Hey all - first year associate here… I’ve met my hours requirement for this year (requirement is 1900 and am currently at around 2050 with billable hours - approx. 2160 with non billable admin hours) and I am just tired. Is it okay to just “disappear” during the holidays (thanksgiving week, week of Christmas) and let partners and senior associates know I am not available? At this point I don’t care about making more money - I just want to sleep, read a good trashy book, and cuddle with my dog.

I am a new associate (1 month in mid-tier firm) and I struggle to get work to fill up the whole day. In honest time, i get about 3-5 billable hours a day. Am I going to get in trouble or fired over this?? I am putting my best efforts when I do get work and I ask for work sometimes. At this point I feel like I am being annoying too…

My HR rep told me that to apply for your CPA license in MA you only need 1 year of work experience, not 2009 billable hours. Didn't sound right- can anyone confirm/deny?

Does anyone know the starting salary for Jackson Lewis in the firm's Connecticut office, as well as the billable hours requirement?

Had 2 hours of billable work today 💀

If you are a first year in a stub year, and significantly under billable hours requirement, do firms typically still give pro rated bonus? Do first year stub associates really ever hit their pro rated hours in those 2-3 months?

It’s hard to trust the partners/leadership when they want us to return to office as being better when we increase offshoring? Also, the pressure on billable hours when all that really matters is how much our fixed labor costs vs. how much we can bill (which is usually fixed fee or at least a range) and the fixed labor costs of offshoring is significantly cheaper so the hours don’t matter. Am I mistaken by this viewpoint?

Is 150 billable hours per month little/average/a lot?

Getting over heartbreak and having a full time job is torture lol. My boyfriend and I just broke up after almost a year of being together. It was such a beautiful relationship but ultimately he just didn’t love me. I love him so much. My mind knows that I deserve reciprocal love and I’m worthy, but I feel physically ill. My body hurts, my stomach is in knots, my head hurts. How is it that I have to mend a broken heart but also meet my billable hours lmao

Are any other paralegals struggling with billable hour requirements? I have 5 years of experience in corporate transactions, M&A, and real estate work, and have never had billable hour requirements. I'm in a new job now where I do and I'm nowhere near meeting them. I'm getting a lot more admin work than billable work, and it's stressing me out.

BONUS. What’s amount bonus do you get, and how often? Including bonus structure (ex for meeting billable hours), firm/boss randomly bonuses you, Christmas bonus, etc)

Is there an appropriate way to turn down an assignment because it is non-billable? Two of the partners I work for keep asking me to write client bulletins and articles with them, which is great, but now I’m starting to worry about meeting my billable hours requirement.

How do firms give bonuses to associate attorneys? Quarterly, monthly, annually? What is a bonus based on? Money recieved, billable hours, etc?

I'm looking to set up a bonus structure for a new associate.

Doing a federal clerkship and thinking of my options after. Anyone in NJ/NY/PA biglaw lit group with collegial and pleasant work environment? I do not care about billable requirements/workload, just salary and don’t want to be treated like shit.

I have an interview with Korn Ferry for an associate principal role and am curious about others’ experiences have been with work-life balance here. Also, I have an idea of what I should be compensated in this type of role, but any insights on how they pay compared to others would be helpful. Are you traveling during the pandemic or have client interactions been virtual? Lastly, if you are a consultant here, are you on billable hours? My current consulting role is not - so this would be new.

If you take vacation, is the onus on you to make up that billable time? If so, how do you enjoy long vacations?

So I was a 5th year associate in nyc making 100 k a year 2k billable hours.. I decided to leave for the role Im in now.. my old countered to keep me at 115k (which was like pulling teeth for them) but I left anyways now I find out that they offered a 7th year 150 k and a partner title should I be offended that they didn’t even try more with me

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

To the post below- it is quiet, so I’ll bite!
Does anyone know about associate compensation at the regional Atlantic Canada firms? The the big ones have all been posting job ads for associates in the 3-5 year range. Any insight on salary and billable targets?

I currently work at a medium sized firm and have about two years experience in personal injury litigation. The billable hours and lack of work life balance are really getting to me and I am looking to switch to something else out of litigation, preferably in house. I am also looking to relocate to a different state. How do I go about properly marketing myself to companies that might not take my relocation and minimal experience seriously?

Up for promotion this year to manager, it seems that EY and Deloitte already announced no bonus? Guess promotion freeze will be next?

Is it a bad idea to give my notice before my background check clears? I’m due to start at EY soon but my background check is going to clear less than 2 weeks before my start date. I want to give my 2 weeks but am feeling nervous about it. I don’t anticipate any issues at all with the background check.

Can anyone provide a referral to Microsoft?

What is the process from the day one receives offer letter to the day of joining.
What is the onboarding process and what all form filling and what all happens?

