Doodads that improve the quality of your life in biglaw? Forum

[2020throwaway]

Now that you've made it as a biglaw attorney, what are some things, splurges or doodads, that you get for yourself, that you really think increase the quality of your life? How do you de-stress?

Want to hear some midlevels and experienced associates chime as well. What do you recommend? How do you treat yourselves?

[Anonymous User]

Spending money on home office stuff was especially good for COVID, but even before then: an ultrawide monitor (or two monitors), a good chair, the dock thing that lets you just plug in a laptop and go.

Otherwise it’s worth spending money on things that will save time. I order Whole Foods delivery on my Amazon Prime membership often. Saves a trip to the grocery store.

It’s funny looking back when I was in college or law school how I’d go well out of the way and burn a couple extra hours to save $50 on a flight or something. The value of a free hour has skyrocketed and I will spend a lot more to protect it now accordingly.

[Barrred]

When purchasing things for your office, embrace the mentality of "buy once, cry once" so that you don't buy some middle-range product that you end up hating and replacing with a more expensive version in a year. To that end, invest in: $150+ webcam (you don't want to look grainy/discolored on your cheap Chinese $80 webcam) and $350+ noise-cancelling headphones.

Another nice thing is to buy some good pens. No need to ball out on a Mont Blanc, but you make too much money to suffer through writing with whatever random ballpoints are laying around your house/you stole from a hotel. Find a rollerball pen you like (e.g., Pilot G2 or V5) in a point size that works well for your handwriting(e.g., fine, extra fine) and buy a bunch of them in whatever colors you use regularly.

[Anonymous User]

Senior associate. Bought a condo at the beach about an hour away. Instant life improvement, especially with hopes of more remote work going forward.

[mwells_56]

When purchasing things for your office, embrace the mentality of "buy once, cry once" so that you don't buy some middle-range product that you end up hating and replacing with a more expensive version in a year. To that end, invest in: $150+ webcam (you don't want to look grainy/discolored on your cheap Chinese $80 webcam) and $350+ noise-cancelling headphones.

Another nice thing is to buy some good pens. No need to ball out on a Mont Blanc, but you make too much money to suffer through writing with whatever random ballpoints are laying around your house/you stole from a hotel. Find a rollerball pen you like (e.g., Pilot G2 or V5) in a point size that works well for your handwriting(e.g., fine, extra fine) and buy a bunch of them in whatever colors you use regularly.

While I agree it's better to spend the cash, $150 for a webcam seems like a lot. I spent like $80-something on a logitech c920 and it captures in 1080p. Most web conferencing apps only go up to 720p anyway. Just get a cam from a reputable brand that does 1080p

[Anonymous User]

No doodad or bauble feels as good as VTSAX feels

[Barrred]

When purchasing things for your office, embrace the mentality of "buy once, cry once" so that you don't buy some middle-range product that you end up hating and replacing with a more expensive version in a year. To that end, invest in: $150+ webcam (you don't want to look grainy/discolored on your cheap Chinese $80 webcam) and $350+ noise-cancelling headphones.

Another nice thing is to buy some good pens. No need to ball out on a Mont Blanc, but you make too much money to suffer through writing with whatever random ballpoints are laying around your house/you stole from a hotel. Find a rollerball pen you like (e.g., Pilot G2 or V5) in a point size that works well for your handwriting(e.g., fine, extra fine) and buy a bunch of them in whatever colors you use regularly.

While I agree it's better to spend the cash, $150 for a webcam seems like a lot. I spent like $80-something on a logitech c920 and it captures in 1080p. Most web conferencing apps only go up to 720p anyway. Just get a cam from a reputable brand that does 1080p

Fair point (maybe I overpaid), the dollar amount is less important than the principle that you should shell out money for the reputable brand than the Chinese knock-off that costs less.

[Anonymous User]

When purchasing things for your office, embrace the mentality of "buy once, cry once" so that you don't buy some middle-range product that you end up hating and replacing with a more expensive version in a year. To that end, invest in: $150+ webcam (you don't want to look grainy/discolored on your cheap Chinese $80 webcam) and $350+ noise-cancelling headphones.

