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Is this firm specific or does it apply to all 3 firms mentioned by OP?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:25 amI have a friend who is a midlevel in one of these groups and he told me the other day: "The stability once you're a mid is nice, but jesus christ RIP juniors and thank god i'm not one of them anymore. If I had to do it over again I'd have just juniored at less of a deathly sweatshop and tried to lateral over as a midlevel to avoid that shitshow. But I dunno maybe it sucks equally everywhere, but I doubt it"
Not the previous poster, but a senior associate in funds elsewhere and have heard similar* comments from x-KE juniors fairly routinely across a variety of practice groups, but I've also anecdotally heard similar comments about STB, Deb and more than a handful of other places.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 11:07 amIs this firm specific or does it apply to all 3 firms mentioned by OP?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:25 amI have a friend who is a midlevel in one of these groups and he told me the other day: "The stability once you're a mid is nice, but jesus christ RIP juniors and thank god i'm not one of them anymore. If I had to do it over again I'd have just juniored at less of a deathly sweatshop and tried to lateral over as a midlevel to avoid that shitshow. But I dunno maybe it sucks equally everywhere, but I doubt it"
OP here - I don't mind putting in 2400 billable hours, as long as my schedule is somewhat predictable/stable (e.g. 9am-9/10pm) as opposed to having the unpredictable ups and downs of, say, M&A.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:11 pm1st year in Funds at one of the above places. Likely to hit 2400.
Not to be rude, but 2,400 is a lot of hours. Saying you don't mind putting in that type of work without having worked it is naive, at best.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:34 pmOP here - I don't mind putting in 2400 billable hours, as long as my schedule is somewhat predictable/stable (e.g. 9am-9/10pm) as opposed to having the unpredictable ups and downs of, say, M&A.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:11 pm1st year in Funds at one of the above places. Likely to hit 2400.
I think the more general point was valuing the stability of the hours/workload over the sheer amount of hours - not that the latter is something to dismiss.Sackboy wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 4:55 pmNot to be rude, but 2,400 is a lot of hours. Saying you don't mind putting in that type of work without having worked it is naive, at best.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:34 pmOP here - I don't mind putting in 2400 billable hours, as long as my schedule is somewhat predictable/stable (e.g. 9am-9/10pm) as opposed to having the unpredictable ups and downs of, say, M&A.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:11 pm1st year in Funds at one of the above places. Likely to hit 2400.
2400 hours means you'll predictably have zero free time.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:34 pmOP here - I don't mind putting in 2400 billable hours, as long as my schedule is somewhat predictable/stable (e.g. 9am-9/10pm) as opposed to having the unpredictable ups and downs of, say, M&A.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:11 pm1st year in Funds at one of the above places. Likely to hit 2400.
at least that's predictable thoughAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:34 pm2400 hours means you'll predictably have zero free time.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:34 pmOP here - I don't mind putting in 2400 billable hours, as long as my schedule is somewhat predictable/stable (e.g. 9am-9/10pm) as opposed to having the unpredictable ups and downs of, say, M&A.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:11 pm1st year in Funds at one of the above places. Likely to hit 2400.
Read your sentence out loud a few times and think long and hard about whether you are actually ok with a 9am to 9-10pm schedule.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:34 pmOP here - I don't mind putting in 2400 billable hours, as long as my schedule is somewhat predictable/stable (e.g. 9am-9/10pm) as opposed to having the unpredictable ups and downs of, say, M&A.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:11 pm1st year in Funds at one of the above places. Likely to hit 2400.
Right now every group is slammed - it's closer to 2600+ (and I know some creeping up higher than that) at the large funds practices and 2300-2400+ at the other reputable practices. Who knows when this will slow down, but sponsors are going wild raising money.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:50 pmIs this other peoples' feeling about second-tier fund groups too? 2400 per year?
When it does slow down, how many hours are "normally" billed for a junior in funds, on average?M458 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 11:23 pmRight now every group is slammed - it's closer to 2600+ (and I know some creeping up higher than that) at the large funds practices and 2300-2400+ at the other reputable practices. Who knows when this will slow down, but sponsors are going wild raising money.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:50 pmIs this other peoples' feeling about second-tier fund groups too? 2400 per year?
There's no "normal" in big law - there's stability in the top practices in knowing that you'll pretty much always be busy during any trailing 12 mos. period, but the lower-ranked or lesser known practices are arguably worse off now because they don't have armies of juniors and there is nowhere to hide. And even in funds 9-9/10 is not really an option--there are less all-nighters than M&A but people are pushing to get docs out faster than ever these days, to the point where particularly the more transactional side of the practice is beginning to look more and more like M&A (but with smaller teams).Anonymous User wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 9:23 amWhen it does slow down, how many hours are "normally" billed for a junior in funds, on average?M458 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 11:23 pmRight now every group is slammed - it's closer to 2600+ (and I know some creeping up higher than that) at the large funds practices and 2300-2400+ at the other reputable practices. Who knows when this will slow down, but sponsors are going wild raising money.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:50 pmIs this other peoples' feeling about second-tier fund groups too? 2400 per year?
