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My labs Lincoln and Kennedy
Please help with 11 likes. Thank you
I hope it comes into action soon...!
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How do you give notice in big law?
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Mentor
No, but we’re market. I don’t think anyone breaks the mold.
As someone who got stuck with the work of three other midlevels as people left: don’t let them throw all that on you. It’s not worth any amount of extra pay or perks. You cannot do the work of 4 people and remain good at your job. Or remain healthy. They need to hire, not grind you to dust.
Highly unlikely and even if you could, you won’t be able to keep up doing 4 people’s work. They have no choice but to hire or for the partners to play associate full time and stop bringing in as much work. If you are close with any of the partners, I recommend having breakfast or lunch with them and asking how they intend to fill the void left by others. See how they respond. I expect they will say this is a great opportunity for you to step up and you can say you will do what you can but cannot take on the entire practice group’s load on your shoulders. Set realistic boundaries.
Yes I received a class bump.
Opposing counsel at a better firm had reached out to me directly about going over, and I made sure my team was indirectly aware of that possibility.
Coach
Haven’t heard of that at my firm. All we offer is additional money flat rate for every hour worked beyond 2300
Never hurts to ask. I asked thinking it wouldn’t happen but then got a year bump.
I talked to a couple partners I am close with and they made the pitch for me. It wasn’t so much based on hours but the level of work I was doing
Subject Expert
If you’re Cravath scale I don’t think extra salary or extra PTO is a thing. But doesn’t your firm offer step up bonuses for extra hours? I would think that’s how you get at what you’re talking about - normal year you get the normal bonus, 2400 year where you’re covering for their staff shortage you get the normal bonus plus extra bonus. If step up bonuses are discretionary (and I think they always are to some extent, even if there’s an hours based formula) I’d see if you can make a point in your evaluations (are they currently happening/coming up?) to describe the various ways you are stepping up and going above and beyond to fill the gaps left in the group and how you hope that is appreciated and going to be appreciated monetarily.
But also here to say just push back on more hours. “Oh, there’s no one else to take this deal? Sounds like you need to hire some more peeps to replace all the mid to seniors you burned through because I’m at capacity”, but nicer.
More responsibility you cannot really push back on and will be good for you in the long run.
I have a mid-level friend in a high-demand practice who was promised a year bump if she stayed on past the end of the year. Practice group lead offered to her and the only other mid-level in July but still TBD at eval time if they do it.
Was she considering leaving in July?
My firm is Cravath scale but doesn’t have minimum billable hour requirements or offer step up bonuses for extra hours. Definitely going to have to set boundaries early and often
I would normally say this isn't possible, but in this market it's probably worth a shot