Another nice thing is to buy some good pens. No need to ball out on a Mont Blanc, but you make too much money to suffer through writing with whatever random ballpoints are laying around your house/you stole from a hotel. Find a rollerball pen you like (e.g., Pilot G2 or V5) in a point size that works well for your handwriting(e.g., fine, extra fine) and buy a bunch of them in whatever colors you use regularly.

Competitive debaters are more demanding on pens than anyone else because of the volume and speed at which they have to write and all of them use V5s or G2s. If you write by hand a lot ballpoint will feel much less comfortable by comparison.

[Anonymous User]

using an ipad to review and take a first pass at docs is lovely

[randomthrowaway]

I just picked up a 38" ultrawide monitor (AW3821DW) and it's amazing. I previously had a 34" ultrawide and the 38" ultrawide is a big step up and pretty much perfect for productivity. The 34" was a little lacking in vertical space and that's where the 38" makes up for it.

Agree with the poster above on an iPad. I love my iPad Pro for reviewing and hand marking documents, especially when I have to work at night. With the Magic Keyboard, you can do some light typing work as well.

During quarantine, I also picked up a Thinkpad so that I could work around the house easier when I need to do heavy typing work.

[Anonymous User]

Honestly, my doodad is getting a script for Adderall / Vyvanse, just to be used for those occasional 12+ hour days that don't require too much critical thought and would have otherwise been a real slog. I would not recommend taking every day unless you absolutely need to, and also probably don't recommend trying to engage in the above "occasional" method unless you know you have the self control to regulate it.

[nls336]

One of those soul bikes. At first, I was hesitant because people make them out to be this luxury that only assholes have...but even hamsters have wheels. To have a hamster in a cage all day without exercise is animal abuse, it's the same for us.

[Sackboy]

Probably not a spot on the roof of a parking garage.

[Anonymous User]

When purchasing things for your office, embrace the mentality of "buy once, cry once" so that you don't buy some middle-range product that you end up hating and replacing with a more expensive version in a year. To that end, invest in: $150+ webcam (you don't want to look grainy/discolored on your cheap Chinese $80 webcam) and $350+ noise-cancelling headphones.

Another nice thing is to buy some good pens. No need to ball out on a Mont Blanc, but you make too much money to suffer through writing with whatever random ballpoints are laying around your house/you stole from a hotel. Find a rollerball pen you like (e.g., Pilot G2 or V5) in a point size that works well for your handwriting(e.g., fine, extra fine) and buy a bunch of them in whatever colors you use regularly.

Competitive debaters are more demanding on pens than anyone else because of the volume and speed at which they have to write and all of them use V5s or G2s. If you write by hand a lot ballpoint will feel much less comfortable by comparison.

Former competitive debater, now biglaw partner. I agree with the general sentiment but will note that the nature of note-taking ("flowing") in competitive debate demands roller ball pens with a somewhat finer size than would be ideal in other settings. I am partial to Uniball Elite pens for everyday note-taking/marking up briefs, even though they would be way too prone to smudging and bleeding in a debate round.

Also, if you work at a big firm, you can usually get these pens for free. I work in a relatively small office and we have more office supplies--including V5/V7s, various thicknesses of G2s, and Uniball pens--than any human could possibly need.

ETA: A really good wireless mouse/keyboard is also great. I just splurged for a $150 Logitech mouse/keyboard set and it is such an upgrade over the $45 set I got last year.

[Buglaw]

When purchasing things for your office, embrace the mentality of "buy once, cry once" so that you don't buy some middle-range product that you end up hating and replacing with a more expensive version in a year. To that end, invest in: $150+ webcam (you don't want to look grainy/discolored on your cheap Chinese $80 webcam) and $350+ noise-cancelling headphones.

