1950 billable hours req - manageable with kids?
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Anonymous
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I'm a fed considering an opportunity with a firm that has an annual billable requirement of 1950. I have no experience with billable hours and am wondering if this is going to be total chaos and unmanagable with two small kids (2 and 4) or if it is manageable? I know this is probably a loaded question but I'd love some insight on this issue. I also have a long commute into the city and kids in day care. I wonder if I could ever pick them up on time, etc.
Thanks for any insight you might have. |
Anonymous
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Do the math. Assuming 2 or 3 weeks vacation a year, that implies 40 hours of billable work per week. I'm not a lawyer but I would imagine there's at least 30% of your time that's not billable, so if I were you, I'd assume that implied 60 hours a week of work, or 12h a day. I'd also imagine it's spikey - I doubt it's a constant stream of 40 hours a week, so I could see the 4th quarter becoming a mad scramble to get more time in.
My 2 cents, which is worth very little as I'm not a lawyer, is that it's probably not going to be remotely kid friendly. |
Anonymous
| Are you a single parent? |
Anonymous
| The problem is that that is the requirement, but it is a minimum - if there is more work, you're going to have to exceed it. Once you have the offer in hand, I would ask to speak to associates there and find out more about how much they actually bill/work. |
Anonymous
| I think this depends on your practice area. |
Anonymous
| Um no... if you are a primary or "equal" care giver. I am married to a biglaw lawyer and there is no way in hell we give even comparable amounts of time to our family. He is great when he is on... he does the before school routine from 6:30-7:45 since every other lawyer in the world is still sleeping. Gets into the office at 9 and on "good days"(2/3 times per week) will be home by 7:30 (we have nearly no commute... CP to Farragut so 12 minutes on metro) which are not predictable at all. Other days he is at office till somewhere between 9 - midnight. The unpredictability is what makes it hard. Do I love the life this affords, yes, we are not fancy but get to live in a good house in a good location and are financially secure (until he gets fired, which could happen at any point). It also depends on the type of law you are doing... if you are an estates & trust lawyer your life is completely predictable. litigation, think otherwise. |
Anonymous
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For a non-lawyer, 10:44 surely did hit the nail on the head. OP, I just don't see how this works without a nanny, at least part-time. You've got, at a minimum, to have someone available every day of the week to pick up the kids and stay with them at home when you have to work late. Because you WILL be working late.
Also: not to pile on, but you have to remember that 1950 is the _minimum_ at your firm. Particularly during your first year or two, the Partners will be watching closely to evaluate your work ethic and dedication to clients. In reality, you should be aiming for a real minimum of 2050 to make a good impression of yourself. You can do this, OP, but it is going to be hard. Nonetheless, thousands of women in this region who are both dedicated professionals and good Moms make it work every single day of the year. If it is really what you want, I'll bet that you can too. |
Anonymous
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Other factors to consider is the "culture" of the practice group you are in. I worked at a firm and the head of my small practice group wanted everyone OUT of the office by 7 on "regular" nights so that we felt better about the times HAD to stay. He also emphasized that he was just fine with us billing time at home afer hours if we needed to. So alot depends on the culture that YOU will be stepping into. Also consider that if you are in a busy practice group billing 1950 and your peers are billing 2100, at some firms, you will be perceived at not pulling your weight and you may be mommy tracked without realizing it.
Short answer - it depends. Once you get the offer, talk to other moms in the firm. |
Anonymous
| 10:56 PP above ^^ Sorry about the typos and errors. Typing on a phone. |
Anonymous
| OP here. Is 1950 about average for billable requirements or is that on the low side? |
Anonymous
THIS. My firm's minimum is 1800, but if I billed less than 2100 - 2300 per year, they would fire me. |
Anonymous
DH bills 2200 and is NEVER home. |
Anonymous
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As a biglaw refugee, I would just add one more voice saying that 1950 is usually the bare minimum. Many firms will boast their 1950 requirement, but all the attorneys are actually billing 2100+ (which I consider to be brutal).
As a rule of thumb, I think I needed to be at the office 10hrs to bill about 7-7.5hrs a day. It's not an easy way to live, having to jot down everything you do in increments of 6minutes. I am *so* happy never to have to do that again. Think about what you want your life to look like -- if this sounds okat to you, then move forward. It can be done with small kids. But it's hard. And usually not without one or two good nannys who can help supplement during the nights you have to work longer. Good luck!!! |
Anonymous
| OP here - thanks for the responses everyone. This is really helpful info. |
Anonymous
It's average for the billable "requirement" but much less what your peers will be working (well the good ones with decent job security). And remember the "nonbillables" including client development, CLE or bar-related activities, partner wants to write an article, lunchtime, vacation, sick, kid's doc appts, kid's last dance class, etc etc. BTW, it's good to ask the question! |