What’s the shortest amount of time it’s respectable to be in a job before leaving?

How do you hire for a role that fluctuates? I currently am the designer + support specialist @ my job. Sometimes support takes up all my time and design projects get pushed back. Other times support is dead for two days. Does anyone have solutions? Our team has thought about outsourcing but as a company that relies on maintaining websites, having a non-native English speaker can have the impression on our clients that “We don’t care”..

Which company is worst EPAM Systems or Epam Anywhere?

To all AEs in the fishbowl, if I am a consultant in sfdc space what is some advice on how I can get time w an AE or get on some preferred list of consultants that an AE might use to help their clients? New in consulting space at the moment but years in SFDC space

How do you maintain focus? I find myself distracted every 2 minutes.

What are your thoughts on those who refuse to wear cloth masks as a healthcare professional?

Stuck on O-1. Anyone here successfully applied for the EB-1A green card? Would love some insight.

Hello all, I work full time as an RN at the VA. I’ve been looking for a side hustle to do on my own time. I would love to review cases such as prior authorization, records for 2nd opinions, etc. The positions that I come across generally require a commitment of at least 24 hrs which is not feasible. Anyone know of any opportunities?

Hey fishes- can someone please help me to understand how much time bny takes to process the offer letter after all discussions are done. For me it's been more than a month and still they say we are on it.

How many in house counsel are in your company? Please also share the total number of employees and company revenue for reference. I’ll start. 55 in house counsel globally for a $10b company, total employee count ~32k.

Is anyone working from TCS coimbatore location?

When did my LinkedIn feed become the sole property of Cindy Gallop?

Should I trust Mark Andrews tonight? Short week, coming off the worst game of his career, still questionable ...

Assuming I’m justified in thinking I deserve a higher bonus/salary, who should I talk to about potential raises (HR, management, etc.)? Should I say that I’m considering other options? (Details below)

What are newly minted nonequity comps like at V10, V50, V100 firms?

Is it a fail of character leaving biglaw? I want to leave, but despite the constant stress and suffering, I can’t avoid feeling like it’s my fault or that maybe I’m over exaggerating how I feel. All my colleagues feel ridiculously happy, I’m the grinch one that’s never enjoying the grind (but the grind is hard and competitive, very competitive) :( any thoughts? Is there future after quitting biglaw so young?

I’m a true night-owl that begins thinking clearly about 5 PM. I often send projects out after midnight. Early morning emails and calls are an adventure. Has anyone else had to work through this issue? Fight it or embrace it?

What is the average adoption assistance benefit at big law firms?

Dear first years,

When my door is closed, I am in the middle of something and trying to focus. Please stop knocking and letting yourself in to chat. I want to help you, I really do, but if my door is closed it means I am not able to help you right this second. I promise that my door will be open when I am available to do so.

Signed,
An overwhelmed second year

Edit: any advice on how to say this IRL without crushing their spirits?

Hi! Would anyone be willing to refer to for a role at baker botts?

Who has time to date in big law? How did you meet your s/o? Particular app suggestions? My best friend at the firm is single and ready to mingle (kind of….when work let’s her).

How long does it take to make at least $300k per year if you are in-house?

How are these 100% remote positions working? Is anyone living in one state and working in another? I’m wondering about tax consequences and bar admission in particular. Appreciate any insights!

As a first year - if you like working with a particular partner a lot, is it a good idea to just volunteer for all the work they have for you to do, or is it better to try to get a balance of different work from the practice group? Not trying to come off like Incrediboy.

Baby lawyer here. What is the difference between a full time staff attorney and an associate attorney? Does one get paid less?

Anyone know why they call market paying firms “Biglaw”? Why not “Top Dollar Firms”?

4th year associate, 200k student loans—think I’ll be able to get a mortgage even with loans? Looking at a place for 450k. I have 3.5 years public interest work that counts towards PLSF and I plan on going back to government so I really don’t care to pay it down.

Doing a federal clerkship and thinking of my options after. Anyone in NJ/NY/PA biglaw lit group with collegial and pleasant work environment? I do not care about billable requirements/workload, just salary and don’t want to be treated like shit.

If you take vacation, is the onus on you to make up that billable time? If so, how do you enjoy long vacations?

I’ve been tasked with overseeing our summer associates and playing a bigger role in recruitment and retention of associates. I’m in an AM200 firm, but our office is relatively small with historical only 1-2 junior associates at a time. Looking for fun ideas and traditions I can institute with summers and the other junior associates to increase moral and better connect with one another. Drop some fun ideas or experiences you’ve had.

Best to Worst in terms of work-life balance: Tech Trans, M&A or Capital Markets? (California if that makes a difference)

Is getting into crypto law a bad idea or is it a burgeoning field??