How long does it take you to bill 8 hours a day? I’m a first year and feel like I’m not as efficient as I could be or am under billing. It takes me 10-12 hours to bill 8. This includes the hour I take for lunch and dinner, some breaks for bathroom, and non billable time like entering time etc. how are people billing 200 hours a month? What am I doing wrong?

What’s the deal with RFPs? I’ve spent countless [non-billable] hours on several of them only to find out that I’m not included in the actual proposal (the document sent to the client showcasing the proposed case team). Is this normal?

How does your firm measure utilization? I work for a small boutique that defines it as utilization = number of billable hours/2,080 and full bonus payout occurs at 80% plus.

Recent lateral junior associate in brand new practice where I'm the only associate. I'm probably going to bill 1,500 hours max this year due to being very slow and taking time off for a delayed honeymoon which I disclosed during my interview process. I have been told my work product is good, I don't turn anything down, I participate in non-billable work, I'm responsive and I always let people know I'm available to help. Do I need to be worried about getting fired for low hours?

Does industry have billable hours? At the big 4, we are required to work a certain number of hours each week and if we spend too much time on anything we are questioned on why it took so long. Is that a thing when you go in industry?

My firm’s IT (especially system saving and file locating function) is so bad 😐😞 and they keep doing updates no one asked them for just to mess with the stuff we already got a hang of without doing anything about the issues we actually need fixed. Anyone else in a similar boat? Do you bill the client for the time it takes to fix the IT issue (or IT inefficiency generally, like time taken to find a file in a convoluted system)? Or is that supposed to be our non-billable time?

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.

Recently lateraled as a public defender in HCOL area to ID in LCOL area for $$$. I’ve been at the job a little over a month. My concerns are that I’m getting very little guidance or mentorship, and I’m worried about not hitting billable hours (2000 requirement but I am just over 80 for the first month). I am only in charge of a ~5 cases atm and struggle with figuring out the next steps, etc. I’ve met all my deadlines that have come up. Thoughts or advice?

Have any of you taken "low bono" clients while working at a firm? I want to take on a low bono client or two but not sure who would get the money. This is a contract opportunity through a non profit so I'm assuming a 1099 will be issued. The per hour rate is significantly less than my billable rate. I would (obviously) like the money but my real objective is just getting experience/networking since I recently moved to a new state and don't have clients of my own.

I heard so much about minimum billable hours here by staff. I never saw that email. Is it inly for certain groups?

Received a job offer. Was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on a concern I had about it. It's an entry level position, and I don't have much experience. The billables are 2040 a year. For billable hours in civil litigation and insurance defense, is 2040 hours for a 1st year associate on the high end in this field for a small or midsize firm? It seems like most attorneys I know have minimum requirements of around 1800. The compensation is around 80k a year.

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.

Looking to leave a govt job for a junior attorney role in a small workers comp defense firm. I have no experience in workers comp. How easy is it to learn the work and make 1850 billable hours? What future opportunities does this experience give?

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?

Anyone else here have terrible utilization because their deals die and a code never opens? /can’t find another code to book hours? I’m sitting on over 200 billable hours at this point

If you do billable work on a given PTO/vacation day, do you still count that day as vacation? Or do you get that vacation day "back"? Or do you only get the part that you billed "back"? (Or some other option.)

There’s a practice group that I’ve been trying to find work in but whenever I volunteer to help, I always get roped in to do non billable work. In the beginning it was fine but now I’m feeling it’s never going to amount to actual work. Any tips to get more involved without all the non billables and how to approach this gently?

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?

I’ve practiced litigation in DC for about 5+ years at a larger plaintiffs’ firm, and am considering a switch to a defense firm. Is there any insight to how many billable hours this would require, and how much time that would actually be? For reference, the firm has a 1900 billable hour requirement and the partner said I would have “no problem” fulfilling that based on the work they have.

I am concerned with fulfilling billable hours requirement. I’m required to hit 2100 hours yearly and I’m at ~1,500 hours and I think I’ll hit 150-180hours this month. What will happen if I don’t hit my targeted amount by the end of my year.

How many billable hours do people in prosecution tend to average each month? I’ve gone through waves of feeling like my billable hours requirement is reasonable to feeling like I’m drowning and can’t possibly do it for that long.

How do agencies prospect for leads? Is there a database that allows companies to submit an RFI/RFP and then agencies just submit to it? How do agencies know when a company wants to be pitched?

How much time bny takes to provide laptop post date of joining? As onboarding is virtual.

Which bank account is better for salary account?

HDFC
Axis

My home had some water damage last year (water heater was leaking), so I had to do some repairs and took care of most of the work myself. If I refi, will my home have to pass an inspection?

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

I need a job😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Wharton submitted!!! So anxious

What are the skills required to sustain in Pharma/ Healthcare Analytics in the long term?

Not legal-related but: thoughts on A Jazzman’s Blues? I loved it. Been a while since a movie has stayed on my mind long after it ended, like this one has. Shocking Tyler Perry wrote it. “Paper Airplanes” is a hauntingly beautiful song.

Hi Fishes,
What is your take on WILP in MBA (offered by Institutes like BITS Pilani)?

I seriously need to take a decision on whether to continue working and enroll in MBA or go for a full fledged MBA course.

Please Help!

Once we get a few more members I had the following ideas for speakers:
1. OBGYN specializing in menopause/HRT from Duke University
2. Nutrition Counselor
3. Anxiety Coach
Does anyone have other ideas? Please let me know!!

