How long did it take your work to ramp up as a first-year? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi y'all, c/o 2021 corporate associate at a V50 in a primary market.

Been at it since October, and have basically been given zero work. I've literally billed less than an hour/day going back to last Thursday. I've only billed 7+ hours maybe 12-15 times total. Somehow scraped together ~100 hours last month, but I'm on pace to do maybe 80 this month.

We use an assignment tracker system. Every week I check off the box that says I need more work. Even tried emailing the assigning partners, which worked for 1-2 weeks, but then they told me that I don't have to keep emailing them and to just use the assignment tracker. I tried networking internally, asking people I've done work for if they have anything for me. Literally the assignment partners rejected the midlevel's direct request to have me staffed on a project. Another time I was able to get someone to say they'll take me on something, but that something will take a few weeks to develop to the point I'm needed.

I'd try to do some pro bono, but most of the pro bono stuff would have me doing stuff alone and I don't feel I'm ready to run something solo yet (I'd want to go through it at least once or twice with someone before doing so).

Is this normal? I feel like this isn't normal. I've received generally positive feedback. Not going to call myself a superstar but no way have I done such poor work to be, like, blacklisted or something. People keep telling me I'll be thankful for these lulls when shit gets busy. But at this point I'd have to work like crazy the rest of the year to get anywhere near hitting my hours.

Honestly thinking about lateralling because I'm going nuts. I can only sit around waiting for work for so long. Yeah it's nice to be able to wake up lazily, get some exercise in, watch TV and play some videogames. But I can't stand this purposelessness for much longer.

[Anonymous User]

This but for litigation. I’ve been billing less than the OP, no month over like 50-60 billable hours. FWIW we started in october and the first two months they had us rotate departments as a make up for our SA program. Work has been picking up this month somewhat.

[Anonymous User]

Corporate, my first year I billed maybe 80 hours through the end of Feb, from there I billed mostly 200+ hour months and had made hours by mid November, enjoy the free time while you have it.

[bokampers]

Enjoy it while you can - it is normal to be very slow for most of this year. I think I billed like 900 hours as a first year. You won’t get a bonus but it’ll be an easy $215k.

Don’t let the anxiety of not having work get to you — they will realize you exist sooner rather than later and you will miss these days.

[Anonymous User]

In the same situation as OP and the purposeless is real. At a v10 specialist group and have not billed more than 50 hours a month since I started. People who say "just enjoy the slow times" must have families, hobbies, friends with time to go out, etc. Well my family is all miles away and my friends in the city are busy during normal working hours while I sit around begging for work that never comes. I've never been much of a drinker or stoner, but man, I don't know how to pass the time, it might be time to start. The need to feel something besides nothing is too real.

[Anonymous User]

I'm a second year now so remember this experience well. It took me a few months (maybe 5?) before I hit a month that would be on track for for my hours requirement and then non-stop months above that since then. Didn't hit bonus since half the year was scuffed but it didn't really matter and hardly anyone I know outside of like M&A hit it.

Sounds like you've all heard this before but seriously do enjoy it while you can. Don't stress over not making hours nobody will care. You will get enough stress later on when you will yearn back for the days like this.

[Anonymous User]

Enjoy it. I'm six months into being a corporate associate at the mothership office of a V20, and I've billed between 150 and 250 every month since my first.

[Anonymous User]

As a first year who was not yet billed a 40 hour week and often bills 15-20 hour weeks, would just like to say that I would like things to stay this way for three more years.

[Anonymous User]

As a first year who was not yet billed a 40 hour week and often bills 15-20 hour weeks, would just like to say that I would like things to stay this way for three more years.

V10 specialist anon here. So, please give me some advice: how do you fill in your days? I already have playing video games, exercising, watching tv, reading books/articles and cooking/eating covered. What else is there to do when the rest of the 20-30 something population is working?

[Anonymous User]

As a first year who was not yet billed a 40 hour week and often bills 15-20 hour weeks, would just like to say that I would like things to stay this way for three more years.

OP here. 20 hours a week I could more or less deal with. It's these >15 hour weeks that are killing me. I mean like this week I've billed 2 hours so far. I could also really use that bonus at the end of the year. It feels pretty manipulate to deliberately hold first years back from a meaningful amount of work in their first few months when inevitably at some point in the next 3-4 months I'm going to start working 200 hour months for the rest of the year with virtually no chance of getting my bonus. I'll be just as burnt out but no added compensation to show for it. It's crap.

[Anonymous User]

As a first year who was not yet billed a 40 hour week and often bills 15-20 hour weeks, would just like to say that I would like things to stay this way for three more years.

V10 specialist anon here. So, please give me some advice: how do you fill in your days? I already have playing video games, exercising, watching tv, reading books/articles and cooking/eating covered. What else is there to do when the rest of the 20-30 something population is working?

OP. I've started entering fighting game tournaments and am using my free time to practice tech skill and study film, lol

[Anonymous User]

As a first year who was not yet billed a 40 hour week and often bills 15-20 hour weeks, would just like to say that I would like things to stay this way for three more years.

V10 specialist anon here. So, please give me some advice: how do you fill in your days? I already have playing video games, exercising, watching tv, reading books/articles and cooking/eating covered. What else is there to do when the rest of the 20-30 something population is working?

