Just found out I made partner in biglaw

[Anonymous]

Are you male or female OP? There was some mention of a wife so I assumed you were a male. Then, I realized you could be a female. Which one?

[Anonymous]

OP here. I am male. (Just curious - why do you ask?)

[Anonymous]

Congrats OP! Interestingly, my spouse has had a similar-ish trajectory and even took a year off law after being downsized. Then did contract work and lucked/worked into biglaw and then changed firms again - and is now doing work that's rewarding and interesting with colleagues who've become friends. Used your anecdote as a little inspirational story. Thanks for sharing! It's hard to 'brag' in real life, so taking a few minutes to do it here makes perfect sense to me. Enjoy!

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks! That's a great story about your spouse!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm torn because OP sounds like a nice person and you worked hard and it must feel great.

I Guess to each their own, though. I don't really get how someone would feel rewarded by - what, money? fame? prestige? on their death beds.

What is the impact you are having on the world?

What impact are you or 99.9% of people having on the world?

I hope and am striving to reduce global poverty. Whether or not I'm achieving impact, I don't know. But I am trying.
I get that the vast majority of people don't work for socially-oriented enterprises or nonprofits. I also get that putting food on the table is important.
But while I never would say this in real life, I don't get people who kill themselves to... what, have a nice boat? House?... I just don't see how having cold, hard cash can mean giving up what it sounds like law partners give up - and for what? To make a client richer?

You probably aren't having much impact. So in your eyes, someone who isn't (in your subjective opinion) doing "good" with their career shouldn't feel rewarded or proud by career accomplishments? Is the above just something you are telling yourself to justify having a job that doesn't pay well?

Maybe. I mean, I could probably have made a lot more money and I do think about that. And I do think it's awesome for the OP- whatever your profession it's nice to excel. I just guess i Would have a hard time feeling really excited about putting efforts toward something that doesn't matter, really. I put efforts toward something that I care about. I dont see how a person can really care enough to work 14+ hour days toward something that doesn't matter. I know it sounds snarky and I'd never voice this in real life.

[Anonymous]

So, something like 98% of people who have a job/career just shouldn't bother. Got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm torn because OP sounds like a nice person and you worked hard and it must feel great.

I Guess to each their own, though. I don't really get how someone would feel rewarded by - what, money? fame? prestige? on their death beds.

What is the impact you are having on the world?

What impact are you or 99.9% of people having on the world?

I hope and am striving to reduce global poverty. Whether or not I'm achieving impact, I don't know. But I am trying.
I get that the vast majority of people don't work for socially-oriented enterprises or nonprofits. I also get that putting food on the table is important.
But while I never would say this in real life, I don't get people who kill themselves to... what, have a nice boat? House?... I just don't see how having cold, hard cash can mean giving up what it sounds like law partners give up - and for what? To make a client richer?

You probably aren't having much impact. So in your eyes, someone who isn't (in your subjective opinion) doing "good" with their career shouldn't feel rewarded or proud by career accomplishments? Is the above just something you are telling yourself to justify having a job that doesn't pay well?

Maybe. I mean, I could probably have made a lot more money and I do think about that. And I do think it's awesome for the OP- whatever your profession it's nice to excel. I just guess i Would have a hard time feeling really excited about putting efforts toward something that doesn't matter, really. I put efforts toward something that I care about. I dont see how a person can really care enough to work 14+ hour days toward something that doesn't matter. I know it sounds snarky and I'd never voice this in real life.

OP here. I work a 14-hour day maybe once a quarter. I get to the office at about 9:00 and am usually home by 6:45-7:00 (but do have to work at night from time to time) and only work a bit on weekends. The hours, at least for me, are not consistent with the horror stories one hears about biglaw. I do travel quite frequently, though.

That said, I don't understand why you say what I do "doesn't matter." By what standard? I think that what I do matters greatly to my clients, and it matters to my family, for whom I am able to provide a very comfortable life. If you mean it doesn't matter in the sense that I am not working at a charity or trying to end global poverty like you, well, as others have pointed out this forum either shouldn't exist or should have 2-3 threads total - because we all work at (and are posting about) jobs that are a total waste of time.

