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51
Law Firms / NALP forms« on: September 29, 2007, 11:05:05 PM »
Exactly how accurate are NALP forms? I'm looking at one for an international law firm's NY office and it has the average hours worked at a little less than 2200 and average billed at about 1850 with no minimum billable requirement. Can this be right and, if so, why doesn't that seem as bad as it should be given the size and location of the firm?
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Law Firms / Re: Real deal on law firm life« on: September 27, 2007, 11:03:23 PM »
If you work 50 hour weeks 48 weeks out of the year (2400 hours), why is it so unthinkable to bill 1900? Is everything okay so long as you hit 1900 (if that is the minimum) or are they expecting those who want to make partner to bill a lot more than the minimum? I got no problem with working for a few years at a firm to pay back my school debt and then bolting for a less hectic job with better hours if that is the case.
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Law Firms / Re: Real deal on law firm life« on: September 27, 2007, 09:07:25 PM »
Exactly what happens if you don't meet the billable requirement? What hours (from when to when), on a typical day, do you work?
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Law Firms / Re: Real deal on law firm life« on: September 27, 2007, 08:22:31 AM »
Mr. Roe, are you speaking from personal experience? How large is the firm you work at and where is it located?
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3L job search / Options after law school« on: September 26, 2007, 10:48:04 PM »
Assuming I graduate from either Columbia or NYU, and I am at or near the top of my class, what type of options will I have in terms of employment. Aside from becoming a prosecutor, public defender, or working for a big law firm, where could I seek employment? I would like to work in the private sector but I know I do not want to become a billable hour machine. Is it possible to go to work for a company or organization (I guess as an "in-house" attorney) right out of law school?
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Law Firms / Re: Real deal on law firm life« on: September 26, 2007, 09:32:55 PM »
Aha, again I get these conflicting reports. I would imagine that being a lawyer requires more than the average 9-5 but not a regular 8-8. I have no problem, and expect, to log the very long days when there is a very important case in the works or a huge deadline that needs to be met. The way I see it, any job in any field that pays six figures is going to require many hours anyway. However, I know I do not want to work at a big firm if I am always being pressed to log 60+ hours per week. How much does the culture of a firm (work environment, requirements/expectations, coworker relationships) differ from firm to firm and is it the culture that can make your job great or terrible? Please, if anyone has first hand experience, share it.
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Law Firms / Real deal on law firm life« on: September 26, 2007, 03:02:12 PM »
I have heard so many different stories about the lives of law firm associates. It is just hard for me to believe that every high paying law firm requires their associates to work 60+ hours every week. If being a lawyer is such a miserable profession then why is enrollment/interest in law school higher than ever before? Why do people become lawyers and work at high paying law firms if the firms do rob them of having any life? How do lawyers find time to get married and have kids if they are working so much? I am not scared of working hard, but I do not want 60+ hours to be the norm at my job. I can see myself being happy while working 50 hours or more, on average, and some weekends, but I do not want to be at a job that requires me to sell my soul. Can anyone share their experience working at a large/mid-sized firm? What are typical hours/schedules?
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