BigLaw Severance for Juniors Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am a junior at a biglaw firm. I am miserable, hate my job, etc and do not have the desire or stamina to keep on working 24/7. My work is starting to slip and I have been turning down assignments, so I feel a firing coming. I’m wondering whether severance for a junior is the typical 3-6 months or whether it will be lower because I am only a first year.

[M458]

I've found that firms give juniors a pretty long leash - you'll get a formal warning before you are fired/given severance. The whole process can take as long as 6 months: at next check-in or review, you get a warning, letting you know there are certain performance issues and that they'd like to touch base with you again in [x] months (let's say 3) to see if you've made improvements. At the next "special" check-in, they'll tell you it's not working out and they'll give you another [x] months (again, typically 3) on the website and the amount of severance will vary (I've heard of as little as 1 month to as much as 6 months at half pay).

Not sure if COVID changes this process though, especially for juniors. I assume you'll get a warning though before you are fired. Anything you can do to minimize the stressors of the job? What have your hours been like so far?

[Anonymous User]

turning down work is completely OK wtf. If you are on pace for 2000+ hours, turn down work

[Anonymous User]

I've found that firms give juniors a pretty long leash - you'll get a formal warning before you are fired/given severance. The whole process can take as long as 6 months: at next check-in or review, you get a warning, letting you know there are certain performance issues and that they'd like to touch base with you again in [x] months (let's say 3) to see if you've made improvements. At the next "special" check-in, they'll tell you it's not working out and they'll give you another [x] months (again, typically 3) on the website and the amount of severance will vary (I've heard of as little as 1 month to as much as 6 months at half pay).

Not sure if COVID changes this process though, especially for juniors. I assume you'll get a warning though before you are fired. Anything you can do to minimize the stressors of the job? What have your hours been like so far?

Thanks for the information. There isn’t much I can do to minimize stress. I have been working at least 12 hours a day on weekdays and at least one full day a weekend for months now. Vacation is not possible with the cases I am on. This lifestyle is not for me. I have a backup plan for when I am eventually let go, but it has been so bad recently that I want to get fired ASAP, take a few months to myself, and then move on with the rest of my career. I will be able to survive financially even without severance until I start my next job, but I obviously want as much money as possible from the firm when I am fired.

[Anonymous User]

turning down work is completely OK wtf. If you are on pace for 2000+ hours, turn down work

I have been, but my firm is a sweatshop, and we are severely understaffed (no laterals have come in to replace the mid levels and seniors who have left this year, and the new first years have been deferred until next year). It isn’t a place that tolerates turning work down. I am near the end of the rope though, which is why I have started to turn down assignments.

[Anonymous User]

turning down work is completely OK wtf. If you are on pace for 2000+ hours, turn down work

I have been, but my firm is a sweatshop, and we are severely understaffed (no laterals have come in to replace the mid levels and seniors who have left this year, and the new first years have been deferred until next year). It isn’t a place that tolerates turning work down. I am near the end of the rope though, which is why I have started to turn down assignments.

Not OP, but have been in a similar boat recently. Don't really have a backup plan other than wanting to go in-house, but afraid I'll have to tolerate the stress of this job until I land an offer to avoid the resume gap.

[Anonymous User]

turning down work is completely OK wtf. If you are on pace for 2000+ hours, turn down work

I have been, but my firm is a sweatshop, and we are severely understaffed (no laterals have come in to replace the mid levels and seniors who have left this year, and the new first years have been deferred until next year). It isn’t a place that tolerates turning work down. I am near the end of the rope though, which is why I have started to turn down assignments.

Sounds like you're at STB. How's it going for the rest of your group over there?

[Anonymous User]

turning down work is completely OK wtf. If you are on pace for 2000+ hours, turn down work

I have been, but my firm is a sweatshop, and we are severely understaffed (no laterals have come in to replace the mid levels and seniors who have left this year, and the new first years have been deferred until next year). It isn’t a place that tolerates turning work down. I am near the end of the rope though, which is why I have started to turn down assignments.

Sounds like you're at STB. How's it going for the rest of your group over there?

