Reply to Anyone making a part-time Big Law career work with family life?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think it really depends on the firm and whether you'd be coming in as counsel or an associate.  Counsel, you could make it work.  Associate, I think you may be billing way more than 1400 (a senior associate I know well is in a regulatory group and will hit 2800 this year but her 'target' is under 2000 - there is just SO much work and not enough people to do it).  I'd think the firm is unbelievably slammed if they're willing to offer this to you, and may just be looking to get bodies in the door.  I would very much doubt that you can consistently plan your schedule around 9-5 as an associate; this friend has a young child and is able to typically take half an hour between 6-7:30 to say goodnight to her kiddo but then works about 3-4 hours afterwards.

I'd also be sure to get WFH requirements in writing as part of your offer as I get the sense that firms are saying whatever it takes to get people to sign on.

Good luck though!  I'm hoping I'm being overly cynical.  Otherwise, maybe look at going in-house?  I moved from biglaw to in-house and the flexibility is significantly better.[/quote]

Biglaw partner here.  I totally disagree with this.  OP makes perfectly clear that she's not going back to Biglaw to get on the partnership track, but to make some money now and eventually move into the government.  If that's truly the case, then she can afford to stick to her guns and put in the hours that she and the firm agreed to and that's that.  It may cost her come bonus time, but that's it.

Will she be working 9 to 5 religiously?  No.  But a regulatory lawyer working 75 percent for $165k shouldn't be expected and shouldn't allow herself to be working more than an average of 8 hours a day.[/quote]

PP here.  I will say while that has never been my experience as a former associate who could not have cared less about making partner (that partners respected the word 'no' when they needed to staff things) it is refreshing to hear a partner suggest they'd honor that.  $165K seems SUPER low though for 75% for anyone with experience, so that's where a lot of my cynicism comes from; is that salary really worth the potential of working random hours with biglaw folks?  I make significantly more in-house and I'm not even manager-level.[/quote]

OP here. I have a large gap in my resume (8 years). I hope after the first year to negotiate pay closer to match my past experience (6th year associate).[/quote]

That's a good plan!  Sorry if I'm coming across as a debbie downer; I just know that the market for fully-remote in-house jobs is HOT right now so wanted to let you know there are some pretty awesome gigs out there that aren't tied to billables if this doesn't work out. [/quote]

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