Tax lawyers, what are your hours like? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Will be working full-time in the tax department of a v10 NYC firm, think S&C/DPW/CSM, and I was wondering what your experiences were like in terms of hours and workflow? Spoke with a lot of associates in the tax department and I felt like (and was told) the hours were definitely better than corporate, but a lot did say that the hours had been pretty bad during Covid as well. Would appreciate any insight from the TLS community on what your experience has been like in terms of hours, fire drills, etc... both pre and post Covid.

[Anonymous User]

It varies but not as pressed as my friends in corporate groups.

I think one of the big differences for tax is that due to the nature of having multiple smaller projects (as opposed to just 2-3 really big matters), I can more easily manage my workflow. It's easier to turn down 5% of your work than it is to turn down 30% of your work if you only have 2-3 deals.

Others may disagree but I find in this job you work as many hours as you choose to.

[Anonymous User]

I am a first year tax associate at a top west coast firm. I am cruising into 2000 hours this year (hit all my special bonuses with ease). Midlevel associates above me are busier around 2200 hours. Agreed that tax can be throttled up and down more easily. But also when 3+ deals rear their heads at the same time, it can be difficult to balance.

Corporate associates are definitely working more hours than me (especially as things sign/close), but they also see the full breadth of issues and get more client contact. Pros and cons depending on your personality.

[Anonymous User]

third'ing that it's much easier to toggle. i've hit hours in the years when i wanted and been below 75% of my target (which is itself a reduced schedule) when i didn't want to. nobody has given me shit either way, although i doubt that would have been the case in the NY office of a v10. i'm in a non-NY office of a v20 or 30.

all that said, COVID has made practice worse. people (clients especially) have somehow managed to become even less reasonable and to have even less respect for others' time and lives. this can sometimes be managed a little better in tax because oftentimes a given deliverable can go out "subject to further tax review." but sometimes it can't, and like another poster said, sometimes you get several of those at once.

[Anonymous User]

third'ing that it's much easier to toggle. i've hit hours in the years when i wanted and been below 75% of my target (which is itself a reduced schedule) when i didn't want to. nobody has given me shit either way, although i doubt that would have been the case in the NY office of a v10. i'm in a non-NY office of a v20 or 30.

all that said, COVID has made practice worse. people (clients especially) have somehow managed to become even less reasonable and to have even less respect for others' time and lives. this can sometimes be managed a little better in tax because oftentimes a given deliverable can go out "subject to further tax review." but sometimes it can't, and like another poster said, sometimes you get several of those at once.

[nealric]

I work corporate hours now (in-house), but I found hours were more consistent in tax during law firm life. Corporate folks would get busy and need to pull an all-nighter, the deal would close, and then they'd have a slow period. For tax folks, it would be more like a week of 14 hour days instead. Rather than fire drills, a slow ramp up/down of work was more common. It's good and bad. You can't run on adrenaline- it's more of a slow grind. But you also have less sleeplessness and pressure to deliver immediately.

Also agree that it's about a lot of small matters for tax, which can be good and bad depending on your preferences. It makes filling out timesheets a royal pain.