Not at STB. At a boutique that likes to outwardly pretend it is a lifestyle firm.

[wwwcol]

turning down work is completely OK wtf. If you are on pace for 2000+ hours, turn down work

I have been, but my firm is a sweatshop, and we are severely understaffed (no laterals have come in to replace the mid levels and seniors who have left this year, and the new first years have been deferred until next year). It isn’t a place that tolerates turning work down. I am near the end of the rope though, which is why I have started to turn down assignments.

Sounds like you're at STB. How's it going for the rest of your group over there?

Lol at the idea that understaffed sweatshop is anywhere near enough info to identify a specific firm in this industry

[Anonymous User]

turning down work is completely OK wtf. If you are on pace for 2000+ hours, turn down work

I have been, but my firm is a sweatshop, and we are severely understaffed (no laterals have come in to replace the mid levels and seniors who have left this year, and the new first years have been deferred until next year). It isn’t a place that tolerates turning work down. I am near the end of the rope though, which is why I have started to turn down assignments.

Sounds like you're at STB. How's it going for the rest of your group over there?

Lol at the idea that understaffed sweatshop is anywhere near enough info to identify a specific firm in this industry

Sorry, should have clarified. This is assuming OP is at an NY V10. Had my mind on another thread.

[Anonymous User]

If your firm is busy you're not going to get fired with severance unless and until your hours are really bad, like 3-4 months of billing 50 hours. If you're still getting staffed on matters despite "starting to slip" and turning down work, you're nowhere close to being fired. What usually happens at the junior stage is partners get sick of working with you (because you reject work or your work sucks), you stopped getting staffed on matters, your hours drop, and you're told at your next eval that you should find something else, and you'll have 6 months or longer to look. Don't count on getting fired with severance unless your firm has been stealthing people.

[joeshmo39]

You're not getting fired if you're working even half the hours you're working now. Just turn down work. Tell the partner the project sounds interesting, but you're slammed and don't think you can do a good job.

[Anonymous User]

turning down work is completely OK wtf. If you are on pace for 2000+ hours, turn down work

I have been, but my firm is a sweatshop, and we are severely understaffed (no laterals have come in to replace the mid levels and seniors who have left this year, and the new first years have been deferred until next year). It isn’t a place that tolerates turning work down. I am near the end of the rope though, which is why I have started to turn down assignments.

No one really gets fired because their firm is too busy and too many people are asking them to work. Like, what are they going to do, fire you and then have even less people to do the work that they are already having trouble staffing? Even if they want to replace you with a lateral, that takes months, it's a total gamble what that person will be like, they have to spend money on recruiter fees and they need to get them up and running. Odds of you getting fired in the near future if you are super busy and people are asking you to do work are pretty low unless you commit some sever malpractice or just straight up refuse to respond to emails after 5:00 or on the weekends (I saw someone last about 6 months doing this).

That being said, I totally get it and I would suggest getting out. No point in sticking around doing something making yourself miserable for prestige or money. If you are a junior and hate it that badly, it doesn't really get any better.

[Anonymous User]

turning down work is completely OK wtf. If you are on pace for 2000+ hours, turn down work

I have been, but my firm is a sweatshop, and we are severely understaffed (no laterals have come in to replace the mid levels and seniors who have left this year, and the new first years have been deferred until next year). It isn’t a place that tolerates turning work down. I am near the end of the rope though, which is why I have started to turn down assignments.

No one really gets fired because their firm is too busy and too many people are asking them to work. Like, what are they going to do, fire you and then have even less people to do the work that they are already having trouble staffing? Even if they want to replace you with a lateral, that takes months, it's a total gamble what that person will be like, they have to spend money on recruiter fees and they need to get them up and running. Odds of you getting fired in the near future if you are super busy and people are asking you to do work are pretty low unless you commit some sever malpractice or just straight up refuse to respond to emails after 5:00 or on the weekends (I saw someone last about 6 months doing this).

That being said, I totally get it and I would suggest getting out. No point in sticking around doing something making yourself miserable for prestige or money. If you are a junior and hate it that badly, it doesn't really get any better.

Sorry. Accidental Anon.