Is everyone in Biglaw unhappy? Forum

[DanInALionsDen]

I have a cousin who works in a big NY law firm and HATES it. I hear the same story from a lot of people I know who've gone to law school and worked in Biglaw: insane hours, treated terribly, etc. Is this the case for everyone (or almost everyone)? Does it get better with time?

[Zojirushi]

Anecdotal but I have friends who love big law. I think much of it depends of the personality of both the firm and the employee.

[nycparalegal]

I think it depends. Biglaw has an attrition rate of about 60%. There's very little mentoring because there is no incentive to teach someone when the chances of them not making partner is very high. The billable hours are a killer, and the type of work you do weighs down on a person's soul.

[Aeroplane]

If you think you'd like the work but hate the hours and are not gung ho about living in NYC, consider "biglaw" in a smaller market.

[agentzer0]

If you think you'd like the work but hate the hours and are not gung ho about living in NYC, consider "biglaw" in a smaller market.

what exactly is "the work"? document review?

[Zojirushi]

If you think you'd like the work but hate the hours and are not gung ho about living in NYC, consider "biglaw" in a smaller market.

what exactly is "the work"? document review?

Why are you anonymous? One of my friends works in patent litigation, but due to slow business, he has been doing a lot of pro bono work, mostly immigration. Either way, he finds it very satisfying and finds plenty of time for leisure.

[Aeroplane]

If you think you'd like the work but hate the hours and are not gung ho about living in NYC, consider "biglaw" in a smaller market.

what exactly is "the work"? document review?

I'm not really an expert on what a day in the life of biglaw is like. I'd guess it'd depend on your practice group.

[Helmholtz]

christ, people, overusing the anon function?

[Anonymous User]

Probably

[BradyToMoss]

christ, people, overusing the anon function?

[bceagles182]

I work as a paralegal at a BigLaw firm now. Every single lower level associate I know hates their job with a passion. At the same time, most of them don't hate it enough to give up the money.

[starstruck393]

To answer your basic question, not everyone in biglaw hates it. I know attorneys there that love it. So that invalidates "everyone." But biglaw is too complex to generalize about. Happiness there depends on the city, firm, practice area, partners you work with, associates you work with, your own personality, with the list going on. Each office is unique, and you'd have to see it first hand to determine how you'd fit in

[DavidYurman85]

Anecdotal but I have friends who love big law. I think much of it depends of the personality of both the firm and the employee.

+1 and I also think it depends on firm location and ranking. I have several friends practicing at biglaw firms in D.C. and NYC and there seems to be a love-hate sort of feeling with biglaw. I think for most of them-the money and prestige helps to reconcile their bad days.

[CE2JD]

Everyone I know in biglaw wants to killself.

[eye]

I know a 5-year biglaw associate (married w/ a kid) and she absolutely loves her work. I think it also depends on the person.

[Helmholtz]

If biglaw doesn't work out, I can always go manage a hedge fund or something.

[ruleser]

Anecdotal but I have friends who love big law. I think much of it depends of the personality of both the firm and the employee.

I only have one friend who works for big law, but she loves it. She also really enjoys having a whole lot of money.

This - it depends what you want. Do you think working less but having divorces as your job would be preferable to working your ass off but being involved in the largest cases out there? Different answers for different people.

[A'nold]

Anecdotal but I have friends who love big law. I think much of it depends of the personality of both the firm and the employee.

I only have one friend who works for big law, but she loves it. She also really enjoys having a whole lot of money.

This - it depends what you want. Do you think working less but having divorces as your job would be preferable to working your ass off but being involved in the largest cases out there? Different answers for different people.

Both of those sound craptastic. I'd rather be in the trenches suing insurance companies for med. malpractice. To each his/her own.

[underdawg]

according to my interviewers, they all LOVE it

[harvey2L]

some love it, some hate it. doesn't matter for most, as it's not really available, despite the representations of career service offices. . .

[Kiersten1985]

I really think it depends on what your expectations are going in. If you know you're going to be a slave to the firm for the next 7-8 years, but make BANK, then you'll be just fine. If you think it's going to be glitz and glam (or real responsibility) right off the bat, you're going to be disappointed and hate it.

I know a lot of BigLaw attorneys who love (or at least like) their jobs.

[GeePee]

according to my interviewers, they all LOVE it

lol

[ps494]

A lot of the dissatisfaction with biglaw has to do with the fact that most entering associates have never had a job before. As a result, it's kind of a shock to them, because they've never been in the real world before. They go into biglaw expecting it to consist of intellectually stimulating work, tons of cash, and cocktail parties. When these naive people actually realize what work is, they feel cheated.

[ps494]

LOL. There are 777 views of this thread already.

[Kohinoor]

A lot of the dissatisfaction with biglaw has to do with the fact that most entering associates have never had a job before. As a result, it's kind of a shock to them, because they've never been in the real world before. They go into biglaw expecting it to consist of intellectually stimulating work, tons of cash, and cocktail parties. When these naive people actually realize what work is, they feel cheated.

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