Crazy jealous of all these big law firm salaries!

[Anonymous]

There are lots of people who work 80 hours a week at multiple jobs and don't make near that much and can't afford luxuries to help their family work. And yes regular jobs can be stressful too.

[Anonymous]

It's Saturday and I'm up at 430 am. The stock purchase agreement is coming in from Hong Kong and we are having a call at 5 am so we can review changes and assign tasks. We have to get the draft back to to opposing counsel by5 pm today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's Saturday and I'm up at 430 am. The stock purchase agreement is coming in from Hong Kong and we are having a call at 5 am so we can review changes and assign tasks. We have to get the draft back to to opposing counsel by5 pm today.

I used to be an Ibanker. We would have meeting until 10 pm discussing commercial terms of SPA agreements with client/ lawyers etc. We would leave and arrange to meet at 8 am the next day. We expected the lawyers to turn around the documents overnight and have it ready by then! And we got paid more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a legal secretary. In the month of August my boss (whose hours I enter) worked every single Sunday, at minimum slightly over 4 hours. What were you doing on summer weekends? Not working?

Assuming he isn't puffing the hours. Oh I read some stuff while by the pool....

[Anonymous]

Big law lawyer here. Made 250k last year working approximately 30 hours a week, with a pretty flexible schedule. Being promoted to partner this year. Generally well respected in my group and by clients. It's not all bad. Though I do hate having to account for all my time and not feeling like I can take much vacation time throughout he year (because a week of no billing has to be made up through the year). But my life is definitely better paid than my friends in professional non lawyer careers with full time jobs who leave work at 6:30 most days. This cash (plus dh's salary) means we will mostly retire by 50 because we have led frugal lives.

[Anonymous]

There are far more treasures than money out there, OP. Grass is always greener.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are far more treasures than money out there, OP. Grass is always greener.

But money buys time and freedom to enjoy those treasures. Look st PP retiring at 50!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Big law lawyer here. Made 250k last year working approximately 30 hours a week, with a pretty flexible schedule. Being promoted to partner this year. Generally well respected in my group and by clients. It's not all bad. Though I do hate having to account for all my time and not feeling like I can take much vacation time throughout he year (because a week of no billing has to be made up through the year). But my life is definitely better paid than my friends in professional non lawyer careers with full time jobs who leave work at 6:30 most days. This cash (plus dh's salary) means we will mostly retire by 50 because we have led frugal lives.

How did you swing a part time partner track at big law? This is pretty exceptional!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Big law lawyer here. Made 250k last year working approximately 30 hours a week, with a pretty flexible schedule. Being promoted to partner this year. Generally well respected in my group and by clients. It's not all bad. Though I do hate having to account for all my time and not feeling like I can take much vacation time throughout he year (because a week of no billing has to be made up through the year). But my life is definitely better paid than my friends in professional non lawyer careers with full time jobs who leave work at 6:30 most days. This cash (plus dh's salary) means we will mostly retire by 50 because we have led frugal lives.

How did you swing a part time partner track at big law? This is pretty exceptional!

Yes, but he/she will not be allowed to stay p/t indefinitely, unless she is talking about nonequity partnership.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They're earned, to say the least.

Not really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're earned, to say the least.

Not really.

The Mexicans who wash their firms' exterior windows earned it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're earned, to say the least.

Not really.

Not really? Lawyers at firms don't have to work hard? and a lot? Wonder what my dh is doing all the time at work and while he's up all hours of the night working in our home office. Hmmmm.....I'd better take a closer look.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're earned, to say the least.

Not really.

Not really? Lawyers at firms don't have to work hard? and a lot? Wonder what my dh is doing all the time at work and while he's up all hours of the night working in our home office. Hmmmm.....I'd better take a closer look.

I think the point is that attorneys are not the only ones working brutal hours, or working hard. I don't blame folks for taking what the market offers, but I'd love to see a bit of self-awareness.

/wife of Biglaw associate

[Anonymous]

Big law associates make 160-300k, right?

Why the complaints for billing 40 hrs a week? (2000 per year)

Physicians work 80 hrs a week and make the same range - accountants work the same with half the range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are far more treasures than money out there, OP. Grass is always greener.

But money buys time and freedom to enjoy those treasures. Look st PP retiring at 50!

Okay, but after decades of working crazy-long hours and not taking care of themselves, who says they'll have the health to enjoy it? Maybe they will, but I know so many people who develop serious health problems in their 40s and 50s, or die young. And if they have kids, they've missed out on a lot of years.

And to address the OP, much as I'd love to earn a crap-ton of money, I'm not willing to live that lifestyle to do so. I'll take my low six figures and sweet work-life balance and be happy every (well, most) days.