Stay on my computer on amazon, reading the news, watch tv, etc. (this is what most office jobs in America are like anyway) until dinnertime. I have enough friends in the city that it's easy to find someone to hang out with after regular work hours. I don't really need much purpose I'll do what I'm asked to do, do nothing if people aren't asking me to do nothing, as long as the paycheck hits. The day goes by surprisingly fast anyway.

[Anonymous User]

This but for litigation. I’ve been billing less than the OP, no month over like 50-60 billable hours. FWIW we started in october and the first two months they had us rotate departments as a make up for our SA program. Work has been picking up this month somewhat.

Litigation midlevel at a V10 here. I was slow for my first 6 or 7 months. I mostly hung out and enjoyed it rather than panic; everybody more senior than me told me that it's cyclical and it can take a little while. I then joined two matters at the same time and pumped out a handful of consecutive months at a 200-hour pace.

Nobody panic and as long as you are doing what comes to you and asking around at least a little bit, you're gonna be fine.

[almostperfectt]

As a first year who was not yet billed a 40 hour week and often bills 15-20 hour weeks, would just like to say that I would like things to stay this way for three more years.

V10 specialist anon here. So, please give me some advice: how do you fill in your days? I already have playing video games, exercising, watching tv, reading books/articles and cooking/eating covered. What else is there to do when the rest of the 20-30 something population is working?

OP. I've started entering fighting game tournaments and am using my free time to practice tech skill and study film, lol

I know 'exercise' was already mentioned. But PLEASE, I can not stress this enough. Biglaw will kill your body and health. Be as fit as possible. Take up weightlifting and running. Do some serious research and hire a personal trainer if you need to. I would say about 90% of the biglaw associates I know are unhappy with how their health/weight progressed during their junior years when you are stressed and not in control of your schedule

[Anonymous User]

As a first year who was not yet billed a 40 hour week and often bills 15-20 hour weeks, would just like to say that I would like things to stay this way for three more years.

V10 specialist anon here. So, please give me some advice: how do you fill in your days? I already have playing video games, exercising, watching tv, reading books/articles and cooking/eating covered. What else is there to do when the rest of the 20-30 something population is working?

OP. I've started entering fighting game tournaments and am using my free time to practice tech skill and study film, lol

I know 'exercise' was already mentioned. But PLEASE, I can not stress this enough. Biglaw will kill your body and health. Be as fit as possible. Take up weightlifting and running. Do some serious research and hire a personal trainer if you need to. I would say about 90% of the biglaw associates I know are unhappy with how their health/weight progressed during their junior years when you are stressed and not in control of your schedule

Dw I'm also exercising plenty. 3 mile run + ~hourish lift usually

[crazywafflez]

My first 6 months or so were off and on. I'd say the first two months I hardly billed more than 10 hours a week. Third month busy but not crazy. This was kinda an off again on again, but never super busy; until the new year began, then alternating between pretty busy and just normal. I'm in Lit though in a smaller market at a midsized firm, so mileage may vary.

[gretchenweiners]

As a first year who was not yet billed a 40 hour week and often bills 15-20 hour weeks, would just like to say that I would like things to stay this way for three more years.

OP here. 20 hours a week I could more or less deal with. It's these >15 hour weeks that are killing me. I mean like this week I've billed 2 hours so far. I could also really use that bonus at the end of the year. It feels pretty manipulate to deliberately hold first years back from a meaningful amount of work in their first few months when inevitably at some point in the next 3-4 months I'm going to start working 200 hour months for the rest of the year with virtually no chance of getting my bonus. I'll be just as burnt out but no added compensation to show for it. It's crap.

Lol it is not manipulative. Thinking of it like that is not going to help you - the people you work with aren’t out to get you. Your group is just not busy enough to need you fully yet and you’re not going to be very helpful yet bc you don’t know anything. It’s normal.

[Anonymous User]

Firms are not manipulating hours to save paying out first year bonuses a year from now. First year bonuses are a drop in the bucket.

[Anonymous User]

Firms are not manipulating hours to save paying out first year bonuses a year from now. First year bonuses are a drop in the bucket.

That may not be the reason, but I know firms that have very busy practices with mids/seniors billing 200+/hours a month and the first years billing <20/week. Whatever the reason, some firms don't give first years work right away

[Anonymous User]

Firms are not manipulating hours to save paying out first year bonuses a year from now. First year bonuses are a drop in the bucket.

That may not be the reason, but I know firms that have very busy practices with mids/seniors billing 200+/hours a month and the first years billing <20/week. Whatever the reason, some firms don't give first years work right away

The busier you are, the harder it is to find time get a newbie up to speed, especially when you don’t know them or their work at all. Sometimes it’s just easier to get the work done yourself.

[woopig2017]

Firms are not manipulating hours to save paying out first year bonuses a year from now. First year bonuses are a drop in the bucket.

That may not be the reason, but I know firms that have very busy practices with mids/seniors billing 200+/hours a month and the first years billing <20/week. Whatever the reason, some firms don't give first years work right away

The busier you are, the harder it is to find time get a newbie up to speed, especially when you don’t know them or their work at all. Sometimes it’s just easier to get the work done yourself.

Seconded. There is a sweet spot of between 150-200 hours where it makes sense to take time to bring someone up to speed. Any slower than that and I might just do the work to keep hours up, and any busier than that and it starts to just become a chore to introduce someone to the matter and then review their work.