My firm talks a lot about work-life balance, but I still billed 2,200 hours last year and get emails at midnight. I like the people, but I’m tired of pretending this is normal or sustainable. Would you ever bring this up in a review—or is that just asking to be labeled as not tough enough?. I’ve asked around informally, but no one really answers directly. They’ll say things like 'it’s just the nature of the job'—but that doesn’t feel like a sustainable excuse when I’m losing sleep and getting snappy with people I care about.

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They’ll talk 'balance' all day and still expect you to bleed billables. Don’t ask—just make moves. Talking won’t change a rigged system.

likehelpful

You’re always free to find a job with better hours.

likesmart

Being a lawyer is not an employee job. Its an entrepreneur job. Entrepreneurs do not complain that they have to see a client that got arrested at 2am and they needed their attorney. In short it's true, its the "nature of the job". Sorry to say.

likesmart

CS1 - there are plenty of legal jobs where that mentality you describe is not required. Did Big Law, did solo practice and have spent almost the past 20 in-house. The first two legal jobs - yes, what you describe is accurate. 100% inaccurate at my current in-house job. Currently on day 7 of a family vacation and I haven’t had one person in our c-suite reach out expecting assistance. Some places truly value more than work.

OP - as others said, bringing it up in a review won’t help and might hurt. You’re not wrong for feeling what you feel, you’re just in the wrong legal job. Life is too short and grinding 24/7/365 will make you an alcoholic, a divorcee or lead to an early death. If you don’t love that lifestyle (and few do) then begin to look at making a change. It will take some time but you can do it.

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The only real answer is go in house and de-couple yourself from the billable hour. Until then, all you are to the firm is a cow they will milk for as much cash as they can until you are udderly useless. WLB is a convenient-but-meaningless catch phrase.

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Nice wordplay

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That’s just Big Law. I’m not sure how mentioning this at a review would help you. Would probably hurt you if anything.

There are some firms that are better about this stuff, so consider lateraling or switching practices.

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If they’re billing 2200 hours and not in Big Law, this is an even easier problem to solve (and not even worth asking about).

Because that would be really, really, really stupid.

likehelpfulfunny

Draw your own boundaries and see what happens. Or don't. You can't change the system-- it's too big, and too old.

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Bring it up—only if you feel like it will bring you peace of mind. Realistically, expect pushback and gaslighting.

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2200 is not that bad. If you’re making market then that is what comes with the territory. Want to work less go to a firm that pays you less

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That’s (unfortunately) very fair. 2200-2300 every year, now in my 7th at a market firm. Billed the same, if not more, in mid law before that, which was dumb of me.

I haven’t read through the comments before posting this comment but having been in similar experiences, I realized that most people will not open their mouths to say the truth. People like to complain in secret and pretend like it’s all good when they talk to the boss. Only a few of us are “brave” enough to say the truth out loud. You have to decide what kind of person you are.

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Ah yes, the bravery of telling a mountain it is too steep.

It’s always a balance. Just doesn’t mean it’s a favorable one :/

funny

2200 is not that bad. Also, midnight emails do not usually require a response before the next morning, unless specified.

Agree with P2.

Leave.

Do you have portable business? What kind of practice? Do you do great work? DM me

2,200 isn’t very much. No one is putting a gun to your head to work there.

Welcome to the real world.

lol at bringing that up in your review. I did that once as a junior and was met with a cold dead stare and silence.

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