How important is "culture" fit or "lifestyle" fit when attempting to make partner in Biglaw?

[Anonymous]

You sound mentally ill.

[Anonymous]

OP are you at Kirkland? Wondering by your use of “shares”. If so you have a ways to go before worrying about equity partner so may as well keep saving.

[Anonymous]

You are so cheap op. You think $5500 is too much when you make $600k a year and are single? That’s not even a million dollar mortgage. Why haven’t you bought a place? It’s the best way to make money for free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP are you at Kirkland? Wondering by your use of “shares”. If so you have a ways to go before worrying about equity partner so may as well keep saving.

yeah, i think OP's latest round of bizarre questions about making equity partner.... in 2030-ish.... is... bizarre. And fits right into the same narrative OP was establishing from the beginning of this thread, about OP just being off.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Not at Kirkland or a peer firm to Kirkland. The non-equity partners at my firm are not "just" senior associates like at Kirkland.

I have not bought a place yet as I'm planning on moving markets in the semi-near future (with sign off from my firm) and will consider buying a place a year or so after the move once I figure out the areas that would be best for me. It will likely be a condo rather than a SFH just because I like being in the thick of it so to speak and don't enjoy suburban living but we shall see. Maybe a townhome is a good compromise. $5500 is a lot of money even making the amount I make all in. On top of the rent will be fees for parking my car, utilities, insurance, etc so it will all add up and will probably look closer to 6300~ for rent/utilities just by itself. I'm currently paying $1700~ for rent/utilities so that would be a big jump.

I'm aware I'm asking these questions far in advance, I just like to be prepared and do my research so I'm not caught flatfooted. In addition, it would give me additional time to save extra funds for the capital buy-in if going that route is possible/makes sense.

[Anonymous]

Idk, this equity partner at my firm brings his stuff to and from the office in a suitcase with a missing wheel and doesn't comb his hair. He also regularly works from his beach house.

I think most rich people find luxuries that are worth the money to them. The smart ones will ignore luxuries that don't add joy (or worse, add stress).

[Anonymous]

Following this thread since I vaguely recognize some of my own tendencies in the OP's posts.

Up until 2 years ago, I drove a 2019 VW Jetta, and that seemed to amuse my co-workers a lot. I was like, "What? There's literally nothing wrong with it."

Then I bought a new car and they were like, "Oh, well, that's better." And I got a substantial raise.

Not saying one led to the other, but still...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Following this thread since I vaguely recognize some of my own tendencies in the OP's posts.

Up until 2 years ago, I drove a 2019 VW Jetta, and that seemed to amuse my co-workers a lot. I was like, "What? There's literally nothing wrong with it."

I meant 2009 here, not 2019.

[Anonymous]

FFS.

Do people understand nothing? I remember growing up my mother disparaged my aunt for driving a Cadillac. In my family that was considered unforgivingly flashy. But my aunt worked as a real estate agent in Dallas, and drove people around all weekend looking at homes in the Park Cities. She almost had to drive a Cadillac.

Law firm partners are in sales. It's a sales job. Being a "hard worker" or a really talented lawyer is not what it is about. Being highly skilled and working hard are (generally speaking) necessary but not sufficient for partnership in a big/well-regarded firm. And in sales jobs appearances are almost everything. What the necessary appearance is will vary, though -- it greatly depends on whether you are a partner in trusts and estates at white shoe firm vs a partner in litigation at Skadden vs everything in between. And if you don't understand why everything is "in between" those two, well, then you don't understand. At all.

It isn't about the car. Or the club memberships. It's about being the kind of person who drives that kind of car or who belongs to that kind of club. And that white shoe firm trusts and estates attorney probably drives a different car than that crim litigation partner at Skadden. They dress differently, they speak differently, and they do not entertain clients at the same restaurants.

