BigLawyers, How Many Vacation Days Did You Take in 2021? Forum

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

Midlevel big law associate in a secondary market. I took 17; two full week vacations and then a few days off throughout the year and around the holidays. That being said, my hours were solid. I think the general consensus at my firm is that if your hours are good, you can take whatever time off you need. If I wasn't going to make my hours for the year, I would have definitely kept this number below 10 and possibly below 5.

[Anonymous User]

Midlevel at V40 in DC. 2021 was the first year I felt the brutal crush of BigLaw. If vacation day means telling co-workers I'm off and not really checking emails, etc., I took zero non-holiday vacation days. Had a fair share of chill long weekends around holidays, and while traveling for work would sometimes take most of the travel day to see the town I was in, but that's about it.

I don't consider my firm a sweatshop, and those zero days were a combo of poor planning on my part and 2021 being a bonkers busy year for apparently all firms. That said, a year (more like 18+ months) with no real vacation, and knowing that most midlevels I work with and partners I work for averaged maybe 5-7 vacation days, has me looking at exit opportunities from BigLaw entirely.

[Anonymous User]

I took four separate one-week vacations. I handed off my work before vacation, so I didn't really work on those vacations unless to forward emails or respond here and there at the end of the day.

[Anonymous User]

I've been at a firm with 'unlimited' vacation and people took between 0-3 weeks a year but it seemed like everyone just kinda kept working during vacation. There also seemed like a bit of a fluid culture where vacations didn't really exist as distinct from regular days. People just said "I won't be in the office on X days". Which is even blurrier when we all went remote for COVID.

At a firm now with 4 weeks accruing vacation and people take it very seriously. I think almost everyone takes all of it and you're not really supposed to email/bother people while they're gone.

[Anonymous User]

what is a "vacation" I'm confused

[Anonymous User]

I'm a V50 M&A midlevel associate. Associates are given 4 weeks of vacation per year. I take 100% of my vacation time every year (typically two separate two-week vacations) and all of my peers do too. Vacation is completely respected and I've never been bothered.

However, I have voluntarily cancelled vacations at the last second because a closing was rescheduled and I didn't want to abandon the team (I have never been asked to cancel my vacation).

I previously worked at an investment bank on the business side and taking vacation at my V50 law firm has been MUCH easier and MUCH more respected than the investment bank.

[Anonymous User]

If vacation day means telling co-workers I'm off and not really checking emails, etc., I took zero non-holiday vacation days.

Third-year lit associate at a V10 in DC. By that definition, two.

[Neff]

I took 120 days of vacation* this year and was paid $580k total for the year (inclusive of various bonuses, including a signing bonus at the beginning of the year).

*counting 4 months of (secondary) parental leave as vacation.

Life is good.

[Anonymous User]

Zero. It was admittedly my first year but it still stings.

[Anonymous User]

I took 120 days of vacation* this year and was paid $580k total for the year (inclusive of various bonuses, including a signing bonus at the beginning of the year).

*counting 4 months of (secondary) parental leave as vacation.

Life is good.

Well done. I similarly took 6 weeks of paternity leave (only technically allowed 4, but no one noticed), another two weeks after giving notice, then lateraled and took six weeks off between jobs which were paid by the incoming firm, and then two more weeks at the new firm plus holidays for a grand total of about 16 weeks. Got all my special bonuses, a full year of salary and end year bonus.

In 2020, by contrast, I think there was not a single weekday that I did not bill.

[Anonymous User]

I took 120 days of vacation* this year and was paid $580k total for the year (inclusive of various bonuses, including a signing bonus at the beginning of the year).

*counting 4 months of (secondary) parental leave as vacation.

Life is good.

Well done. I similarly took 6 weeks of paternity leave (only technically allowed 4, but no one noticed), another two weeks after giving notice, then lateraled and took six weeks off between jobs which were paid by the incoming firm, and then two more weeks at the new firm plus holidays for a grand total of about 16 weeks. Got all my special bonuses, a full year of salary and end year bonus.

In 2020, by contrast, I think there was not a single weekday that I did not bill.

I am doing biglaw wrong and really need to lateral somewhere...

[TrynaLaw]

First year, NYC V20 corporate, took 15 days, not sure if that ruffled any feathers, but don't think they'll fire me in this market.

[Anonymous User]

at a firm w/rep for bad hours/as a corporate meat grinder, and we are genuinely encouraged by partnership to use the vacation days. it's seen by exec comm, cynically, as a tool to stop M&A associates from quitting/killing themselves

couldn't give an exact number average # of days taken by associates, but we're given 3 weeks, and even the partnership-focused senior associates take some, setting up out-of-office etc. (although most still check/respond to emails on delayed basis unless they're in Africa or something)

anyway, just my 2 cents: if you just can't take vacation---ie, you're taking shit for from partners, people are telling you to cancel---that sucks and the people you work with suck and you should lateral.

if you're not even trying to book them because you want to impress folks or think it's a bad look or w/e....only hurting yourself, in my experience. no one will know/care you went 18 mo's without a vacation day

[Anonymous User]

Senior associate. Probably two ish weeks of actual vacation and another three weeks where I worked half days or something. Still billed 2200+. Nobody gave a shit because I manage what’s due when I’m out. I’m also big into last-minute trips, so I plug them in when I have availability due to settlements or whatever.