It’s 3 in the morning and I’ve been awake for an hour. Good times.

Hi,
There was a post sometime back which compiled a list of all companies by country who hire directly from India. Could anyone please share a link to that post if you have it saved? Thank you!

How is the Thoughtworks working model?
1. Full time Work From Office.
2. Hybrid (how many days work from office are needed in a week or month?)
3. Completely Flexible (employees can work remotely as much as they want)

From a UX Director... “Design is everything. You’re nothing without design.” Excuse me?

Hi Fellow Fishes,

Anyone willing to refer to Starbucks? or provide more insight into the culture and work? I think I found a dream role with data science and coffee.

Kindly,
Red Swedish Fish

Anyone else just sitting around waiting for the ax to drop? I'm a soon to be 2nd year corporate associate who has seen work completely dry up. My utilization held pretty steady around 50% immediately after shutdown, but August was below 15 billables with no appreciable work in the pipeline. Aside from letting people know I'm available and doing pro-bono/CLE, it's starting to feel like a serious "covidcation" leading to termination.

Let’s talk speed reading. I’m a slow reader and listened to a podcast recently on speed reading. I’m intrigued. Who here speed reads? How did you learn those skills, and what types of documents do you speed read in practice? I do mostly litigation and am thinking that speed reading would help with research but maybe not things like doc review where you need to review for both responsiveness and privilege.

I’m a junior and I have the opportunity to join the employment and benefits group as a specialist. The alternative is VC/M&A.

I’m under the impression that joining the EB group will still give me decent exit ops, has more manageable workflow (less unexpected dumpster fires like in deal-work), and a somewhat better WLB because of my previous point.

Any disagreement/any other things I should consider before deciding?

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve purchased in an overworked late night haze?

Name the most ridiculous micro-managing by partners that you experience.

I’ll go first: MP told me that on initial emails, I am always to start with “Hello [name],” but after the initial email, I am not to address her by name again in the same thread. Initial greeting can only be “Hello [name] ” because just first name is too brisk and a “Hi [name]” is too informal. Had a 5 minute, in depth conversation as to why she prefers it this way…

What’s the deal with RFPs? I’ve spent countless [non-billable] hours on several of them only to find out that I’m not included in the actual proposal (the document sent to the client showcasing the proposed case team). Is this normal?

I feel so many of my big law co-workers purchase homes $1M+ homes as senior associates but I always struggle to believe that I will be able to do the same. I started saving aggressively this year as a midlevel but still feel so far away to be able to comfortably afford. Additionally, I always have a fear of job loss due to my own parents losing their jobs in 2008 and essentially growing up with no resources.

What are other people’s experiences?

Can anyone please advise on Sullivan & Worcester? Is it comparable to Big Law in terms of salary/quality of work and quality of life?

Any insight into culture / work life balance for the Akin corporate group in NY?

Recent lateral junior associate in brand new practice where I'm the only associate. I'm probably going to bill 1,500 hours max this year due to being very slow and taking time off for a delayed honeymoon which I disclosed during my interview process. I have been told my work product is good, I don't turn anything down, I participate in non-billable work, I'm responsive and I always let people know I'm available to help. Do I need to be worried about getting fired for low hours?

To the lender counsel that forgot to mention they needed original signature pages for a deal that closed early this year and decided to chase and harass me a day before thanksgiving and a day after thanksgiving multiple times. F*ck you. I don’t know what is driving your lack of courtesy but I have represented the same bank before and know their usual original signature requirement.

I’m in a tough spot—still waiting for conflicts to clear and out of the blue, a partner reached out regarding a project that they’ve staffed me on. They want my availability to begin working on the matter next week…how do I handle this? I haven’t given notice, but expect to do so soon…I don’t think it’s prudent to start a new matter esp. since I know I’m leaving…but I can’t turn down work with a straight face (especially because my hours are in “checked out” mode)…

Curious - would you consider a lateral move to a lower ranked firm if the practice group is higher ranked than at your current firm? In other words what’s more important - firm or practice group ranking?

After you are stealth laid off, other than job search, what do you do? I assume they won’t give you work and even if they do, you can politely decline? How do you feel about you are not progressing anymore and seeing other people progressing in their career? I have no intention to make partner, but still feel a bit stuck not doing that much.

My firm’s IT (especially system saving and file locating function) is so bad 😐😞 and they keep doing updates no one asked them for just to mess with the stuff we already got a hang of without doing anything about the issues we actually need fixed. Anyone else in a similar boat? Do you bill the client for the time it takes to fix the IT issue (or IT inefficiency generally, like time taken to find a file in a convoluted system)? Or is that supposed to be our non-billable time?

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

1st yr at a nyc v50 firm doing general transactional work. I know the lateral market for transactional lawyers is hot but not as hot for juniors. I just want a change of scenery because my current firm is bleeding good associates / not giving great training imo / and just seems small. Would lateralling this early feasible? Would it look bad on my resume?

Why are clients SO AWFUL? That is all.

A partner I work for keeps asking for ETA's on assignments I have already submitted to the senior associate on the deal for review. Does it sound like I'm throwing the senior associate under the bus if I say I have already submitted to senior associate and am waiting for feedback? I feel like the partner will get upset at me even more if my answer sounds like I haven't submitted the assignment to the senior associate yet.