New to BigLaw, Nothing to Do Forum

[Anonymous User]

I recently started at a Biglaw firm as a second year (like, I'm not even a month in), this is my first time actually employed at a firm as a lawyer, and I have nothing to do. Most people are working from home (I am trying that out), but I have mostly been there in person. I've had a couple small research projects and got good feedback on those, and I also asked several people in my practice group to give me work/let them know I was available. They all gave affirmative-sounding answers, and one of them gave me some case materials to read so that I could get up to speed for helping with said case in the future, which I read and then briefly talked about with that partner. However, I've still spent the last few days literally just doing CLEs because the firm wants us to log six hours a day minimum. I can only do so many CLEs before it gets a little superfluous, and I worry what that looks like to accounting.

I mentioned to HR that I was done with the orientation materials, and they told me that they'd email the office managing partner and the head of my group to let them know (I'm not positive that was actually done, but HR seems very competent and helpful, so I'd like to think it was). They also suggested I email the head of my group about whether I should do a specific administrative task that they weren't sure he wanted new associates to do. I sent him an email about that and also included an ask for advice on any other useful tasks I could be doing.

I've been on this site for a while, and I've read these stories where associates are unable to get anyone to give them work and then they get fired. This is the first tiny inkling of career luck I've had, and I'm terrified to lose it. I want to do a good job. In general, I hate not being busy, and I feel like a sheepdog without any sheep to herd. On the other hand, I don't want to irritate people by constantly asking for work like the seagulls in Finding Nemo.

I feel like I've done everything I can do right now to let people know that I'm ready to start working, short of sending a desperate mass email, but I'm open to any other suggestions about what I should be doing. If I'm just being a nervous wreck who needs to chill, it would probably help to hear that, as well.

[Definitely Not North]

you are a nervous wreck who needs to chill

[Anonymous User]

you are a nervous wreck who needs to chill

Okay, I can accept this, but also, any information about WHY this is happening and if I should be doing anything besides attempting to chill would be very helpful.

[M458]

You're being a nervous wreck who needs to chill This is normal and to be expected. If you're still slow in March, then we can chat.

I would avoid HR in the future, FYI - letting folks know you're available and looking for work is sufficient. When you get assignments, do a good, thorough job on them. Matters/cases will inevitably come.

And don't worry about the "minimum hours" your billing system require. Eventually you'll feel comfortable just putting in however many extra hours in as "Professional reading" or "Attending to office matters" or some other BS entry and nobody will ever bat an eye about it.

[Elston Gunn]

As others have said, this is super normal. To answer your question about why this is happening, when a first year (or in your case a second year who hasn’t been at a firm before) joins, it actually takes *more* work for more senior attorneys to incorporate them into a matter than to keep going with the people already working on it. In addition to needing to bring the new person up to speed on the details of the matter, there are a million little ways new attorneys need to be trained before they are consistently useful.

This isn’t a reflection on you at all; it’s universal. Over the long run, you’ll provide a lot of value after you’ve gotten the hang of things. That’s why they bothered to hire you and give you the on the job training you will inevitably get as you are given more and more work. For now, just recognize that giving you work is often itself work for someone else, and they’re busy, or want to spend time with their family over the holidays, or don’t have any new work available that’s suited to a new attorney. I would not stress at all yet.

[Anonymous User]

As others have said, this is super normal. To answer your question about why this is happening, when a first year (or in your case a second year who hasn’t been at a firm before) joins, it actually takes *more* work for more senior attorneys to incorporate them into a matter than to keep going with the people already working on it. In addition to needing to bring the new person up to speed on the details of the matter, there are a million little ways new attorneys need to be trained before they are consistently useful.

This isn’t a reflection on you at all; it’s universal. Over the long run, you’ll provide a lot of value after you’ve gotten the hang of things. That’s why they bothered to hire you and give you the on the job training you will inevitably get as you are given more and more work. For now, just recognize that giving you work is often itself work for someone else, and they’re busy, or want to spend time with their family over the holidays, or don’t have any new work available that’s suited to a new attorney. I would not stress at all yet.

This does make me feel better, thank you. I kept thinking that they wouldn't hire someone if they didn't have stuff for me to do eventually.

Should I just keep doing CLE-type stuff so they know I'm "at work"? My state has a required new-lawyer program in the first year of licensure and that's definitely something I can be doing.

[Elston Gunn]

As others have said, this is super normal. To answer your question about why this is happening, when a first year (or in your case a second year who hasn’t been at a firm before) joins, it actually takes *more* work for more senior attorneys to incorporate them into a matter than to keep going with the people already working on it. In addition to needing to bring the new person up to speed on the details of the matter, there are a million little ways new attorneys need to be trained before they are consistently useful.

This isn’t a reflection on you at all; it’s universal. Over the long run, you’ll provide a lot of value after you’ve gotten the hang of things. That’s why they bothered to hire you and give you the on the job training you will inevitably get as you are given more and more work. For now, just recognize that giving you work is often itself work for someone else, and they’re busy, or want to spend time with their family over the holidays, or don’t have any new work available that’s suited to a new attorney. I would not stress at all yet.

This does make me feel better, thank you. I kept thinking that they wouldn't hire someone if they didn't have stuff for me to do eventually.

Should I just keep doing CLE-type stuff so they know I'm "at work"? My state has a required new-lawyer program in the first year of licensure and that's definitely something I can be doing.

There’s nothing wrong with being productive, but otherwise you should do whatever you want with the time. All you have to do show you’re “at work” is to do the tasks you’re given and occasionally reach out to people, as you have been doing, and letting them know you’re available.

[papermateflair]

I agree with everyone else - there's nothing that seems amiss here. No one hires a new associate in this economy unless they have 2000 hours a year of work for them. It takes time to onboard, it's hard to just hand someone 8-10 hours of work a day on day one in this line of work. If you need to account for six hours a day, then by all means do the new lawyer training you are required to do and finish off your CLEs (you'll be grateful you did this when you get busier next year), but you can also do "professional reading" or administrative tasks or business development. If you're in an area where folks write articles, ask to help on nonbillable legal alerts, articles, presentations, whatever is available.

Once you've communicated that you have time to help on things AND you've asked what you can do that isn't billable, then my personal opinion is that you treat the time that you are "in the office" (even if you're working from home) as professional development or administrative time - are you paying attention to your emails for six hours a day? Of course. So you don't have to be just binging CLEs the whole time. Be as productive as you can but be reasonable and enjoy the down time. I have never had a partner or anyone review my nonbillable time entries and tell me that I shouldn't have spent the time I did on the things I did, and I find it unlikely that anyone will come after you over that.