I have a utilization question: if you’re scheduled for 40 billable hours in a week but you finish the work in 30 hours you’re 75% utilized which may or may not be fine depending on ur firm. But if you finish the work in 50 hours, youre 125% utilized but you’re going over budget (providing you don’t eat hours). How do you reconcile the 2?

If you are slow on billable work, how frequently do you check in with partners letting them know you have availability? I want to cover my butt and show I’m looking for work but also don’t want to annoy them.

Busy season check - rate your happiness from 1 to 10 and your average billable hours per week (10 being like a rock star happy) 🤠

I just started as a first year associate at a firm that does not have any organized pro bono, however there is an “uncapped” billable hours policy that would allow me to apply pro bono to my hours requirement. How would you suggest I go about getting into pro bono work? It’s my understanding it’s not done much at my firm.

Midlevel M&A just lateraled to my V10 firm and have been doing 75-ish billable hrs per week for the past three weeks. I’m exhausted from sleeping 4-5hr per night. Is this typical or is my firm just toxic? Feel like I can’t physically do this long term - any thoughts on whether litigation is more sustainable or what area to switch into within biglaw?

Doc review, billable requirements -- that's the sh** I don't like

Any tips for a meeting 1800 billable hours as a new corporate associate? Is WLB realistic expectation? I know it's not terrible compared to other firms, but any insight would be great!

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?

I had an interview with a firm today and they asked about my billable hours and whether I met them. I said no, but that other associates in my very small group have the same issue, and that we all have around the same number of hours. As the hiring firm, would you be satisfied or concerned with this answer?

Partners or whomever can help me understand about billing and hours. To keep things simple, let’s say you only have one staff to work 1,700 billable hours a year on a $60k salary and you have only one job that and the rate charged to the client is $300/hour and an projected hours budget of 1,700 hours. So ideally you would have revenue of $510k. If the staff takes less time partners make less money and if they take more time partners make more money while the staff keeps the same salary?

Top 10% in billable hours, got a below-market bonus. So annoyed

I work full time in a (foreign) country where employees are protected pretty well. Our agency lost clients and they need to lay people off. I’m on that list too. They are convincing us to accept a voluntary resignation with 5 months of salary. I can refuse (law will protect me) and stay on but I have barely any billable work to do and of course this will create some toxic relationships with management. (CONT)

Other than higher pay (I didn’t become a lawyer to get rich 🤣) what is the benefit of working for BigLaw, or private practice in general? As a government lawyer, I make 6 figures, have excellent benefits, no billable hours requirements, more time off than I know what to do with (including mental health days), a pension, a 401(K), option to chose whether to WFH or not, no weekend work, no working before 8am or after 5pm. It seems like so many lawyers in private practice are unhappy.

What’s the best way to turn down a 2nd interview? During the 1st interview, I learned that the compensation for the role is not within the range that I am looking for and requires 400 more billable hours a year than what I bill now. I’d basically be laterally for my current salary just to bill 400 more hours. I also wasn’t aware that the local office was strictly ID. Firm website advertises lots of practice areas. Any advice? TIA!

PR pros: friend was asked to develop and present a quarterly plan including full SWAT as part of interview process. I have never seen this before and say hell no that is billable work. Your thoughts?

For those of you in defense litigation, does your firm offer bonuses based on exceeding your monthly billable requirements? (Not regular EOY bonuses). If so, how is the bonus system structured - or what is generally the norm?

Do you record your unbillable time? I have had conflicting responses. I have been told it's not good for efficiency calculations but others have told me if your still doing work let people know. For example, I get weird international stuff sometimes that not everyone gets (I think maybe? ) and I need to reread the 5471 rules or 8865 rules as I do the returns. I have been told not to bill for this but if I didn't have to spend time to do such things my billable hours would be higher

A&M fishes how many hours a month are you expected to spend on proposal work and BD work ? What are the downsides of not participating in those two and instead maxing out on billable hours related to client work ?

Those who have seen a drastic reduction in their billable hours with no pay cuts, layoffs, furloughs, etc., what have you done to stir up some work and keep yours hours at a reasonable level?

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What is something your colleagues don't know about you...

Last year, My girlfriend was making 80k while I was making 200k so I took her out to dinners and took care of the groceries etc. Basically made sure it’s an equitable relationship. She got a new job this year and is now making 210k (more than me) but still expects me to pay for all the dinners and groceries. I’ve already talked to her about this but just resulted in argument. Is there any coming back from this situation to make this equitable relationship or is break up the only option here?

Had heated call with my SM . SM told me to, "pull up" and that he would find out if I was, "really bout that life". What does this mean?? TIA

Is saying "you guys" not work appropriate anymore?

Do you shower in the before work (AM) or before bed (PM)? Why?