SEC attorney hours

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have any insight into the hours/workload one might expect as an investigative attorney in the enforcement division? Ty.

[Anonymous]

A relative of mine does this. Works longer hours than most at SEC and hard to schedule vacations. But better than a firm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A relative of mine does this. Works longer hours than most at SEC and hard to schedule vacations. But better than a firm.

Are you sure they are an investigative counsel and not a trial attorney?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A relative of mine does this. Works longer hours than most at SEC and hard to schedule vacations. But better than a firm.

Lol. If this is true, your relative is very much an outlier. 9-5 is normal, rarely more than that.

[Anonymous]

Wouldn't people rather make double in private sector? Or are the hours too much that SEC is better fit overall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A relative of mine does this. Works longer hours than most at SEC and hard to schedule vacations. But better than a firm.

Lol. If this is true, your relative is very much an outlier. 9-5 is normal, rarely more than that.

They have to do depositions, work with trial counsel during the trial & prep, settlements. It’s not a 9-5 bullsh*t job. Less than trial counsel but more than other SEC positions.

[Anonymous]

Attorneys who work for very large law firms in mergers and acquisitions are expected to be on call at all times for emergency fire drills. Some have even been called back to the office during their honeymoons.

Working as an attorney for the federal government is considered to be a cushy job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Attorneys who work for very large law firms in mergers and acquisitions are expected to be on call at all times for emergency fire drills. Some have even been called back to the office during their honeymoons.

Working as an attorney for the federal government is considered to be a cushy job.

exactly. literally around the clock.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Attorneys who work for very large law firms in mergers and acquisitions are expected to be on call at all times for emergency fire drills. Some have even been called back to the office during their honeymoons.

Working as an attorney for the federal government is considered to be a cushy job.

I am a federal litigator in a different agency and this is why I agreed to half the salary I could have gotten at a firm. There are some nights/weekends, but “my kid has a school play” is an acceptable reason to reschedule an internal meeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A relative of mine does this. Works longer hours than most at SEC and hard to schedule vacations. But better than a firm.

Lol. If this is true, your relative is very much an outlier. 9-5 is normal, rarely more than that.

They have to do depositions, work with trial counsel during the trial & prep, settlements. It’s not a 9-5 bullsh*t job. Less than trial counsel but more than other SEC positions.

This is FALSE. Staff attorneys don’t “have to work with trial counsel.” Once the investigation is over, trial counsel takes over ALL aspects of litigation. Obviously, the staff attorney, purely out of professional courtesy, will answer basic questions about the case file, but other than that, being on the litigating team is purely VOLUNTARY. That’s why trial counsel get paid more.

Unless you’re a sucker (doing same work for less money), very few staff attorneys are actively involved in litigation.

The investigation phase is totally flexible and the timing is 100 pct within the staff attorney’s control. Easy peasy, no stress. If a staff atty is working more than 8 hrs/day, they’re doing something very wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Attorneys who work for very large law firms in mergers and acquisitions are expected to be on call at all times for emergency fire drills. Some have even been called back to the office during their honeymoons.

Working as an attorney for the federal government is considered to be a cushy job.

I am a federal litigator in a different agency and this is why I agreed to half the salary I could have gotten at a firm. There are some nights/weekends, but “my kid has a school play” is an acceptable reason to reschedule an internal meeting.

I’ve never heard of an SEC staff atty working nights or weekends. Unless they’re extremely disorganized or poor planners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A relative of mine does this. Works longer hours than most at SEC and hard to schedule vacations. But better than a firm.

Lol. If this is true, your relative is very much an outlier. 9-5 is normal, rarely more than that.

They have to do depositions, work with trial counsel during the trial & prep, settlements. It’s not a 9-5 bullsh*t job. Less than trial counsel but more than other SEC positions.

This is FALSE. Staff attorneys don’t “have to work with trial counsel.” Once the investigation is over, trial counsel takes over ALL aspects of litigation. Obviously, the staff attorney, purely out of professional courtesy, will answer basic questions about the case file, but other than that, being on the litigating team is purely VOLUNTARY. That’s why trial counsel get paid more.

Unless you’re a sucker (doing same work for less money), very few staff attorneys are actively involved in litigation.

The investigation phase is totally flexible and the timing is 100 pct within the staff attorney’s control. Easy peasy, no stress. If a staff atty is working more than 8 hrs/day, they’re doing something very wrong.

That’s not at all what my relative describes. How can it be entirely within the investigating attorney’s control when they have to schedule interviews & depos? I also understand there is pressure to move investigations along.
Less stress than trial counsel but more stress than other jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Attorneys who work for very large law firms in mergers and acquisitions are expected to be on call at all times for emergency fire drills. Some have even been called back to the office during their honeymoons.

Working as an attorney for the federal government is considered to be a cushy job.

I am a federal litigator in a different agency and this is why I agreed to half the salary I could have gotten at a firm. There are some nights/weekends, but “my kid has a school play” is an acceptable reason to reschedule an internal meeting.

I’ve never heard of an SEC staff atty working nights or weekends. Unless they’re extremely disorganized or poor planners.

are you an SEC investigations attorney?

[Anonymous]

Its 9-5 basically. If you are considering, just take it. It's worth it and very comfortable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A relative of mine does this. Works longer hours than most at SEC and hard to schedule vacations. But better than a firm.

Lol. If this is true, your relative is very much an outlier. 9-5 is normal, rarely more than that.

They have to do depositions, work with trial counsel during the trial & prep, settlements. It’s not a 9-5 bullsh*t job. Less than trial counsel but more than other SEC positions.

This is FALSE. Staff attorneys don’t “have to work with trial counsel.” Once the investigation is over, trial counsel takes over ALL aspects of litigation. Obviously, the staff attorney, purely out of professional courtesy, will answer basic questions about the case file, but other than that, being on the litigating team is purely VOLUNTARY. That’s why trial counsel get paid more.

Unless you’re a sucker (doing same work for less money), very few staff attorneys are actively involved in litigation.

The investigation phase is totally flexible and the timing is 100 pct within the staff attorney’s control. Easy peasy, no stress. If a staff atty is working more than 8 hrs/day, they’re doing something very wrong.

That’s not at all what my relative describes. How can it be entirely within the investigating attorney’s control when they have to schedule interviews & depos? I also understand there is pressure to move investigations along.
Less stress than trial counsel but more stress than other jobs.

No offense, but your relative is having a very bizarre experience. He’s doing something very wrong.