How to coast for a few months Forum

[Anonymous User]

I know there's some other threads on this but looking for ideas for as much coasting as possible for about a month or 2.

Accepted another offer to go in-house, but they're letting me wait to start after I cash in my from my current firm.

Also, how common/disrespectful is it to give notice the day after bonuses are paid?

[JusticeSquee]

Giving notice the day after bonuses is kind of disrespectful, but you are employed at will and they can fire you with zero notice at any time, which is considerably more disrespectful, so fuck ‘em. It is very common for associates to leave within 2 weeks of bonuses clearing checking accounts.

Depends on the firm/group, but easiest way to coast IME is just to stop taking on new work/assignments, continue being somewhat responsive on your current matters and just slow everything down. Someone wants something done by COB today? Ask them if tomorrow COB is okay.

[Elston Gunn]

Absolutely nothing wrong with giving notice the day after bonuses are paid if you’re giving 2 weeks. If you can’t give 2 weeks it’s a little trickier.

[Anonymous User]

Absolutely nothing wrong with giving notice the day after bonuses are paid if you’re giving 2 weeks. If you can’t give 2 weeks it’s a little trickier.

Any idea how common this is?

[Elston Gunn]

Absolutely nothing wrong with giving notice the day after bonuses are paid if you’re giving 2 weeks. If you can’t give 2 weeks it’s a little trickier.

Any idea how common this is?

It’s common.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone else dread this job even while coasting given that any given moment they can force more work on you or one of your deals can blow up and just make coasting impossible.

I feel like I do a great job at coasting but the anxiety of the unknown and yet to come still makes the job unbearable at times.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone else dread this job even while coasting given that any given moment they can force more work on you or one of your deals can blow up and just make coasting impossible.

I feel like I do a great job at coasting but the anxiety of the unknown and yet to come still makes the job unbearable at times.

Right!? I feel like in practice it's so hard to coast and get comfortable being a shitty associate, because at least in M&A, if a deal blows up it's almost impossible to avoid and I feel like that would rise to the level of "we're reducing your bonus this year because you need to work on becoming more responsive."

[Lestersandy]

Does anyone else dread this job even while coasting given that any given moment they can force more work on you or one of your deals can blow up and just make coasting impossible.

I feel like I do a great job at coasting but the anxiety of the unknown and yet to come still makes the job unbearable at times.

lol

Yeah. That’s just what big law is.

[glitched]

I gave notice by phone the day the bonus hit. No one gave a shit and we're really happy for me. I went back in a couple weeks later to pick up my stuff and say my farewells / get meals in person. People 100% understand.

[Definitely Not North]

yeah haven't done it myself yet but have seen plenty of others leave on/shortly after bonus day. everybody gets it and would do the same if they were leaving

[Anonymous User]

I gave notice by phone the day the bonus hit. No one gave a shit and we're really happy for me. I went back in a couple weeks later to pick up my stuff and say my farewells / get meals in person. People 100% understand.

yeah haven't done it myself yet but have seen plenty of others leave on/shortly after bonus day. everybody gets it and would do the same if they were leaving

Were you going in-house or to another firm? Wondering how much that changes the calculus of people being happy for you (not that that ultimately matters).

[UnfrozenCaveman]

If you're going in-house, might as well tell people that you will be leaving in a couple months. You will get the royal treatment and no one will give you work since you'll be gone relatively soon.

[Definitely Not North]

I gave notice by phone the day the bonus hit. No one gave a shit and we're really happy for me. I went back in a couple weeks later to pick up my stuff and say my farewells / get meals in person. People 100% understand.

yeah haven't done it myself yet but have seen plenty of others leave on/shortly after bonus day. everybody gets it and would do the same if they were leaving

Were you going in-house or to another firm? Wondering how much that changes the calculus of people being happy for you (not that that ultimately matters).

I've seen both multiple times. Don't think some folks being annoyed when people bail to other firms is a function of proximity to bonus payout day

[Anonymous User]

If you're going in-house, might as well tell people that you will be leaving in a couple months. You will get the royal treatment and no one will give you work since you'll be gone relatively soon.

I think this is generally true, but I think the better way to phrase it is "If you're going in-house and are generally well-liked, might as well tell people." I'm milking this really hard right now and it's amazing. I took a two-week vacation, have been billing like 30-35/wk and am minimally responsive after 8pm or on weekends (I still send will dos, etc., I just don't start until the morning). I think because the people I work with are generally happy for me and I'm a "good leaver," it's working out great. But if they thought I was a fuckup, I think it would be tougher. And I think if I were going to another firm, it would be a big risk.

