Hours at Kirkland Litigation Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm considering a lateral to KE litigation. How much do associates actually bill? I feel like no one tells me truth.

[Anonymous User]

I'm considering a lateral to KE litigation. How much do associates actually bill? I feel like no one tells me truth.

What have you been told, and by who? (If it's a recruiter you're working with v an actual associate there, it I'd go with the associate). It will depend on your office location, and also by how senior you are.

[Sackboy]

They're the same as every other firm with similar billing rates and revenue/profits, aka like the V10-20. Hope that helps.

[Anonymous User]

I'm considering a lateral to KE litigation. How much do associates actually bill? I feel like no one tells me truth.

Different poster but I have the same question for the same reason. What are we talking? 2100? 2400? 2700? 3000? Mostly interested in hearing about DC, but curious about Chicago and New York also.

[Anonymous User]

The lit group in one of those offices is currently on pace to average ~2400 hours this year. Granted, that number is higher than normal.

[Anonymous User]

The lit group in one of those offices is currently on pace to average ~2400 hours this year. Granted, that number is higher than normal.

What would you consider normal?

[Sackboy]

The lit group in one of those offices is currently on pace to average ~2400 hours this year. Granted, that number is higher than normal.

What would you consider normal?

1800-2200 is normal. People overhype hours on this site. I doubt the group in that office actually ends the year at 2400.

[Anonymous User]

lol

[Anonymous User]

The above is wrong. V10 median billables is 1800-1900 hours, so if you’re hitting 2k+ you are not “middling” you are likely in the top third. Only a small fraction bill 2400+ and of those, a decent amount are either inefficient or flame out. Not to mention judging an associate’s quality purely by the number of hours they bill is simultaneously boomer and gunner. TL;DR if you’re hitting 2k you’re doing fine, the myth of 2400+ hours is what they tell people to make them grind more and not complain. If they could get every associate to bill 2k+ they’d be making a lot more money, the reality is at least half are well under that.

[Anonymous User]

Lit associate not at Kirkland. V50 though so maybe I’m just not preftigious enough. Hard to see 2,400 as normal. Much much harder for lit associates to rack up hours like corporate. And aside from doc review, which is only a small portion of work, there aren’t really many opportunities for churning mindless work. Research and writing takes a lot of mental effort. 2400 of serious lit work would be pretty exhausting to sustain.

[Anonymous User]

lol

[Anonymous User]

Anon, because I work at/have worked at KE.

What's equally amazing? That you think some of us who have posted don't work at KE or haven't in the past. I certainly do/have worked at KE. If your whole lit group is tracking at 2400, it's either a small office or it definitely won't maintain that level by year end.

Also, just absolutely awful logic re: the approximation point. You should be embarrassed by how bad of an argument that was. If not, I'll be for you. Approximating the salary of a biglaw lawyer based on the median household income (e.g. teachers and nurses) is not remotely in the same ballpark of logic as approximating hours at one firm with certain financials and another firm with essentially equivalent financials. When firms are billing withing a few percent of each other and maintain the same revenue per lawyer and close profits per partner, the only way the math reasonably plays out is that the hours are similar.

[Anonymous User]

Tried to post helpful actual data in here, but not interested in being outted or arguing with a bunch of first years at random firms, so I deleted. OP, good luck.

[Anonymous User]

The lit group in one of those offices is currently on pace to average ~2400 hours this year. Granted, that number is higher than normal.

Confirming the above.

[Anonymous User]

For those saying litigation's on track to hit 2400, can you comment on those in other threads who suggested a lot of litigation associates at Kirkland are being forced into doing corporate work? Has that stopped? Was it ever a thing?

[Anonymous User]

I have never heard of this lit assoc doing corp work thing -- but lit in my office has been underwater for the past year. That's not something I would worry about, especially as a lateral. If we hire someone into litigation, it's bc we have a need for litigation (which, we do. plz help).