Big Law Discussions
Billable Hours

I am thankful for Slalom staff aug for allowing my low functioning self to fly under the radar.

I used to be a Big 4 hardo, but COVID fatigue/languishing has me ready to retire. The hardest part of my job is convincing peers that a handful of emails, meetings, and deck updates each day = 40 billable hours/week.

Should I bring up my billable rate to the department head? I lateraled about m 6 months ago and recently became aware that a colleague in the same class year had his higher billable rate increased and it’s higher than mine. he started with the firm but was not there for the majority of last year so I don’t know how much of it can actually be performance or hour based..

I love my job but I feel as though I’m not getting a lot of assignments nor are the assignments challenging, and my firm is heavy on billable hours (which is a stressful matter on its own). I really want to look for another job but I have only been working with the firm for about 6 months and I have this guilty feeling for even wanting to look for a job(at least I have a job and make enough to pay my bills).

Are there any BCBAs here?

What's the most rewarding thing in this field for you guys? Definitely not salary, although it's just decent.
For me, it's working with parents and when they are onboard, and we see the massive progress in the kids.

Lastly, what's your ideal salary range for a 20 billable hours BCBA?

Paralegal in mid size practice. Other than staying current with CLE’s (I am). What’s the best way for me to increase my billable rate?

I embellished my billing times in December. I was so depressed and didn't know what to do because I had already got in trouble that my billable hours were low so i did it. I almost committed suicide last month, so I haven't been in a good mental state in a while. Now the attorneys are starting to find out what I did, and I know I suck for this. I'm trying to decide if I should just quit now before they fire me.

I feel like billable hours discourage attorney efficiency and incentivizes folks to drag work out or take longer to complete assignments (excluding tangible due dates).

Have firms seriously considered other ways to measure productivity outside of the billable hour?

Does anyone feel like they’re actually friends with their work colleagues while in consulting? At my previous industry job (large bank) I made friends for life who I still keep in regular contact with, I doubt I’d speak to anyone from my current team if I left tomorrow. Is it the nature of changing projects and focus on billable hours or a culture thing?

What is consider optimal billable hours? What is consider too much?

I had one of those VERY nonproductive days today. I think I accomplished maybe an hour of billable work, even though I had a bunch of stuff to do. I just came off a 300 hour month, and unexpectedly got a continuance on a deadline on Wednesday, and it’s like all of my motivation leeched out of me at once.

Real problem here. I have a client I should have fired at the start of the downfall of his business (due to COVID). But I didn’t. I felt bad for him and I really wanted to help. So I worked, but as few billable hours as possible because he didn’t want me to charge. Now, IRS penalties are mounting and I know it’s a problem I can solve but he wants to blame me for it. Because…loyalty and stuff. How can I get above this?

Anyone else work in ID/litigation with high billable targets, plus a working spouse and young children? Any time management tips and examples? Been doing this over a year now and feeling like it may not be sustainable if I actually want to spend time with my family and not choose between that or sleep. Seems like burnout is setting in.

Is supervising staff considered billable time? I’m a new senior and the last 2 days I’ve been spending most of my time helping staff.

Firms with no billable hours, what are your vacation policies like and do people actually use them?

Research indicates that sleep deprivation / lack of a consistent sleep schedule is extremely harmful for your physical and mental health. What is the solution for biglaw to address that issue? Capped billable hours with more people and lower profits per partner?

Man this Bowl is filled with some angry mid-levels. We get it, this job was hard for you, but it is for juniors now, too. Stop punching down.

I don’t think the juniors are entitled, they just want to share in their firms’ wealth. Surely any salary increases for the Classes of 2019, 2020, and 2021 would easily pay for themselves through billable hours.

I'm a new senior in a small advisory group and barely get work because the managers don't have work to give. I'm at like 20 billable hours a week when I'm supposed to be busy. I reach out and ask for work but those requests rarely work. What can I do?

Consultants, a few questions!

What is the billable target you have to meet out of your weekly scheduled hours?

And do you have scheduled non-billable time?

For my company, out of 40h per week, I am expected to log a minimum of 32 billable hours per week, which gets pro rates if I have PTO or sick leave.

