Best big law perks

[Anonymous]

What are the best perks you got at your big law firm?

[Anonymous]

I was only there one year as an associate but the best day to day perks were ordering free dinner if I was still around at 7 (which was every night) and getting a free cab ride home if I was going home after 9. There were also generous bonuses and Christmas gifts.
They took good care of us but to me it wasn't worth having no life. There were times when I did my hair in the office bathroom on Saturday nights before going out with friends. I literally lived at the office.

[Anonymous]

My dh works for big law. I'd say the best perk is that he is treated like a grown up. He works crazy hours, bu he can work from home whenever unless he has a meeting. He doesn't have to ask for permission to go to the dentist. He takes vacation when he wants, if work allows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was only there one year as an associate but the best day to day perks were ordering free dinner if I was still around at 7 (which was every night) and getting a free cab ride home if I was going home after 9. There were also generous bonuses and Christmas gifts.
They took good care of us but to me it wasn't worth having no life. There were times when I did my hair in the office bathroom on Saturday nights before going out with friends. I literally lived at the office.

They let you go out on Saturday night with friends? I guess big law firms are paying more attention to work-life balance!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My dh works for big law. I'd say the best perk is that he is treated like a grown up. He works crazy hours, bu he can work from home whenever unless he has a meeting. He doesn't have to ask for permission to go to the dentist. He takes vacation when he wants, if work allows.

It sounds nice in theory. In practice, you never take vacation. Either you're slammed with work, so you can't take vacation, or you don't have enough work, and you don't want to be away from the office and look like a slacker, so you can't take vacation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dh works for big law. I'd say the best perk is that he is treated like a grown up. He works crazy hours, bu he can work from home whenever unless he has a meeting. He doesn't have to ask for permission to go to the dentist. He takes vacation when he wants, if work allows.

It sounds nice in theory. In practice, you never take vacation. Either you're slammed with work, so you can't take vacation, or you don't have enough work, and you don't want to be away from the office and look like a slacker, so you can't take vacation.

When I left as a second year, I got four weeks of vacation back pay. Nice (I never took vacation except a day or two around holidays)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dh works for big law. I'd say the best perk is that he is treated like a grown up. He works crazy hours, bu he can work from home whenever unless he has a meeting. He doesn't have to ask for permission to go to the dentist. He takes vacation when he wants, if work allows.

It sounds nice in theory. In practice, you never take vacation. Either you're slammed with work, so you can't take vacation, or you don't have enough work, and you don't want to be away from the office and look like a slacker, so you can't take vacation.

That's true. But still...while he is a slave to the work, he still is treated like a grown up. He doesn't have to ask permission to go to a doctors appointment or step outside for lunch when he wants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dh works for big law. I'd say the best perk is that he is treated like a grown up. He works crazy hours, bu he can work from home whenever unless he has a meeting. He doesn't have to ask for permission to go to the dentist. He takes vacation when he wants, if work allows.

It sounds nice in theory. In practice, you never take vacation. Either you're slammed with work, so you can't take vacation, or you don't have enough work, and you don't want to be away from the office and look like a slacker, so you can't take vacation.

That's true. But still...while he is a slave to the work, he still is treated like a grown up. He doesn't have to ask permission to go to a doctors appointment or step outside for lunch when he wants.

neither do I and I'm not in big law, every normal person is treated like a grown up, get over yourself

[Anonymous]

I'd rather work at Google.
Free breakfast til 9am and free lunch. Free dinner served at 6:30.
Don't get me started about the other perks...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dh works for big law. I'd say the best perk is that he is treated like a grown up. He works crazy hours, bu he can work from home whenever unless he has a meeting. He doesn't have to ask for permission to go to the dentist. He takes vacation when he wants, if work allows.

It sounds nice in theory. In practice, you never take vacation. Either you're slammed with work, so you can't take vacation, or you don't have enough work, and you don't want to be away from the office and look like a slacker, so you can't take vacation.

That's true. But still...while he is a slave to the work, he still is treated like a grown up. He doesn't have to ask permission to go to a doctors appointment or step outside for lunch when he wants.