I actually enjoy my job, which is also nice. It's not just something I am doing for the money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm torn because OP sounds like a nice person and you worked hard and it must feel great.

I Guess to each their own, though. I don't really get how someone would feel rewarded by - what, money? fame? prestige? on their death beds.

What is the impact you are having on the world?

What impact are you or 99.9% of people having on the world?

I hope and am striving to reduce global poverty. Whether or not I'm achieving impact, I don't know. But I am trying.
I get that the vast majority of people don't work for socially-oriented enterprises or nonprofits. I also get that putting food on the table is important.
But while I never would say this in real life, I don't get people who kill themselves to... what, have a nice boat? House?... I just don't see how having cold, hard cash can mean giving up what it sounds like law partners give up - and for what? To make a client richer?

You probably aren't having much impact. So in your eyes, someone who isn't (in your subjective opinion) doing "good" with their career shouldn't feel rewarded or proud by career accomplishments? Is the above just something you are telling yourself to justify having a job that doesn't pay well?

Maybe. I mean, I could probably have made a lot more money and I do think about that. And I do think it's awesome for the OP- whatever your profession it's nice to excel. I just guess i Would have a hard time feeling really excited about putting efforts toward something that doesn't matter, really. I put efforts toward something that I care about. I dont see how a person can really care enough to work 14+ hour days toward something that doesn't matter. I know it sounds snarky and I'd never voice this in real life.

of course you wouldn't - you sound like a jackass. and this sounds like jealousy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm torn because OP sounds like a nice person and you worked hard and it must feel great.

I Guess to each their own, though. I don't really get how someone would feel rewarded by - what, money? fame? prestige? on their death beds.

What is the impact you are having on the world?

What impact are you or 99.9% of people having on the world?

I hope and am striving to reduce global poverty. Whether or not I'm achieving impact, I don't know. But I am trying.
I get that the vast majority of people don't work for socially-oriented enterprises or nonprofits. I also get that putting food on the table is important.
But while I never would say this in real life, I don't get people who kill themselves to... what, have a nice boat? House?... I just don't see how having cold, hard cash can mean giving up what it sounds like law partners give up - and for what? To make a client richer?

You probably aren't having much impact. So in your eyes, someone who isn't (in your subjective opinion) doing "good" with their career shouldn't feel rewarded or proud by career accomplishments? Is the above just something you are telling yourself to justify having a job that doesn't pay well?

Maybe. I mean, I could probably have made a lot more money and I do think about that. And I do think it's awesome for the OP- whatever your profession it's nice to excel. I just guess i Would have a hard time feeling really excited about putting efforts toward something that doesn't matter, really. I put efforts toward something that I care about. I dont see how a person can really care enough to work 14+ hour days toward something that doesn't matter. I know it sounds snarky and I'd never voice this in real life.

OP here. I work a 14-hour day maybe once a quarter. I get to the office at about 9:00 and am usually home by 6:45-7:00 (but do have to work at night from time to time) and only work a bit on weekends. The hours, at least for me, are not consistent with the horror stories one hears about biglaw. I do travel quite frequently, though.

That said, I don't understand why you say what I do "doesn't matter." By what standard? I think that what I do matters greatly to my clients, and it matters to my family, for whom I am able to provide a very comfortable life. If you mean it doesn't matter in the sense that I am not working at a charity or trying to end global poverty like you, well, as others have pointed out this forum either shouldn't exist or should have 2-3 threads total - because we all work at (and are posting about) jobs that are a total waste of time.

I actually enjoy my job, which is also nice. It's not just something I am doing for the money.

Putting aside the "does it matter comment" I'm impressed that your hours aren't that bad. This may have been covered earlier in the thread, but OP are you good at bringing in business? is that why you can get away with working less insane hours?

[Anonymous]

It's a good thing OP and people like him are willing to work long hours in areas like biglaw. Without people like this, there would be no funding to save the world. People contribute to society in different ways. OP's job and jobs like it matter. Who do you think provides the funding for the non-profit where you work to matter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im the PP who "shamed" the OP with posting (gloating) about his/her promotion to partner. Most people whom I know have chosen a legal career primarily for the big $$ compensation as a big law partner. They don't make a secret about it. The work is long hours, dry, nasty and robs you of your soul so why do it? Given all of this, I would have expected OP who labored (suffered) much to earn the promotion to at least spend Thanksgiving with loved ones, rather than go on an anonymous board seeking approval and congratulations from total strangers. Strange..

