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When does utilization cut off for YE?
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Subject Expert
The best thing you can do is inform people who assign you work what other major commitments you have as you approach 90% utilization. You may have to take on 120% every now and again, but you shouldn't be expected to be at that level for too long. Saying no outright is not the right way, but when you say yes you should be able to calculate in your mind how long you will be working each day if you commit to getting it done by tomorrow vs. the day after. You should build in the necessary time to take care of yourself so you don't burn out. Remember, few people are interested in your longevity in big law, so they aren't going to take that into account when pressuring you to take on more. But you yourself do have to take it into account.
I see a lot of posts like this. Your well being is important and the firm should want that as well. If the firm doesn’t want that, then look elsewhere. You knew the hours goal when you took the job. Make your billed hours your goal. If you make that goal, and you do a good job, any criticism would be unwarranted. When I was an associate, I never turned down work. But when a partner came to give me work, I always told the partner what work was ahead of his assignment, and if there was a priority, to get with partners who assigned work ahead of him to work out the priority. I never had a problem. If my hours were in line with the goal, and my work was good, no partner would or could ever complain. I protected myself. BUT NEVER TURN DOWN WORK. Have the implicated partners assign the priority. You will be ok.
Subject Expert
Man, some of you are toxic AF. Senior litigation associate here. I’m fine with my juniors saying no at 110%+. You are a human, you need to sleep and relax and recharge. Burnout is very real. Your 2300 hours may not feel the same as someone else’s for a million reasons ranging from your stress and anxiety tolerance to what’s going on in your personal life to who you are working for and what you’re being asked to do. Ignore every comment here belittling your hard work or work ethic. This is a complicated question, though, and one you should check in about with your group. I’d talk to a couple partners and senior associates about what hours expectations are. I’d be honest about feeling overwhelmed and being concerned about finding a balance between your productiveness and being a team player with work quality and avoiding burnout.
Mentor
Decide who you want to work for. There are partners that I can't say no to or if I have a conflict they will help find a solution. There are other partners that I had to stop accepting work from, and they've been told. As for stuff from other offices that I don't want, I'll pass it to another associate if appropriate. It's always better to suggest a different solution then to tell someone no. Figure out how your office operates and distributes work. If you are dedicated to a specific partner, then you are expected to be available to that person.
FWIW (I am trying to figure this out too so probably not the best to take advice from), you’re already going 50-100 hours beyond the expectation. It’s time we hold firms accountable to the formal hours expectation that they set.
You’re not going to want to hear this but a junior’s real value is not saying no and being available / responsive since you have not developed the skills / experience to be really substantively helpful. That being said, you should take care of yourself and if biglaw hours aren’t for you maybe look for something that lines up more with the WLB you want.
A2: could you please expand on what you mean by “if the partners think you are busy?” How is that made clear, versus just partners thinking I am padding hours/spinning wheels?
I’d take stock of how your peers are doing before you turn down work. If they are also around that utilization rate, then you’ll only lose brownie points & forced to take on the work anyway. If they are below 100%, then you can afford to say no to work.
I mean no is a complete sentence. But depending on the person I’d say something like I could maybe at x (non-today) time or if x person can move this deadline.
I’m at 165% utilization. Your numbers are rookie numbers
Yea A5, but I still bill more than you
Mentor
Your premise is that you cannot work an hour more per day? Because it is your "sweet spot" to not do so?
That's great, A1. What is the firm doing to make significantly exceeding the target worth my while?
Coach
I hate to tell you even if you’re at 2300+ and say no and lay it out what you have some partners will still say “okay so can you get this back to me by first thing tomorrow am”