What do you all do when you don’t have billable work and are killing time at your desk? Do you try to do things you can bill under “non-billable time” such as read legal articles? Or just bill nothing

like
Posting as :
works at
You are currently posting as works at

I go home

like

Write articles. Have coffee with your colleagues outside the firm. Volunteer pro bono. Write out a networking/business development plan. In other words, do things so that your billable work does not slow down in the future because you can originate work, you increase your lateral attractiveness, and you might actually find something you like or find rewarding to round out the edges.

like

Go home. I am a transactional mid level at an Amlaw 100, billed over 2600 this year with 400 additional “firm” hours. If I am done for the day I’ll leave. Partners here are not big on face time and know that we’re working round the clock when needed.

like

That sounds like hell. Only if we could check out after 2k.

Only been here two months. Figured I’ll at least wait til 5pm...

likefunny

Read and WRITE articles on something important/new in your practice area. Bring that to partners. They will be impressed (at your entrepreneurship) and also realize you may need work, so they will give you some. Directly saying you need more work is going to result in them questioning if they need you or them dumping everything on you and you will quickly miss those days of reading and writing articles.

like

Please go home. The only acceptable reason to be sitting at your desk and not be billing is when you’re trying to procrastinate.

like

We have a partner that loves to watch and bet on horse racing.

I am really slow too. It’s weird how it’s always stressful to be slow....

like

Worst part of the billable hour. Pretty much always stressed unless you’re billing exactly 7-9 hours a day.

like

Do pro bono work

Related Posts

I heard so much about minimum billable hours here by staff. I never saw that email. Is it inly for certain groups?

Anyone else here have terrible utilization because their deals die and a code never opens? /can’t find another code to book hours? I’m sitting on over 200 billable hours at this point

like

Does anyone know the starting salary for Jackson Lewis in the firm's Connecticut office, as well as the billable hours requirement?

like

To the post below- it is quiet, so I’ll bite!
Does anyone know about associate compensation at the regional Atlantic Canada firms? The the big ones have all been posting job ads for associates in the 3-5 year range. Any insight on salary and billable targets?

Any insight into Jackson Lewis NYC office? Compensation, billable hours, WLB? I would be a 2-3 year

like

Mental health is busy, looking for tips to help manage tasks, currently I supervise 12 therapists in 3 different departments that are all different with unique dynamics in each dept. I still carry a small caseload on top of this. I'm struggling with my patients and worry I am not giving them my best, I wax and wane between focusing on patients and therapists. Looking for advice navigating this type od conversation with my leadership, we have all been asked to work on increase billable time...

like

Did the billable hours bonus not get paid out today? Or is it to be paid in the next check?

Does industry have billable hours? At the big 4, we are required to work a certain number of hours each week and if we spend too much time on anything we are questioned on why it took so long. Is that a thing when you go in industry?

like

Is there an appropriate way to turn down an assignment because it is non-billable? Two of the partners I work for keep asking me to write client bulletins and articles with them, which is great, but now I’m starting to worry about meeting my billable hours requirement.

like

Had 2 hours of billable work today 💀

likeupliftinghelpfulfunny

Looking to leave a govt job for a junior attorney role in a small workers comp defense firm. I have no experience in workers comp. How easy is it to learn the work and make 1850 billable hours? What future opportunities does this experience give?

like

I just connected some dots and got a colleague off the bench and on some billable work. What a great feeling! 🤓

like

Can you get fired for having low utilization as a senior? My billable hours this busy season have been much lower than my peers.

like

So I was a 5th year associate in nyc making 100 k a year 2k billable hours.. I decided to leave for the role Im in now.. my old countered to keep me at 115k (which was like pulling teeth for them) but I left anyways now I find out that they offered a 7th year 150 k and a partner title should I be offended that they didn’t even try more with me

like

How do firms give bonuses to associate attorneys? Quarterly, monthly, annually? What is a bonus based on? Money recieved, billable hours, etc?

