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All these ID posts make me wonder when lawyers will collectively have enough of insurance companies and demand better treatment. At least to what they get in other areas such as Corp/commercial lit.
I guess insurers run the world now...
Coach
There are some tough plaintiffs attorneys there trying to change that.
I think it all depends on the firm, group, and partners you work for. My office of my firm has a great culture. Weekly happy hours, associate outings, remote work policy, no face time or hours in the office requirement. I enjoy what I do and can’t ever see myself leaving where I’m at (been there 6 years). Once you get the art of billing, it becomes second nature and I like it because it is a quantifiable metric you are judged on, among other things like work quality, marketing, etc. Will I ever make as much as people at more white shoe firms, no. But the pay at my firm is great for id. I can also stroll into the office at 11am any day bc I’m hungover or my child is sick and can leave at 2 any day for any reason, so long as I hit my hours. I’m also not required to have a book of any sort to make partner. It’s all about what you want out of your career and life. Hope you find somewhere you are happier at.
The secret to surviving ID as an associate is knowing how to bill smarter and not working the longest hours. Figure out the benefit any one task has to multiple files and watch your billing skyrocket. Make the toxic nature of ID firms work for you. The partners will give you favor for generating high billables and your bonus should make that low base comp bearable until you can get out.
The rules of ID world (especially with time) suck. Insurers want to pay for the final version without the expense of the multiple drafts that came before it. Look at everything in generalities - for each task that you are analyzing specific facts of a file think about the general issue you’re working on and how you would plausibly replicate it in your other files. Even if it’s an email on a specific file…identify the general issue being discussed (depo strategy, affirmative defenses, theories of liability, motion arguments) and think about how you can replicate the analysis for the benefit of other files.
I feel your pain. I made the same move to break into a different market (larger city) and an in the same boat. I wish i had better advice other than: “it’s not forever”, but I don’t. Get your experience and run. I find that people who “like” this work are just miserable in general.
No. The nature of the work itself is toxic. You can’t escape that.
Mentor
Yes but the billing pressure will always be there
This. I worked for a good boutique that started slurping on the carrier money. Problem was it was a race to the bottom. Good folks, bad long term business decision. So I left.
I also made a similar move a little over a year ago and regret it daily now. I'm no longer billing in-house, but it's more of a sweat shop with case load and adjusters that demand everything go to trial since the company's cost is lower in defending. Just keeping my eyes and ears open all the time for a different opportunity. Solidarity.
@A you as well!
Yes, just like any other practice area! My current firm is amazing, leadership is fantastic and people are treated well. Pay could always be better but this is the first job I have ever had where work life balance is actually respected and encouraged, there is real HR, people are listened to and respected, and while there is loads of work, they actually give everyone tools to succeed while you’re buried in work.
I work at a nice ID firm in New England and it's not toxic. However, the pressures from insurance companies controlling the market keeps most of these conditions in place. It's not just the firm, its the market conditions which require about a 2000k billible and overloading associates. My advice is to vote with your feet and start looking for the door. I finally accepted an offer at a bigger litigation firm with a pay raise and about a 1600 billible.
I was at a small mostly ID firm but they took all sorts of cases, not pidgin holed to auto, dram shop or the like.
Not exactly the question you were asking but if you have the stomach for it, plaintiff side is generally a better lifestyle.
Coach
That makes sense. I appreciate it!
do a quiet quit. just work a bit and let them whine
Coach
Med mal ID isn’t horrible.
Coach
One reason why I’m leaving it A3!
If you actually like ID I recommend working for one of the insurance companies. They are all pretty much always hiring and handle the same or similar cases. I have worked both. You don't make as much, but no billables and you get the company perks.
In the NYC area the insurance carriers are paying more than ID firms for similar experience levels. Much better quality of life as well
It’s the particular niche. There’s a surplus of available labor despite the negative rep for being a low paying sweatshop. So what incentive do they have to improve your work environment?