As you have probably realized, it's pretty hard to get fired from biglaw so in all likelihood you'll be fine, but there's a lot of money on the line at least in my view, if you're going to say anything before the check clears, it's important to think about the factors above to decide exactly how much risk you're taking.

[Definitely Not North]

If you're going in-house, might as well tell people that you will be leaving in a couple months. You will get the royal treatment and no one will give you work since you'll be gone relatively soon.

Yeah, I would NOT do this that seems incredibly and unnecessarily risky considering the amount of cash on the line

[UnfrozenCaveman]

If you're going in-house, might as well tell people that you will be leaving in a couple months. You will get the royal treatment and no one will give you work since you'll be gone relatively soon.

I think this is generally true, but I think the better way to phrase it is "If you're going in-house and are generally well-liked, might as well tell people." I'm milking this really hard right now and it's amazing. I took a two-week vacation, have been billing like 30-35/wk and am minimally responsive after 8pm or on weekends (I still send will dos, etc., I just don't start until the morning). I think because the people I work with are generally happy for me and I'm a "good leaver," it's working out great. But if they thought I was a fuckup, I think it would be tougher. And I think if I were going to another firm, it would be a big risk.

As you have probably realized, it's pretty hard to get fired from biglaw so in all likelihood you'll be fine, but there's a lot of money on the line at least in my view, if you're going to say anything before the check clears, it's important to think about the factors above to decide exactly how much risk you're taking.

Hey nothing like being on the other side of business development to make yourself well liked.

You should also ask for some discretionary spending for a virtual going away party.

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on taking vacation during this period leading up to notice?

Worked straight through Thanksgiving including dinner and starting to just NGAF.

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on taking vacation during this period leading up to notice?

Worked straight through Thanksgiving including dinner and starting to just NGAF.

I’m hopefully starting a new job mid-January. I’m not giving notice until after bonus even if less than 2 weeks, but hoping to get the new job confirmed soon so I can put in vacation during the holidays, then come back and give notice.

Figure I may be burning the bridge but fuck them.

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on taking vacation during this period leading up to notice?

Worked straight through Thanksgiving including dinner and starting to just NGAF.

I’m hopefully starting a new job mid-January. I’m not giving notice until after bonus even if less than 2 weeks, but hoping to get the new job confirmed soon so I can put in vacation during the holidays, then come back and give notice.

Figure I may be burning the bridge but fuck them.

How much vacation you taking? I was thinking maybe even take a full 2 weeks, but that seems like pushing it around the holidays.

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on taking vacation during this period leading up to notice?

Worked straight through Thanksgiving including dinner and starting to just NGAF.

I’m hopefully starting a new job mid-January. I’m not giving notice until after bonus even if less than 2 weeks, but hoping to get the new job confirmed soon so I can put in vacation during the holidays, then come back and give notice.

Figure I may be burning the bridge but fuck them.

How much vacation you taking? I was thinking maybe even take a full 2 weeks, but that seems like pushing it around the holidays.

Depends on when my start date gets set. Ideally 2 weeks, but probably a week. If I start before the 10th probably no vacation at all.

[lolwutpar]

Real ballers take like 3 weeks off and quit on the first day they're back.

[Joachim2017]

Thoughts on taking vacation during this period leading up to notice?

Worked straight through Thanksgiving including dinner and starting to just NGAF.

Whoever forced you to do this, whether a partner or senior associate, really needs to take a step back and re-think their management skills. Terrible for morale which has long-term consequences. Especially in today's environment.

ETA: unless you're at WLRK, I guess...

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on taking vacation during this period leading up to notice?

Worked straight through Thanksgiving including dinner and starting to just NGAF.

Whoever forced you to do this, whether a partner or senior associate, really needs to take a step back and re-think their management skills. Terrible for morale which has long-term consequences. Especially in today's environment.

ETA: unless you're at WLRK, I guess...

I'm not at WLRK, and if I was, I suppose I'd stay for a bit longer to keep cashing the $600k paycheck as a midlevel, but for regular market paying biglaw, I think this was bull***t, so I'm out in January.

[Lestersandy]

Do most firms pay out vacation?

[Anonymous User]

I'm at one of the bullshit unlimited vacation firms and I'm quitting in Jan, having only taken one week of vacation in 2020.