I'm looking to set up a bonus structure for a new associate.

like

3.5 years out of school, 2400 billable hours last year in TRS and just got promoted. what kind of year end compensation should I be expecting? Bonus and new salary

like

Highest number of billable hours you have seen in a year?

like

Is 150 billable hours per month little/average/a lot?

like

How often are you full time on a semi traveling project, and your pml pulls you into his side projects without any billable hours 😑 so dang unethical! side stuff is in addition to your 100% project

like

Hey thanks for giving me two fewer days I can use to meet my billable hours target for the year. Ugh...

like

More Posts

Hope everyone in Victoria is coping during these times.

like

Have you ever been injured at work? I feel like our jobs are so high risk!

like

Anyone invest in franchises and in particular has anyone used a company called FranChoice to help you match w a franchise?

like

Preparing for my final round case interview and I’ve realized that whereas prior to the first round I was pretty comfortable with casing, now I’m less and less so since I’m increasingly anxious that I could not come up with the right buckets. I’m also doing more untraditional cases at times which makes me feel like I’m not performing that well. Has anyone experienced similar things? How did you cope with it/What’s your advice? Many thanks in advance since I’m now a ball of stress 😩😩

like

What kind of laptop do you get in ACN Strat?

Anyone looking for a freelance PM at an agency? Preferably in LA? I've been doing strategy brand side internationally (currently in Dublin) but moving back to LA soon. Thanks in advance!

Heard PwC gave $500 to staff for every in-person inventory they performed. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

like

I recently tried quitting everything last Sunday, with drew all last week and then relapsed Friday, Saturday and Sunday worst withdrawals I ever had (cold sweats, shaking, wasn’t sure I would survive). I’m through the worst of it now but any advice? Thought about rehab but can’t stop work. This is probably my 9th time trying to go sober during the pandemic. I live alone so the isolation with the pandemic has extremely escalated my usage to the point of about a bottle of a day on weekdays

like

looking for opportunities in Business Analyst role. pls do support. desperately looking for a change.

like

Has anyone have insight as to salary for a Sr. SIU investigator in the northeast with 20 plus years of personal lines and strong BI background experience.

like

Hi IQVIA friends, I am looking for some guidance here. Currently designated at Indegene as pre-sales solutions manager but work pre and post sales till delivery construct gets matured. Have experience in solutioning and strategising commercial and non commercial global content & web production, marketing communications and Omnichannel campaign, along with Patient Support Program design. 6yrs of experience Any roles that fit my skills at Iqvia ?

like

Hello fishes have an interview scheduled for power programmer for Microsoft Azure .net technology. In the mail it has been mentioned the interview would have coding, so will that be technology based coding questions or DSA programs ?

like

Any book recommendations? Here are a couple that I've recently recommended:1) Freakonomics2) Super Freakonomics3) The Big Short4) Never Eat Alone. Please add as you see fit!

like

Any McK fuel people in here? Kinda curious about this segment in reference to deal structure. Is it all commercial debt?

like

What do you think on buying JPM, WFC, C now?

like

I don’t play with options much, but I happened to buy VERU calls for 2/19 a little while ago and now it’s skyrocketing, it’s up over $1k for me- will it keep going up? Should I just take the profits now and be happy?

like

Any financial analysts here?

like

Currently interviewing for a nontechnical role (final round is getting scheduled rn) and I see there’s a new job posting for a different role that I might be more excited by, for the same/associated team. What do I do?? Email my recruiter saying I want to be considered? Apply? How does going for two roles work? The referral from the original job I’m interviewing for has expired fwiw.

like

What is happening? Projects having budget problems and then cancelling the projects, teams moving to bench because of that

like

Additional Posts in Law

2nd year junior attorney applying to new positions in the Southern California area. Every firm that’s called me to interview are smaller firms with salary ranges of 80-90k. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong — I have had multiple people review my resume, cover letters, etc. It seems like it’s a decently hot market, and I’m just out here getting frustrated.

like

Raise your hand if you have to work over the weekend (even though the juniors under you don’t have to)?! ✋

like

Tech question - for those that do document prep - what monitor size do you prefer?
I’m updating from twin 23” in portrait and considering twin 32 or one ultra wide 38”.

like

I have an interview for an in house position (only attorney) at a small non-profit focused on conservation easements. I am a transactional associate at a mid sized law firm. The prospect of freedom from the billable hour and contributing to meaningful work are the draws. The cons are that while the salary at the non-profit would only be slightly less than what I am making now, pay increases and opportunities for advancement will be much less than where I am now. Thoughts on making the shift?

