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I've been interviewing with some companies, and now I have to decide between JPMorgan Chase and Globant.
Globant is more innovative, and has remote work. I will enter to work with a Sillicon Valley startup based in San Francisco. The tech stack is React, Nextjs, AWS, and a serverless architecture.
JPM is semi remote, and less innovative. The tech stack Java, SpringBoot and AWS. But I'd do more migration tasks, like dockerize projects and pass them to kubernetes. What would you choose?
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Will NYC be quarantined??
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How hard is the path from lit to GC?
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I don’t really see an issue with accomplishing other things during the day as long as you’re still getting your work done on time. In pre COVID times I’d often have non work related meetings or luncheons or other things in the middle of the day and would occasionally be unavailable so I don’t see much of a difference in doing something like getting an oil change or grocery shopping. Obviously you shouldn’t schedule/do those things at the same time you’re supposed to be on a conference call or in a deposition or whatever but as lawyers we mostly make our own schedules anyway. As long as the work is getting done, who cares?
Pro
Lol pretty sure conference calls exist in all areas of the law. That’s why I gave multiple examples. And no, I’m in labor and employment so I do a bit of everything. And yes clients and partners can be demanding in litigation too. I always love how transactional attorneys think life is so easy in the litigation sphere.
The expectation that people be chained to their desks from 8 am to 6 pm is the problem, not the fact that people are multitasking during the work day. Are you saying transactional attorneys don’t go to CLE’s, eat lunch, meet with potential clients, meet with financial advisors, join clubs and organizations that have occasional meetings during the day, have medical appointments, etc.? Those things exist in all aspects of the law and we all managed to do them while also working before we moved to wfh. So why now that we are at our houses are we expected to have nothing else going on outside of work?
Chief
Guilty as charged
The partner I work takes long breaks to play with his kids and exercise. He also works about 3 hours every evenings without exception. If you’re getting your work done and are reasonably responsive it shouldn’t really be an issue.
Partners should judge people individually, not as a group.
Some people need flexibility and will still perform competitively as seen in their output and hours. Those people will put in the time during evenings, nights, early mornings, or weekends.
Those who are “taking advantage” can also be judged individually, and on the basis of their hours and output.
Guilty as charged also. I don’t see how this is abusing WFH, though. I always get my stuff done, and I’m checking email if I take a midday break so I can respond to client and say I’m on it etc. I’m not taking a break in the middle of a closing where there’s real need for ASAP response, but I’m in v10 transactional practice and have been doing this a long time. People need to calm down about the fake emergencies. Chances are, it can wait 2 hours. No one complains when I put in extra time between midnight and 2 am to make sure shit gets done on time, neither should folks complain when I take a break to manage my personal life between noon and 2 pm. People do also need groceries to live etc and I don’t want to go get groceries as a single woman in the cold and dark at never o clock when I’m “done with work” and the store is probably closed.
Are the partners getting pissed or are you? If it’s something your juniors are regularly abusing where it’s genuinely interfering with your work and how your firm looks to clients, have a talk with them about expectations. If it’s partners getting mad at other associates... let them?
During WFH, I’ve found my workday getting longer and I’m working more weekends (people email me earlier in the morning and later at night, and expect me to respond at all times), so I sometimes have no choice but to run some errands in the middle of the day. I’d be happy to trade the ability to run errands at, say, 4pm, in order to stop getting new tasks after 11pm (that are due that night). Ultimately, though, I think if we’re expected to work more, we will also have instances where we’re briefly unavailable during the day. I do transactional work
(This isn’t to say that some people aren’t abusing it. I’m just saying that some people might not have another choice).
Definitely do not view this as abusing Wfh. More like, (some) Partners abuse associates year round expecting them to work nights and weekends on arbitrary deadlines and now are upset because someone goes to get their oil changed? Smh. Unless they’re skipping meetings or calls, what’s the problem.
Before wfh, I would put off dr appointments, oil changes, etc. (things that can only be done during work hours). Now, I am taking time to do them and making up time when necessary. My boss is in the same boat it seems as you, he is convinced that people working from home are slacking. He will even say on Thursday, enjoy your weekend.... or give late night assignments to those wfh because theyre wfh and dont have to commute. I and others are not treating wfh as vacation. Taking care of self care items shouldnt be an issue (especially if scheduled to be like a lunch break). We shouldnt be chained to our desks in the office or at home.
Before covid, when I was in a firm one associate would go get her nails done once a week when there was a lull. I’d go walk around the area our building was in, getting a coffee and listening to a podcast for a break. What you are explaining is no different. The problem is the partners and their toxic mindset that associates are galley slaves... don’t drink that koolade.
When I was hired at my job the managing partner said, “ I view the practice of law as a lifestyle and as a lifestyle that means sometimes I practice law when I’m at home and sometimes when I’m in the office I do things I need to do for my personal life.” He is incredibly flexible as long as the work is getting done. We can work remote or in person whenever we choose (even before the pandemic). And he’s not going to give us the side eye if we have some errands to run during the work day. I have absolutely left the office to get an oil change or pick up groceries during the work day. I personally prefer to work in the office because I have a harder time focusing on work when I’m at home with kids and chores around me.
That said, how does the boss know people are at the grocery store or getting oil changed during WFH? I wouldn’t tell my boss. I would either just respond in detail when I got back home or in office. Or if I need to reply quickly I’d just email back “will do” and then get it done when I get back in the next 15-60 minutes.
Flexibility when in national, international, public health emergency should be in order. Wfh sometimes is on call essentially 24.7 at times, and we can work harder than ever.
Hi OP. To your question, no I’m not frustrated! My teams keep me informed when they have to dip briefly. No point getting frustrated if a partner gets mad. U do u