Why are the expectations on billable hours so extreme on lawyers? Consulting, accounting and other comparable jobs, apart from investment bankers, are way below lawyers.

And it’s not that lawyers won’t make enough money if they work less - reduce hours by 10% and you’d still be making fortunes as a partner and a small fortune as an associate.

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Investment bankers don’t just get paid by the hour, and your average consulting and accounting partner makes significantly less than the average biglaw partner (if you just look at the averages, which no one actually makes). Billing is the only way lawyers make money and the profit expectations are much higher.

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I think this is right on the money. Expectations and leverage are the main differences.

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