After the holidays, I’ll be making the transition from being a federal clerk to being a (semi) big law third year associate. 1800 hours a year (hence the “semi”). I’m nervous about the transition. As a clerk, my timeline was always super flex and I could work on one summary judgment order for a month. I know I won’t be able to do that as an associate. Any tips for learning time management and making the transition from a 9-5 gig?

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Recognize that some projects you’re building Chevys and some projects you’re building Cadillacs. You get a feel for which is which as you get into the groove your particular practice and work group. Also, over time you’ll develop a sense of how any one project fits into a larger case strategy and that will help you establish how you spend your time and what you spend it on. A good aspect of this is just a matter of experience. However, rule of thumb is to always ask the work-giver how much time they want spent on it if you’re unsure.

P.s., 1800 hours? Can I come? DM me, I have a big brain.

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