[Anonymous User]

I took 120 days of vacation* this year and was paid $580k total for the year (inclusive of various bonuses, including a signing bonus at the beginning of the year).

*counting 4 months of (secondary) parental leave as vacation.

Life is good.

Well done. I similarly took 6 weeks of paternity leave (only technically allowed 4, but no one noticed), another two weeks after giving notice, then lateraled and took six weeks off between jobs which were paid by the incoming firm, and then two more weeks at the new firm plus holidays for a grand total of about 16 weeks. Got all my special bonuses, a full year of salary and end year bonus.

In 2020, by contrast, I think there was not a single weekday that I did not bill.

I am doing biglaw wrong and really need to lateral somewhere...

Hate to say it, but lateraling and having a kid are really the only way to get a decent vacation in most biglaw jobs. The exceptions folks will point to prove the rule. You also have to set your priorities and make your own luck. I scheduled a two week trip abroad in fall 2019 and just went on it, although I did have to do some work during. A partner told me that he’d need me during that time and I did it anyway and took calls in whatever time zone I was in. That’s just the way it was.

[Anonymous User]

Midlevel associate. I took 5 days.

Don't be like me. Take more time off.

[Sackboy]

Zero. It was admittedly my first year but it still stings.

This is peak stupid. Take vacation 1st years.

[Anonymous User]

If vacation day means telling co-workers I'm off and not really checking emails, etc., I took zero non-holiday vacation days.

Third-year lit associate at a V10 in DC. By that definition, two.

Mid-level checking in, 7 days total.

[Anonymous User]

I took the full 20 days as a first year last year (V10 corporate). In my experience, nobody cares as long as you arrange coverage.

Even if someone has a problem who cares, in 2 or 3 years you'll be at another firm or in-house, or will have quit the law. Some senior or partner crying about you taking vacation when you were a first or second year won't matter.

[Anonymous User]

I've been at a firm with 'unlimited' vacation and people took between 0-3 weeks a year but it seemed like everyone just kinda kept working during vacation. There also seemed like a bit of a fluid culture where vacations didn't really exist as distinct from regular days. People just said "I won't be in the office on X days". Which is even blurrier when we all went remote for COVID.

At a firm now with 4 weeks accruing vacation and people take it very seriously. I think almost everyone takes all of it and you're not really supposed to email/bother people while they're gone.

what firm are you at now?

[Anonymous User]

Zero. It was admittedly my first year but it still stings.

This is peak stupid. Take vacation 1st years.

Not necessarily.

My firm carries over vacation days. If they fire you unexpectedly, they have to pay them out. BUT it's not until your second year onward that you would max out on vacation days that can carry over. So once you're in your second year then you should use the days you can't carry over (that is, use the days that can't be paid out if you're shown the door unexpectedly).

That's how I look at it anyway. Not that other first year, but that was my logic for not taking vacation until this year. It's biglaw, and I can't rely on not getting fucked for something beyond my control (economy, partner who doesn't like me, etc.).

[Anonymous User]

I've been at a firm with 'unlimited' vacation and people took between 0-3 weeks a year but it seemed like everyone just kinda kept working during vacation. There also seemed like a bit of a fluid culture where vacations didn't really exist as distinct from regular days. People just said "I won't be in the office on X days". Which is even blurrier when we all went remote for COVID.

At a firm now with 4 weeks accruing vacation and people take it very seriously. I think almost everyone takes all of it and you're not really supposed to email/bother people while they're gone.

what firm are you at now?

DPW

[Anonymous User]

Took 12 days total, as well as a week between jobs. lateraled about halfway through the year so took a week at my old firm and a week + 2 days at the new one. didn't work at all on any of my vacation days.

[Anonymous User]

I've been at a firm with 'unlimited' vacation and people took between 0-3 weeks a year but it seemed like everyone just kinda kept working during vacation. There also seemed like a bit of a fluid culture where vacations didn't really exist as distinct from regular days. People just said "I won't be in the office on X days". Which is even blurrier when we all went remote for COVID.

At a firm now with 4 weeks accruing vacation and people take it very seriously. I think almost everyone takes all of it and you're not really supposed to email/bother people while they're gone.

what firm are you at now?

DPW

That checks out — I’ve heard consistently good things about vacation policy, respect, and coverage at Davis Polk. Any other BL firms that are known for being good on this issue?