like

Curious to know what other firm's bonus structures are, particularly those with billable requirements of 1900 and below. Trying to understand what the norm is and figure out if associates at my firm are getting screwed. thanks

like

Any trial prep tips and tricks for an associate second-chairing a medical malpractice case for the first time?

like

Just looked up a firm a recruiter told me about. I would be the only Latino on the roster and among the few that didn’t go to an Ivy League or top 20 law school. I don’t even know if I should bother applying...

like

At an ID firm, but doing 30% ID, and the rest is appellate work + appellate work in a different area of law. Team is amazing—well known people in the legal community. I love appellate work, want to be a state ct appellate judge ultimately. But I’m scared I’m locking myself into ID. What should I do?

like

Question for those who also struggle with depression (or other mental illness): how do you handle being in a busy time (55-60ish hours billed weekly for a few weeks in a row) while also in a depressive episode? I’m having a really difficult time with that right now, being underwater work-wise as well, and my work product is suffering.

like

I’m about to give my notice at a firm I’ve been at for the majority of my legal career. They’ve recently offered me non-equity partnership (which I’ve accepted), w equity partnership on the horizon. However, I’ve been annoyed with their way of running the business and getting between me and my earnings far too long; and I received a lucrative offer to go in-house. I’m not looking forward to their reaction and feel bad about them having to take over my docket when everyone’s very busy. Any tips?

like

What would you say is the difference between a billable hour target vs. minimum? I feel like some firms boast about not having a “minimum” but the expectation is that you to exceed this target which just makes it a minimum.

like

Absolutely love my direct supervising partner, hate the firm management, pay is mediocre and I could get a 5 digit bump elsewhere, what do I do? (Mid-size insurance defense firm in southeast region)

like

Can you share first year salary for midsize firms? I'm in NJ, but curious to hear other markets. Also billable targets? Thanks!

like

I joined fishbowl a month ago and while I’ve seen a couple contentious debates but I must say I’m pleasantly surprised at how respectfully ppl comment on this app even when disagreeing. Usually anonymity on the internet brings out the absolute worst in ppl; they type things anonymously that they would NEVER say in person smh. But I really haven’t seen horrible comments here. I wonder what makes this app diff frm others?

like

When do you update your LinkedIn when lateraling? I have a week off in between firms and am unsure as to when the appropriate time is to update my profile. My first day at the new firm? Or after finishing at the old firm?

like

So who else here is experiencing plummeting billable hours and exponential weight gain since this whole WFH thing started? Bought snacks for 30 days, finished in 48 hours.

likefunnysmart

I have a promising interview at a relatively large law firm in my area (+100 attorneys) next week. The position is for a transactional role in their real estate practice group, and they are seeking someone with at least 2 YOE. I have a bit over 7 YOE with a strong real estate/commercial lit. background. Over the past two years in my current position, I've been doing a lot more transactional work. The split is around 50% transactional and 50% lit.

(Continued below)

like

Thoughts on Katten finance group?

like

Question about pre-marking trial exhibits in federal court ((more below))

like

How often do you respond to emails from law students who want to learn about your firm/practice area? I get like a dozen requests right around OCI every year. Frankly I’m tired of speaking to them and answering the same boring questions, especially if I know they have a low GPA and no chance of summering at my firm, but I do feel bad saying no/ignoring them

like

New to Fishbowl?

Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
That was just a preview…
Sign Up to see all discussions
  • Discover what it’s like to work at companies from real professionals
  • Get candid advice from people in your field in a safe space
  • Chat and network with other professionals in your field
Sign up in seconds to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.

Already a user?
Login here

Share

Embed this post

Copy and paste embed code on your site

Preview

Download the
Fishbowl app

See what’s happening in your industry
from the palm of your hand.

A phone with Fishbowl app

Scan your QR code to download
Fishbowl app on your mobile

Download app

Sign up for free to view this conversation on Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Already have an account? Log in

Sign up for free to continue using Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use(New) and Privacy Policy(New)
Messaging rates may apply

Already have an account? Log in

For account settings, visit Fishbowl on Desktop Browser or

General

Legal