I just started at a new firm 3 months ago. A big jump for me with 1,800 billable hours. I feel like I’m drowning trying to make the hours :( I am exhausted at the end of every day. Does it get easier?

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Honestly no. But you get used to it. Just come on here and bitch/vent. Good luck!

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I’m exhausted even on days I only bill a few hours bc the mental aspect of trying to focus and keep up with this job day after day is just a lot.

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No. But you do get used to it. It helps when your friends and loved ones stop expecting to be able to see you for dinners and weekends. Then after a while you have no reason not to work. So in sum, .... yes?

Also 1800 isn't anything. Most biglaw is 1950 or 2k

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@A4. Agreed. It was meant to be tongue in cheek. But it's also true

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I also only started 2 months ago and my first few days working until like 7-8 I thought I was dying. Now when I work till 10 I don’t really bat an eye (I mean annoyed yes but like not dying). So yes, I think you get used to it and get used to the ebbs and flows.

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Still dying when I work till 12/1 though

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We really need more of these Biglaw Confessions.

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Don’t want to be negative, but don’t want to lie or sugarcoat it. It doesn’t get easier. Especially as you get older and more responsibility both at work and home. If you’re in litigation, you can try to make it easier by getting on document review projects (if you’re still junior enough).

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I always find it surprising in hindsight what I found unbearable a couple of years ago. So yes, it does get better.

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1800?? Do you just not have enough work because that’s generally a pretty reasonable amount to hit. Or is there something else going on making you unable to focus or something? What were your billable requirements previously?

1800 works out to about 36 hours a week for 50 weeks out of the year which IMO is pretty manageable. I’m at 2000 which is closer to average, especially among larger firms.

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The work flow should definitely help this issue. I find it harder to bill a full day when I don’t have time sensitive work. The more work you get and the more deadlines that are actual deadlines, the easier it will be to bill an 8 hour day. If you’re currently working 12 hours a day and barely hitting 8 hours in billable time, that part will get easier with a more consistent work flow. But in general billing just sucks and is exhausting haha. It also just takes time to get in the swing of things when starting at a new firm. I’m about 5 months into a job at a new firm and in a new practice area and it took about 3 months to start feeling comfortable. I’m also currently planning a wedding and on slow days, I have to force myself to stop doing wedding stuff and focus on work, so I feel your pain there! Good luck!

What if there are no ebbs and flows though 😮đŸ˜Ș I keep hearing there are supposed to be but we’re now in May.... lol

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I find that when I have a lot of work and pressing deadlines on my plate the time passes more quickly and it is a little easier from that aspect. Still exhausting and only gets worse once you have kids and more pressing responsibilities at home. But I do think the exhaustion is exacerbated when you’re “on” for so many hours in a day but feel like you have nothing to show for it / are still worried about hitting hours. The overwhelming volume of work will come, trust me.

It gets better. Having a lot of work is a great problem to have.
I think many folks would prefer being swamped over having nothing to do.

Omg strongly disagree, pls don’t tell the partners this and encourage them to assign more work!

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Lol what were your original billables...1800 is a dream for many attorneys

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