OP here. I spent Wednesday - Sunday last week with loved ones and did maybe an hour of work. I took a few minutes to make this thread. You seem to be "dry, nasty and rob[bed] of your soul," to use your words. I hope that you can find peace.

Hey OP, im not the PP who attempted to shame you. Sadly, i agree with the OP is some way however. Ironcally, aren’t lawyers generally described the way describe the PP - “dry, nasty, and robbed of soul”? Hilarious!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im the PP who "shamed" the OP with posting (gloating) about his/her promotion to partner. Most people whom I know have chosen a legal career primarily for the big $$ compensation as a big law partner. They don't make a secret about it. The work is long hours, dry, nasty and robs you of your soul so why do it? Given all of this, I would have expected OP who labored (suffered) much to earn the promotion to at least spend Thanksgiving with loved ones, rather than go on an anonymous board seeking approval and congratulations from total strangers. Strange..

OP here. I spent Wednesday - Sunday last week with loved ones and did maybe an hour of work. I took a few minutes to make this thread. You seem to be "dry, nasty and rob[bed] of your soul," to use your words. I hope that you can find peace.

Hey OP, im not the PP who attempted to shame you. Sadly, i agree with the OP is some way however. Ironcally, aren’t lawyers generally described the way describe the PP - “dry, nasty, and robbed of soul”? Hilarious!

You ESL?

[Anonymous]

How does law not matter? Trade law affects US jobs. What about employment law, antitrust, litigation, and on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm torn because OP sounds like a nice person and you worked hard and it must feel great.

I Guess to each their own, though. I don't really get how someone would feel rewarded by - what, money? fame? prestige? on their death beds.

What is the impact you are having on the world?

What impact are you or 99.9% of people having on the world?

I hope and am striving to reduce global poverty. Whether or not I'm achieving impact, I don't know. But I am trying.
I get that the vast majority of people don't work for socially-oriented enterprises or nonprofits. I also get that putting food on the table is important.
But while I never would say this in real life, I don't get people who kill themselves to... what, have a nice boat? House?... I just don't see how having cold, hard cash can mean giving up what it sounds like law partners give up - and for what? To make a client richer?

You probably aren't having much impact. So in your eyes, someone who isn't (in your subjective opinion) doing "good" with their career shouldn't feel rewarded or proud by career accomplishments? Is the above just something you are telling yourself to justify having a job that doesn't pay well?

Maybe. I mean, I could probably have made a lot more money and I do think about that. And I do think it's awesome for the OP- whatever your profession it's nice to excel. I just guess i Would have a hard time feeling really excited about putting efforts toward something that doesn't matter, really. I put efforts toward something that I care about. I dont see how a person can really care enough to work 14+ hour days toward something that doesn't matter. I know it sounds snarky and I'd never voice this in real life.

You have an incredibly limited world view. People wouldn't pay lawyers if what they did didn't "matter." Do you even know what lawyers do? Let me explain this to you with some examples - one case I had involved a mid-sized manufacturer whose IP had been stolen by a much larger competitor, resulting in significant financial losses driving company to edge of bankruptcy. Thousands of working class and middle class jobs were at risk. At the end of the day our work resulted in a settlement that let them keep paying their employees. I think those people are pretty happy to keep their paychecks and I'm sure they'd rather be people with good jobs than getting handouts from your anti-poverty program (if your program even provides direct help to the poor). Another client is an artist - I make sure people don't rip off his works. The private sector is the source of just about everything in our society, our food, our phones, our buildings, our computers, and the money that funds our anti-poverty programs. It takes all kinds of people to make the whole system work, from the people who sweep the floors to the guys on the assembly line to the accountants and lawyers. And yeah, the work done by all of those people matters. And by the way, you are NOT better than the janitor who supports his family by cleaning the bathrooms. He is the one fighting poverty by working his butt off not to be poor. His work matters a hell of a lot more than yours.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, but, like, money doesn't MATTER, man. It's totally like bourgeois garbage and stuff. *bong rip*