Another nice thing is to buy some good pens. No need to ball out on a Mont Blanc, but you make too much money to suffer through writing with whatever random ballpoints are laying around your house/you stole from a hotel. Find a rollerball pen you like (e.g., Pilot G2 or V5) in a point size that works well for your handwriting(e.g., fine, extra fine) and buy a bunch of them in whatever colors you use regularly.

While I agree it's better to spend the cash, $150 for a webcam seems like a lot. I spent like $80-something on a logitech c920 and it captures in 1080p. Most web conferencing apps only go up to 720p anyway. Just get a cam from a reputable brand that does 1080p

Fair point (maybe I overpaid), the dollar amount is less important than the principle that you should shell out money for the reputable brand than the Chinese knock-off that costs less.

Agree with this on all fronts. You make too much money and have too little time to worry about shaving a couple of bucks off things. Buy things from reputable companies that make the thing you are buying. You need stuff that just works so you can focus on the rest of your life with the small amount of time you have.

Saving $40 to only have something break or not be easy to use when you need it is simply not worth it when you start to look at the value of your time.

[soft blue]

I generally agree with the "spend real money, buy it once, don't worry about it again" take. It is hard to shave cents in an industrial manufacturing operation, the cheapest item usually is super low quality because when you're trying to scrape out every marginal cent you have to cut deep.

Difficult to justify on a cost basis, but nice socks/underwear/undershirts. Someone got me Bombas for christmas and I think they actually make a QoL difference.

[Zhuangyuan Kang]

A very nice mattress to enhance sleep quality


High quality shoes that are more comfortable and last longer


High-end noise cancelling headphones


Adjustable desk

[Anonymous User]

It seems like a lot of the advice here pertains to WFH setups. Or do firms not pay for things like pens, monitors, etc..?

[lolwutpar]

Given WFH right now and for a while yet, invest in some very comfortable sweats & shorts.

Hell, even if we do come back, keep them in your office. I change after 6 pm to essentially pajamas if I'm gonna be in the office late.

[Anonymous User]

It seems like a lot of the advice here pertains to WFH setups. Or do firms not pay for things like pens, monitors, etc..?

I can't speak for all firms, but at mine you could order pens through the stock room. But it might be more limited, if you want a fountain pen or something you might be on your own. But any kind of disposable pen, I never have had an issue getting.

Monitors, that's a different story. Partners can get anything they want, but associates are stuck with what IT gets you.

[byrdscales]

If you even think you might have wrist problems, an ergonomic keyboard is clutch. I'm particularly a fan of fully split or even vertical models. The kinesis freestyle has a vertical attachment and it's 100% worth the $300 the full setup costs.

https://kinesis-ergo.com/shop/freestyle ... accessory/

[snehpets]

Not totally responsive (a human is not a doodad) but by FAR the best money I’ve spent since starting biglaw is to pay someone to clean my apartment. They’re way better at it than I am, and having to come home and clean at night or on the weekends destroys my quality of life.

[Anonymous User]

Anon cause I’ve talked about this thing so much it would out me. But if you are a litigator, buy a Legal Board. Has programmed keys to add paragraph symbols, section symbols, USC, CFR cites, as well as keys to drop footnotes, add comments, etc. makes brief writing SO much more enjoyable.

The wired version is better than wireless IMO (although it has mechanical keys, which I like, but are pretty loud)

https://legalkeyboards.com/

[Sackboy]

Anon cause I’ve talked about this thing so much it would out me. But if you are a litigator, buy a Legal Board. Has programmed keys to add paragraph symbols, section symbols, USC, CFR cites, as well as keys to drop footnotes, add comments, etc. makes brief writing SO much more enjoyable.

The wired version is better than wireless IMO (although it has mechanical keys, which I like, but are pretty loud)

https://legalkeyboards.com/

I always thought this was gimmicky and that nobody would possibly buy one of these. Apparently, I'm wrong and they're useful. Though, it is a lil sus that you posted this anon.

[wldecisions]

Difficult to justify on a cost basis, but nice socks/underwear/undershirts. Someone got me Bombas for christmas and I think they actually make a QoL difference.

10000% Bombas are bomb