Agreed w/ this. Have done well over 2400 hours in past years. I would take 2400 predictable hours over 2200 unpredictable hours. If I can know I will work 9-9 on weekdays and then 9-1pm on weekends, but know that I am done for the day after I knock off at 1 PM. Way better than waiting around Sat morning cause you think something might be coming down the pipe, and then deciding to go out during the afternoon because you think you must be in the clear, and then, as you arrive at your destination, getting an email that is going to require you to work the rest of the night.anonbanker wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:05 pmat least that's predictable thoughAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:34 pm2400 hours means you'll predictably have zero free time.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:34 pmOP here - I don't mind putting in 2400 billable hours, as long as my schedule is somewhat predictable/stable (e.g. 9am-9/10pm) as opposed to having the unpredictable ups and downs of, say, M&A.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:11 pm1st year in Funds at one of the above places. Likely to hit 2400.
No one in my Funds group is working 9-9, 9-midnight is about minimum. Weekends you could get away with a few hours here and there though.legalpotato wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:14 amAgreed w/ this. Have done well over 2400 hours in past years. I would take 2400 predictable hours over 2200 unpredictable hours. If I can know I will work 9-9 on weekdays and then 9-1pm on weekends, but know that I am done for the day after I knock off at 1 PM. Way better than waiting around Sat morning cause you think something might be coming down the pipe, and then deciding to go out during the afternoon because you think you must be in the clear, and then, as you arrive at your destination, getting an email that is going to require you to work the rest of the night.anonbanker wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:05 pmat least that's predictable thoughAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:34 pm2400 hours means you'll predictably have zero free time.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:34 pmOP here - I don't mind putting in 2400 billable hours, as long as my schedule is somewhat predictable/stable (e.g. 9am-9/10pm) as opposed to having the unpredictable ups and downs of, say, M&A.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:11 pm1st year in Funds at one of the above places. Likely to hit 2400.
Ok I work in one of these groups and nobody is working 9-midnight on a consistent basis throughout the year.rapmasterg wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:09 pmNo one in my Funds group is working 9-9, 9-midnight is about minimum. Weekends you could get away with a few hours here and there though.legalpotato wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:14 amAgreed w/ this. Have done well over 2400 hours in past years. I would take 2400 predictable hours over 2200 unpredictable hours. If I can know I will work 9-9 on weekdays and then 9-1pm on weekends, but know that I am done for the day after I knock off at 1 PM. Way better than waiting around Sat morning cause you think something might be coming down the pipe, and then deciding to go out during the afternoon because you think you must be in the clear, and then, as you arrive at your destination, getting an email that is going to require you to work the rest of the night.anonbanker wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:05 pmat least that's predictable thoughAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:34 pm2400 hours means you'll predictably have zero free time.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:34 pmOP here - I don't mind putting in 2400 billable hours, as long as my schedule is somewhat predictable/stable (e.g. 9am-9/10pm) as opposed to having the unpredictable ups and downs of, say, M&A.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:11 pm1st year in Funds at one of the above places. Likely to hit 2400.
Not sure of the previous poster is at KE, but I've heard the hours at their funds group differs from even the other top funds groupsAnonymous User wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 10:40 amOk I work in one of these groups and nobody is working 9-midnight on a consistent basis throughout the year.rapmasterg wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:09 pmNo one in my Funds group is working 9-9, 9-midnight is about minimum. Weekends you could get away with a few hours here and there though.legalpotato wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:14 amAgreed w/ this. Have done well over 2400 hours in past years. I would take 2400 predictable hours over 2200 unpredictable hours. If I can know I will work 9-9 on weekdays and then 9-1pm on weekends, but know that I am done for the day after I knock off at 1 PM. Way better than waiting around Sat morning cause you think something might be coming down the pipe, and then deciding to go out during the afternoon because you think you must be in the clear, and then, as you arrive at your destination, getting an email that is going to require you to work the rest of the night.anonbanker wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:05 pmat least that's predictable thoughAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:34 pm2400 hours means you'll predictably have zero free time.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:34 pmOP here - I don't mind putting in 2400 billable hours, as long as my schedule is somewhat predictable/stable (e.g. 9am-9/10pm) as opposed to having the unpredictable ups and downs of, say, M&A.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:11 pm1st year in Funds at one of the above places. Likely to hit 2400.
That might be the norm during busier periods but you will definitely have slower weeks or months. For a jr associate low 2000 hrs is probably a reasonable expectation.
This is probably a very stupid question but what is it that funds lawyers do - are we talking fund formation and primary and secondary investments (everything above the portfolio company level)?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Fri May 07, 2021 4:41 pmI’m at one of the firms the OP mentioned in the title. Our team is constantly busy and it’s been even busier since covid began. I would expect our team is on track for (at least) 2500 average this year. Can confirm that 9-midnight, give or take and some weekend work is typical