So you want to be a NY Corporate Associate? Forum

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blair.waldorf

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Re: So you want to be a NY Corporate Associate?

Post by blair.waldorf » Tue Sep 13, 2022 4:51 pm

blair.waldorf wrote:
Fri Jul 09, 2021 5:20 pm
Biglaw can suck but honestly this post seems pretty limited to an NYC V10. To be clear, many of my friends in biglaw are unhappy, but this is not reflective of the lives of anyone I personally know in biglaw. This also sounds like someone who is unwilling to set boundaries at work and, despite despising his job, refuses to quit. Just fucking quit and take a paycut if you hate it that much. You make enough money and have a good enough resume that you will find something else.
Two years into M&A in Texas at a firm known for a decent culture.

I’m not going to speak to OP’s other points, but I still think OP’s experience re: sacrifices is not reflective of what most will experience in biglaw. I have brutal stretches, yes. The unpredictability sucks. I don’t want to do this forever.

But I see my parents and extended family plenty. I have yet to work on one of the major holidays. I have not missed any life events (weddings, bachelorette parties, etc.). I have a healthy relationship with a significant other, I see friends, I work out, I have hobbies. The same goes for my friends in biglaw. I do know a couple who had experiences close to OP’s but I am being 100% honest when I say they were all at NYC V10s.

Also like, I had a liberal arts degree so I make more in one year two years in than I probably ever would’ve made with just my undergraduate degree so that’s nice too.

Biglaw sucks, but not seeing your family for years is just not going to be the experience of most biglaw associates, and I don’t think it’s worthwhile to scare people like this.

basketofbread

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Re: So you want to be a NY Corporate Associate?

Post by basketofbread » Sat Oct 15, 2022 1:51 pm

blair.waldorf wrote:
Tue Sep 13, 2022 4:51 pm
blair.waldorf wrote:
Fri Jul 09, 2021 5:20 pm
Biglaw can suck but honestly this post seems pretty limited to an NYC V10. To be clear, many of my friends in biglaw are unhappy, but this is not reflective of the lives of anyone I personally know in biglaw. This also sounds like someone who is unwilling to set boundaries at work and, despite despising his job, refuses to quit. Just fucking quit and take a paycut if you hate it that much. You make enough money and have a good enough resume that you will find something else.
Two years into M&A in Texas at a firm known for a decent culture.

I’m not going to speak to OP’s other points, but I still think OP’s experience re: sacrifices is not reflective of what most will experience in biglaw. I have brutal stretches, yes. The unpredictability sucks. I don’t want to do this forever.

But I see my parents and extended family plenty. I have yet to work on one of the major holidays. I have not missed any life events (weddings, bachelorette parties, etc.). I have a healthy relationship with a significant other, I see friends, I work out, I have hobbies. The same goes for my friends in biglaw. I do know a couple who had experiences close to OP’s but I am being 100% honest when I say they were all at NYC V10s.

Also like, I had a liberal arts degree so I make more in one year two years in than I probably ever would’ve made with just my undergraduate degree so that’s nice too.

Biglaw sucks, but not seeing your family for years is just not going to be the experience of most biglaw associates, and I don’t think it’s worthwhile to scare people like this.
V20 lit NYC. This matches my experience. Brutal stretches, unpredictability sucks, don’t want to do this forever. Also able to live life.

objctnyrhnr

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Re: So you want to be a NY Corporate Associate?

Post by objctnyrhnr » Tue Oct 18, 2022 10:02 pm

basketofbread wrote:
Sat Oct 15, 2022 1:51 pm
blair.waldorf wrote:
Tue Sep 13, 2022 4:51 pm
blair.waldorf wrote:
Fri Jul 09, 2021 5:20 pm
Biglaw can suck but honestly this post seems pretty limited to an NYC V10. To be clear, many of my friends in biglaw are unhappy, but this is not reflective of the lives of anyone I personally know in biglaw. This also sounds like someone who is unwilling to set boundaries at work and, despite despising his job, refuses to quit. Just fucking quit and take a paycut if you hate it that much. You make enough money and have a good enough resume that you will find something else.
Two years into M&A in Texas at a firm known for a decent culture.

I’m not going to speak to OP’s other points, but I still think OP’s experience re: sacrifices is not reflective of what most will experience in biglaw. I have brutal stretches, yes. The unpredictability sucks. I don’t want to do this forever.

But I see my parents and extended family plenty. I have yet to work on one of the major holidays. I have not missed any life events (weddings, bachelorette parties, etc.). I have a healthy relationship with a significant other, I see friends, I work out, I have hobbies. The same goes for my friends in biglaw. I do know a couple who had experiences close to OP’s but I am being 100% honest when I say they were all at NYC V10s.

Also like, I had a liberal arts degree so I make more in one year two years in than I probably ever would’ve made with just my undergraduate degree so that’s nice too.

Biglaw sucks, but not seeing your family for years is just not going to be the experience of most biglaw associates, and I don’t think it’s worthwhile to scare people like this.
V20 lit NYC. This matches my experience. Brutal stretches, unpredictability sucks, don’t want to do this forever. Also able to live life.
V30 mid/senior lit in large secondary market (think right below dc/ny/LA). This also matches my experience.

What helps for me is to take a breath, step back mentally, think about the money I make, think about the extent to which this is intellectually fulfilling (which, tbh, it is at least 50% of the time), think about my flexibility on most weekdays, and realize that it could be WAY worse.

Assuming I have to do something, this is solid.

But also I fantasize about leaving the rat race entirely and doing nothing for a straight year+ all the time.

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