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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]You’re going to get flamed but it’s a good question. Escalating Billable hours and endless nights/weekends/vacations working were not always how it worked at Biglaw. To a certain extent people can draw their own boundaries but that’s not going to solve the overall issue of overwork. If you want a different culture you’re going to have to leave Biglaw (and likely make less money).

Another thing is that top lawschool grads are often very uncreative, hierarchical, conventional and risk adverse. They cannot see any path other than the Biglaw firm. So those characteristics produce an environment where everyone feels they need to bow and scrape and prove themselves by making people above them happy.

Those few Biglaw associates who are more entrepreneurial and creative will get out quickly and go into business or in house for something more interesting. I know one who only made it a year in Biglaw and then left to start his own business and is now very rich and works normal-ish hours. Another who joined a really interesting and high profile trafe association instead of going for partner (which he likely would have made). [/quote]

This is such an informative and helpful post about Big Law.  Thank you for this, PP.

I will add that many who leave Big Law for government or in house jobs seem to come from families with money.  They work super hard for three to four years, build up experience and contacts and then leave mostly to work in government since this is DC.  Still not exactly creative types when I think about it.  [b]But they usually have an inheritance coming their way. [/b] People without this tend to stick it out more.  Maybe they have to.  [/quote]

OP - I think this is a big thing too. DH grew up very solidly middle class.  He is the first person in his family (and extended family) who has this type of job or makes this type of salary. He had to pay for undergrad and law school himself. There is no inheritance no help from his parents.[/quote]

This is really not justifiable. Even in this expensive area, a dual-earning family working “normal” 6-figure jobs can do just fine. Based on what you say, he could go in-house or into government and you guys could have an HHI in the 300-400k range easily. Together with what you’ve saved so far that’s more than adequate. But if you insist on 3 private school tuitions, expensive travel, eating out all the time … well, you’re trading your life for that. [/quote]

+1 plenty of people without generational wealth leave biglaw. My parents were immigrants, I left as did my husband.

Can biglaw change or improve? Sure. It has changed a lot since Covid like many workplaces. Will there always be a lot of demands if you're charging $1500 per hour to clients and making a 7-figure salary? Obviously.[/quote]

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