Yes, "culture" is extremely important. But most on this thread do not seem to grasp the subtleties at play -- to the extent that you might as well still be in a studio apt driving a 2005 Jetta.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a government worker in my 40's (non-lawyer).

There's nothing wrong with living a "minimalist" lifestyle, if that's what you prefer. Up until last year, I was renting a small 1BR apartment. Living a basic lifestyle allowed me to save $1.5M in my retirement accounts and buy a $500K 2BR condo last year with cash.

Assuming that you have paid off your law school loans and have a substantial net worth, it's time to consider what your legacy will be. You probably have the financial means to support a few causes at this point. I have substantially increased my own giving in the past few years as I have reached financial independence.

Also, there may be a few small luxuries that you want to buy. For me, I spend a premium on electronics, running shoes, Chick-fil-A, and travel.

I have to know…how do you spend a premium on chick-fil-A? How often are you eating it?

Hopefully, he/she meant buying Chick-Fil-A franchises.

I'm typically eating Chick-fil-A twice a week, but I also bring it to church events, so my average Chick-fil-A spend is $250 a month.

Chick-fil-A is junk food, OP. You will get sick on a diet of junk food. You should get a good cookbook and start buying organic foods and cook for yourself. You can teach yourself to cook with organic, healthy foods. Don't shop at Whole Foods, which is owned by a fascist oligarch, but there are local stores where you can buy organic produce and meats and all major supermarket chains have organic and healthy sections. Spending $250 per month on Chick-fil-A is crazy and a really terrible habit. You'll probably die before you make partner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FFS.

Do people understand nothing? I remember growing up my mother disparaged my aunt for driving a Cadillac. In my family that was considered unforgivingly flashy. But my aunt worked as a real estate agent in Dallas, and drove people around all weekend looking at homes in the Park Cities. She almost had to drive a Cadillac.

Law firm partners are in sales. It's a sales job. Being a "hard worker" or a really talented lawyer is not what it is about. Being highly skilled and working hard are (generally speaking) necessary but not sufficient for partnership in a big/well-regarded firm. And in sales jobs appearances are almost everything. What the necessary appearance is will vary, though -- it greatly depends on whether you are a partner in trusts and estates at white shoe firm vs a partner in litigation at Skadden vs everything in between. And if you don't understand why everything is "in between" those two, well, then you don't understand. At all.

It isn't about the car. Or the club memberships. It's about being the kind of person who drives that kind of car or who belongs to that kind of club. And that white shoe firm trusts and estates attorney probably drives a different car than that crim litigation partner at Skadden. They dress differently, they speak differently, and they do not entertain clients at the same restaurants.

Yes, "culture" is extremely important. But most on this thread do not seem to grasp the subtleties at play -- to the extent that you might as well still be in a studio apt driving a 2005 Jetta.

Very interesting. Thank you for this information. I would say that my practice area is more aligned with a Governmental Contracts practice, at least that is the closest that I can think of. The majority of the time our clients are local governmental entities, with the client sometimes being a State. Although more common with at other firms, we also do have a fair amount of big bank clients that get involved. Any insights as to the "appearance" that would land best here?

Also to clairfy I/OP is not the Chick fil A poster. I eat fast food on occasion but it wouldn't be Chik FIl A.

[Anonymous]

OP is doing just fine. I respect how you keep your finances tight and understand why you don’t want to pay $5000+ a month for a two bedroom apartment. There are a lot of rich people in debt and one paycheck away from disaster. My DH sounds a lot like you when we first met. He worked all the time, as the owner of his own tech company. He did not spend much money and ordered a lot of pizza for dinner when I came along his clothes changed his dining habits changed, and his general social life changed. There’s a time and place for everything, a season and a reason. Keep grinding it out OP, you are headed in the right direction. I think living minimally when you move markets will also be prudent. Dump your heart earned money into a place you want to live once you get settled in your new market. Condos are a great option. Don’t let people tell you otherwise, especially since you wanna live where all the action is and close to work.