

My pay cut pales in comparison to the suffering that millions of americans are going through right now.

But that's not what these paycuts are about. Yes, firm collections are down, and that means that partner profits will still be lower. But at least from what my firm showed us at the Town Hall announcing paycuts, the firm would still be profitable EVEN IF they did not implement paycuts.

This is truly a case of partners refusing to draw "only" $600k for the year, instead of their usual $800k or whatever.

This is exactly the point.

What's even worse at my firm is that I'm busy, the office is busy and the whole firm is busy. The firm's numbers for March and April are even higher than last year and May seems to be fine as well. So there was and is no need for those salary reductions.

"Busy" might not translate to immediate cashflow. If clients are dragging their feet on invoices then a poorly-managed firm might struggle to make payroll in the short term. $200k out of a $800k PPP is a ton of money if you lose it all in Q2. (Obviously the partners are greedy bastards and won't true you up in 6 months. I'm not defending them here.)

[Anonymous User]

The notion of "layoffs" vs. "paycuts" is a false dichotomy. And that's what makes me angry.

My pay cut pales in comparison to the suffering that millions of americans are going through right now.

But that's not what these paycuts are about. Yes, firm collections are down, and that means that partner profits will still be lower. But at least from what my firm showed us at the Town Hall announcing paycuts, the firm would still be profitable EVEN IF they did not implement paycuts.

This is truly a case of partners refusing to draw "only" $600k for the year, instead of their usual $800k or whatever.

This is exactly the point.

What's even worse at my firm is that I'm busy, the office is busy and the whole firm is busy. The firm's numbers for March and April are even higher than last year and May seems to be fine as well. So there was and is no need for those salary reductions.

"Busy" might not translate to immediate cashflow. If clients are dragging their feet on invoices then a poorly-managed firm might struggle to make payroll in the short term. $200k out of a $800k PPP is a ton of money if you lose it all in Q2. (Obviously the partners are greedy bastards and won't true you up in 6 months. I'm not defending them here.)

Clients dragging their feet is a real issue. Just today I spoke with a partner about some of my invoices from March and April and he asked me to explain to him what I did on a specific day for the specific client because the client is now saying that it should not have taken that long to review stuff. This is a client that has never pushed back on any bills and pays in full almost immediately. I’ve been extremely busy, but I know that my realization for these next few months is going to be significantly lower than what I’m normally at because of client push back.