Date: February 22nd, 2007 12:16 AM Author: sapphire resort
Okay, actually I work from about 9:30 to 6:00. I totally burned out after first year and now I don't give a shit. My firm doesn't care either. No top partners notice or care that I'm gone. As long as I bill a decent amount of hours (140 a month) no one will say anything. I expect to be able to survive at my firm for up to two years just jacking off and collecting salary. Then I'll lateral to another BIGLAW firm and work hard for six months to prove myself and then jack off again for two years. Then I'll go in-house. BIGLAW is great. I get paid a ton of money to do nothing for less than eight hours a day (I take 1.5 hour lunch breaks)
Date: February 22nd, 2007 3:05 AM Author: sapphire resort
At my firm there were at least 4 associates who only billed around 1700 hours last year. None got fired. No one gets fired unless they don't come to work at all. This is just my firm, of course. I'm sure at other places I'd get canned, but even then it would take a year. Firms don't fire ppl, tehy ask them to leave and they give them a second chance to improve their performance.
Date: February 22nd, 2007 2:15 AM Author: Apoplectic Well-lubricated Garrison
The only flame is coming from the people who tell you that most firms keep a stern eye on the month to month billing habits of 2nd year associates in the short term.
They don't.
Some do, but those are the exception, not the norm.
Date: February 22nd, 2007 2:29 AM Author: Bonkers Sandwich Native
Any firm with PPP over $1M will certainly keep a stern eye on billing. Some will week-to-week. The trend these days is to break up large practice groups into administrative teams, headed by junior partners whose job it is to make sure everyone "has enough on their plate." Although the occasional lull is to be expected (and enjoyed), not being given work is how firms show people the door. OP should be worried if he's the only one billing 140 in his group.
Date: February 22nd, 2007 3:06 AM Author: sapphire resort
And I'm not saying I'll bill 140 every month. Last month I billed like 180. I'm sure at least two months this year I'll bill 180 plus again. Even with my four weeks vacation I still may hit 1800.
Date: February 22nd, 2007 2:34 AM Author: Zippy roast beef
I was told by my mentor last summer that she got a call from a partner the one month she billed less than 150 hours. I think if your peers are billing 190, and you put in about 145, it pops up on the firm's radar very fast. That's a bit under 15k the firm is out, certainly worth a conversation to see what is going on.
Why do you think you can speak to the practice of firms across the country re: this particular subject? Do you think you may just be overstating your knowledge a tiny bit?
Date: February 22nd, 2007 3:08 AM Author: sapphire resort
Firms are so different and it can be really different within practice groups. If you are in a shitty area with asshole partners they will make a big deal out of low hours. At my firm no one cares. They don't even bother people. As long as I do about 1800 hours I'm good. My job is safe. I won't get a salary increase or bonus, but wth cares. I'll just lateral to a better firm.
Date: February 22nd, 2007 11:46 AM Author: exhilarant erotic cruise ship
not for an entire year unless work is slow, but you can do it for a couple of months without question. you can definitely bill under 1900 and not get fired. you are still more valuable billing 1800 hours then not being there at all.
Date: February 22nd, 2007 2:40 AM Author: Beady-eyed Market Partner
i dont want to out myself or anything, but due to the office setup where i work, i have total privacy bc no one where i'm at keeps their doors open very much due to layout of the office
Date: February 22nd, 2007 3:09 AM Author: sapphire resort
Yweah at my place everyone closes their doors. We have no windows leading out to the hallway so no one can see what we do. I'm sure lots of ppl sleep in their office, masturbate, talk to spouses all day, read websites and blogs, look at playboy, etc. I'm sure they bill the client for this too.
Date: February 22nd, 2007 3:17 AM Author: Beady-eyed Market Partner
no but i explained before that when i was at STB i regularly bought huge dinners and stocked the fridge in our miniroom (every floor at STB NYC has a miniroom with a fridge and mailling supplies) witih enough snacks and drinks that i basically bought no food of my own all week long.
i got called on this only once and it was right before i left anyway.
this is the same for me. First year I billed 2050 hours and was generally stressed out and always very serious. This year I am on track for more like 1800 hours and have no stress because I know that if I get pushed out the door there are 20 other big firms in the city waiting to hire me. I have no chance of partner anyway, so why kill yourself when none of your future employers will know about it
If you slack off and get forced out, wouldn't future employers hear about it during the interview process? Does checking references not exist in BIGLAW lateraling?
no, it doesn't exist. you interview on the assumption that your current firm doesn't hear about it.
btw, you aren't "forced out", you are just given an idea that you won't be making partner and don't have a long term future at the firm. You can make up any story you want in your interviews.
it is exploited, but after a couple associate gigs people start questioning things. Definitely can pull it off for 5-7 years while never working that hard.