How are partners generally responding to the foreseeable slowdown in billable hours?

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I'm willing to chip and take a pay cut to see that we keep good associates. And all staff members.

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Slashing spending and forgoing draws, rethinking use of hours, trying to save jobs while being real about business and navigating the new normal.

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Not hiring some folks we otherwise we’re going to. Trying to make sure existing associates stay busy and aren’t freaked out by more mouths to feed.

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Deferring distributions, cutting discretionary expenses, working hard to balance workloads between very busy and very slow groups, helping clients whose businesses are falling apart, communicating regularly to calm nervous staff and associates, etc. And interestingly the only ATL story I’ve seen announcing a firm’s deferral of partnership distributions is for a publicly traded firm in the UK, which was legally required to make the disclosure. Wondering why ATL publishes a name-naming piece about 3 seconds after a firm impacts staff or associates in any way but rarely if ever runs anything naming names when only partners take a hit. 🤔

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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?

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Mental health is busy, looking for tips to help manage tasks, currently I supervise 12 therapists in 3 different departments that are all different with unique dynamics in each dept. I still carry a small caseload on top of this. I'm struggling with my patients and worry I am not giving them my best, I wax and wane between focusing on patients and therapists. Looking for advice navigating this type od conversation with my leadership, we have all been asked to work on increase billable time...

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Question re: salary. I’m thinking about accepting an offer at a small (4-6 attorneys) transactional firm. I would primarily be working on NDAs for clients. The role sounds great (no billable hours, fully remote, flexible hours/ can work from anywhere); however, the salary is $70K. I’m a new attorney, with only one year of experience. Does this salary seem low? If so, any advice on what someone in my position should ask for?

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Two of my really good friends at work have had their work dry up in the past few months (because of the Rona). I'm like two months ahead of them on hours, and they're worried about not making their minimum billable requirements.

Feel sort of guilty and try to avoid talking about hours with them. I'm just hoping the firm doesn't give them trouble...

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When your firm requires billable hours, how are they calculated? Actual vs realized (I.e. what you put on your billing sheet vs what is billed to the client). Does your firm differentiate? Which number do they go by? My mind is somehow not comprehending how some big law hours are under my small firm requirement?

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How were your billable hours the first couple of weeks after you lateraled?

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Apps for keeping track of billable hours?

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Some good news after almost 11 months of applying and interviews and lots of rejections finally got an offer! In NYC small firm, ex big law folks, no billable hours, niche practice area, appearance of forwarded thinking firm, remote till who knows when, emphasis on pro bono initiatives and building book of business. The catch salary. Was making around 140k at last firm with 1800 billable. Offer is 85k and revist to bump to around 100k in several months after review (plus discretionary bonus)

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I have a question about mid-size Philadelphia law firms. Does anyone have any insight about what life is like (culture, pay, billable hours, cases, WFH, perks, etc.) as a junior partner/senior associate/of counsel in the litigation department at the following firms: Montgomery McCracken, Schnader Harrison, Stradley Ronon, Dilworth Paxson, Klehr Harrison?

What's up everyone? I saw a salary survey posted earlier. What do y'all think I should make at a litigation boutique that handles primarily business litigation on a contingency fee? No billable hours.

Went from a big firm to work for a smaller firm. The people in the smaller firm are protective of their work and are good by their work too. I no longer feel chaos or stress. I am treated with respect and my schedule is more normal. I am even working more billable hours than before, but it feels like a seamless experience. I don’t work then past 5pm or anything out of the ordinary for this time of the year. I am so grateful!

likeuplifting

My firm has a collections budget (80% of your billable rate x 1850 hours) and an hourly budget that must be met in order to be eligible for a bonus. The firm cares very little about originations and will reward someone for making their collections over someone who brings in new work. I missed my collection budget due to some odd timing with a client, but originated more than all my peers so no bonus for me. I’ve been at this same mid level firm for 9 years and it’s all I know. Is this normal??

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Has anyone transitioned from Tax to RM? Could you share your experience and pros/cons of the change? Really want to get out of client facing/billable work, but I like my firm. Thank you!

77 hours from the next super bonus tier. I have about 25 pro bono hours that I could do, and I have about 12 billable hours that I will do. No real Christmas plans. Worth scrounging up those last 40?

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What are your current billable hours and salary? Is anyone actually on a good ratio with this - would love to hear

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Are utilization targets (%) always based on 40 hrs/wk, I.e 90% utilization = avg 36 billable hrs/wk?

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What do we think this industry will look like in ten years? Do we still have biglaw firms with billable hours? Do we have more focus on alternative fee structures?

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

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Is a $60K base salary with a $30/billable rate or $100K flat salary better? Assuming 80-90% utilization for both. There are other variables of course, but in terms of salary alone, which would you take?

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I am thinking of switch from plaintiff side work to defense work in employment litigation. Has anyone made this switch? Did you regret? We’re billable hours too much to handle? More in comments.

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Cons: miss a lot in those first 5 years

Advice from those more experienced?

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When your firm requires billable hours, how are they calculated? Actual vs realized (I.e. what you put on your billing sheet vs what is billed to the client). Does your firm differentiate? Which number do they go by? My mind is somehow not comprehending how some big law hours are under my small firm requirement?

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