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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I am totally confused.  All these threads on DCUM about how Big Law associates work a million hours a week, and therefore can't do any kind of help at home, and you were averaging under 60 hours a week as an associate, and even less now?

Is this really typical?  So, the people whining about how their Big Law spouses are never home, where are those people?

I always assumed it was more like 4,000 a year based on what I read here.  I am flabbergasted.
[/quote]

60 x 50 weeks (assume 2 weeks vacation) is 3k hours per year.  OPs DH is doing 2800 hours per year (2k billable) which is pretty close to 60 hours per week. [/quote]

But 60 hours a week isn't an insane workload like people make Big Law out to be.  Especially given that a Big Law associate can afford to live close in so they don't have a terrible commute, does some of that work from home and can flex around family responsibilities, and gets to work sitting down.

I always assumed from the whining that Big Law associates were working 80 - 90  hour weeks.  60 is a pretty common work week.[/quote]

Yes. Many people are full of sh$t when it comes to biglaw hours. Especially in DC, where at least half of the lawyers are in relatively laid back regulatory practices.

It’s still not an easy gig… it’s intellectually grueling, and intensely stressful if you’re doing anything important. You’re also always “half on” which is a different kind of stress.

But in terms of sheer hours? A *good* associate bills 2000+. Not all time is billable, so that ends up being about 2500 hours per year all in, or 50 hours/week with a vacation. Partners typically have about the same amount of all in time, much lower on billables.

But many, many associates don’t even come close to that. Depending on firm, practice area, and how good you are either as a practitioner or as a business generator, you can live in the 1500-1800 hour range indefinitely. I’m in year 3 of being an EP and I’ve never billed more than 1900 in my career. I’m never going to be a $10MM partner, but I’m over $1MM and perfectly happy with that.

Don’t believe the hype. [/quote]

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