Huh. I don't work for big law (no where near it, actually) and I don't have to ask permission for those things either...

[Anonymous]

I love having a secretary. Love, love, love it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dh works for big law. I'd say the best perk is that he is treated like a grown up. He works crazy hours, bu he can work from home whenever unless he has a meeting. He doesn't have to ask for permission to go to the dentist. He takes vacation when he wants, if work allows.

It sounds nice in theory. In practice, you never take vacation. Either you're slammed with work, so you can't take vacation, or you don't have enough work, and you don't want to be away from the office and look like a slacker, so you can't take vacation.

That's true. But still...while he is a slave to the work, he still is treated like a grown up. He doesn't have to ask permission to go to a doctors appointment or step outside for lunch when he wants.

neither do I and I'm not in big law, every normal person is treated like a grown up, get over yourself

Um, I don't work for big law. I work as an attorney for government, and yes, I have to ask permission to schedule a doctors appt. I have to fill out a leave slip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dh works for big law. I'd say the best perk is that he is treated like a grown up. He works crazy hours, bu he can work from home whenever unless he has a meeting. He doesn't have to ask for permission to go to the dentist. He takes vacation when he wants, if work allows.

It sounds nice in theory. In practice, you never take vacation. Either you're slammed with work, so you can't take vacation, or you don't have enough work, and you don't want to be away from the office and look like a slacker, so you can't take vacation.

That's true. But still...while he is a slave to the work, he still is treated like a grown up. He doesn't have to ask permission to go to a doctors appointment or step outside for lunch when he wants.

neither do I and I'm not in big law, every normal person is treated like a grown up, get over yourself

Um, I don't work for big law. I work as an attorney for government, and yes, I have to ask permission to schedule a doctors appt. I have to fill out a leave slip.

And if I want to stay home to wait for plumber etc, I have to take leave. Dh can just stay and work from home unless he had a meeting and no one cares.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dh works for big law. I'd say the best perk is that he is treated like a grown up. He works crazy hours, bu he can work from home whenever unless he has a meeting. He doesn't have to ask for permission to go to the dentist. He takes vacation when he wants, if work allows.

It sounds nice in theory. In practice, you never take vacation. Either you're slammed with work, so you can't take vacation, or you don't have enough work, and you don't want to be away from the office and look like a slacker, so you can't take vacation.

That's true. But still...while he is a slave to the work, he still is treated like a grown up. He doesn't have to ask permission to go to a doctors appointment or step outside for lunch when he wants.

neither do I and I'm not in big law, every normal person is treated like a grown up, get over yourself

Um, I don't work for big law. I work as an attorney for government, and yes, I have to ask permission to schedule a doctors appt. I have to fill out a leave slip.

And if I want to stay home to wait for plumber etc, I have to take leave. Dh can just stay and work from home unless he had a meeting and no one cares.

NP here. I've worked for very small (5-10 person) organizations and one huge NGO and I've always had to at least give my boss a heads up when I'll be out of the office. We have time sensitive projects and demanding clients. And I'm 15 years into my career so this isn't because I'm junior staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dh works for big law. I'd say the best perk is that he is treated like a grown up. He works crazy hours, bu he can work from home whenever unless he has a meeting. He doesn't have to ask for permission to go to the dentist. He takes vacation when he wants, if work allows.

It sounds nice in theory. In practice, you never take vacation. Either you're slammed with work, so you can't take vacation, or you don't have enough work, and you don't want to be away from the office and look like a slacker, so you can't take vacation.

That's true. But still...while he is a slave to the work, he still is treated like a grown up. He doesn't have to ask permission to go to a doctors appointment or step outside for lunch when he wants.

neither do I and I'm not in big law, every normal person is treated like a grown up, get over yourself

Um, I don't work for big law. I work as an attorney for government, and yes, I have to ask permission to schedule a doctors appt. I have to fill out a leave slip.

And if I want to stay home to wait for plumber etc, I have to take leave. Dh can just stay and work from home unless he had a meeting and no one cares.

This is just private v. public sector, not specific to big law.