73 billable hours into a 4-day work week. And crossing 80 today (first time for me). How y’all doing?

Has anyone made the switch from firm life (specifically, ID) to a government role and regretted it? It’ll be less pay, but better benefits, more fulfillment, and obviously no billable hours which sounds amazing right now.. I’m just really nervous that I’ll miss the paychecks!

Is it appropriate to put utilization rate and annual billable hours worked on my LinkedIn?

Associates at firms without billable requirements, how much do you actually bill? Is there an unwritten expectation?

If you had the opportunity to leave consulting and work in industry doing the same work (which you like!) minus the billable hours, sales goals, and terrible wlb but you would be in a location that is less than desirable to you, would you take the job? Assuming you are satisfied with the pay.

Talk me off the ledge/ out of quitting as an experienced associate. I'm so frustrated with this tax season, always getting notices on things that I need to be on top of. Having to stay inline with the billable hours when there are hours spent waiting on replies for client work so much time spent not counted as billable work. I understand not everyone is cut out for this, but I am so fed up. Can I get decent opportunities getting out as an associate?

Been with Deloitte for about a year as a consultant and currently interviewing for a Business Integrity role at Meta. From what I understand, the business integrity role is an internal consulting role for them. I’d like to not have billable hours anymore and more of a WLB but not sure if there any key differences between the two besides that. There is a pay increase but not really concerned about that. Any thoughts on this transition if I am offered?

Billables are low this month. Like I have 65 billable hours in so far. I’ve messaged partners over the last week to try and get more cases but there are tons of new associates who were just onboarded and were at a low point for business. I’m freaking out

There is almost nowhere to find reliable bonus information on Canadian firms. I’ve heard of year end bonuses ranging from 10-50% this year (not including Covid bonuses). Let’s start a thread posting year of call, rough billable hours worked and bonus as a percent of salary.

5 year call. 1850 hours. 10%.

Anyone have experience working ecvc for Orrick remote? Billable hours requirements? Work/life balance? Can you still do some M&A?

Curious to know what other firm's bonus structures are, particularly those with billable requirements of 1900 and below. Trying to understand what the norm is and figure out if associates at my firm are getting screwed. thanks

We are working on trying to convince firm management to update their very outdated meal reimbursement policy. Do others mind sharing what theirs are? Interested in maximum amount, whether there is a billable hours requirement, whether meals have to be delivered to the office, and whether any changes during pandemic. Thanks! If you don’t mind supplying law firm, would appreciate it.

What is the bonus structure at your firm? I work at a mid-size boutique IP firm in patent and trademark prosecution. Our billable requirement is 1850, which sounds nice, until you realize that patent prosecution is done on a fixed fee basis so the hours you can bill without hurting your efficiency are tight. Our bonus is gross salary decided by billable hours, times the number of hours over the requirement. So, say your hourly is $95, you would get $95x hours over 1850 as a bonus, and then taxed

Anyone else find it INSANE that PTO does not count towards your billable hour requirement. If you take a week off (40 hours), you’re really not getting paid time off if you have to make up all of that billable time before the end of the year.

Am I missing something or is that just absurd?

About 6 months in as an associate in primarily commercial litigation. Have a feel for billable time on some matters, but certain types of motions or discovery requests I have almost no clue the “expected” time for something to be billed. Sometimes the partner will tell me an estimated time, but often they won’t. Is there a “cheat sheet” of sorts anyone has in terms of common billing times? Obviously no two are the same, but even just something to reference

Are law firms the only employers that require inputting billable hours? I hate the fact that we are measured by the amount we bill.

What would you prefer:

Job 1: 85k at small boutique firm (3 attorneys). Standard benefits but no 401k. Semi-annual raises. No billable hour requirement and regular 40 hour week. Being groomed to be a partner on a 2-3 year track.

Job 2: 135k at large regional firm (200 attorneys) good benefits. 1900 billable hours requirement. Partner track is 6-8 years but not guaranteed.

Both located in a MCOL area

Besides paper and software any other ways to track billable hours?

What’s average salary in ID firm mid size (NY) about 350 attorneys ? Class of 2019 but was in public sector (criminal law) for 2 years! 2000 billable hours minimum