How slow is too slow? Junior associate Forum

[Anonymous User]

Currently at a firm in NYC doing corporate work. Hours aren’t great ranging from highs of 170 to lows of 75 per month.

What is concerning is that others seem to be much busier while others seem to be as slow as me. I’ve had my stub year review and most of it seemed to be positive/above average. No major screw ups.

It’s possible that I’m not being aggressive enough in soliciting work, but I have put out several feelers with only minor success.

Is this a sign that I should get my resume ready? It just seems strange that I’m still slow in February after having positive end of year reviews (from which I also received my stub bonus).

[jkpolk]

Those hours are fine for a 1st year. Work will find you, enjoy the downtime. To expand on this a little - you have to be able to roll with work flow, it's a really important part of staying sane in corporate. You'll have 300 hour months and you'll have 50 hour months. When you are in either of those types of months (or a series of one of those types of months), it seems like you'll never have the other again. But you will and it will juice you up for the reverse.

Wasting your downtime worrying about hours will make you more likely to burn out when you get busy because you'll have less left in the tank. Thinking the good times will never come again when you're in a black pit of work, 3 months deep into 250+s, that'll burn you out. Take a day off and work from home, drink a beverage, read a book.

[Anonymous User]

Also a first year with the opposite problem: I billed pretty high hours since I started and I slowed down somewhat recently. I can't shake the feeling that shit's going to hit the fan again and I'm going to get destroyed. My group has pretty consistent (but high) hours. I have nothing to contribute, just venting and hoping for insight.

[Wild Card]

lol I'm a first year who can count the number of hours I have on one hand.

Are you at a V5?

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Thank you. I appreciate the insight/wisdom.

Just a small add-on. Do firms generally notify the juniors about their hours before taking more drastic measures?

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Thank you. I appreciate the insight/wisdom.

Just a small add-on. Do firms generally notify the juniors about their hours before taking more drastic measures?

I recently had a talk with my supervising partner and he said he was concerned and offered to help me find more work in other practice groups so I can boost hours. But I’ve heard that it’s rare for someone to care that much about a slow junior.

[jacketyellow]

OP here. Thank you. I appreciate the insight/wisdom.

Just a small add-on. Do firms generally notify the juniors about their hours before taking more drastic measures?

Yes, a partner will usually have a talk with you about your hours. Then, will probably say you have to improve and that he'll be back to talk you in 3-6 months.

[Whatislaw]

I wouldn't sweat it unless you have a specific flaw or issue from your reviews or a Partner is out to get you. It sounds like neither applies to your situation. I'd say stay active at the office and try and solicit work where appropriate, but lows come and go. Enjoy the downtime!

[FeeSimpleAbsolute]

Those hours are fine for a 1st year. Work will find you, enjoy the downtime. To expand on this a little - you have to be able to roll with work flow, it's a really important part of staying sane in corporate. You'll have 300 hour months and you'll have 50 hour months. When you are in either of those types of months (or a series of one of those types of months), it seems like you'll never have the other again. But you will and it will juice you up for the reverse.

Wasting your downtime worrying about hours will make you more likely to burn out when you get busy because you'll have less left in the tank. Thinking the good times will never come again when you're in a black pit of work, 3 months deep into 250+s, that'll burn you out. Take a day off and work from home, drink a beverage, read a book.

50 hour months? If you have a 50 hour month, it's time to find a new firm.

[Winter is Coming]

Second year V-5 corp here, billed over 2000 last year with 50 and 300 hour month ranges. Pretty normal in my experience as juniors.

[Anonymous User]

Those hours are fine for a 1st year. Work will find you, enjoy the downtime. To expand on this a little - you have to be able to roll with work flow, it's a really important part of staying sane in corporate. You'll have 300 hour months and you'll have 50 hour months. When you are in either of those types of months (or a series of one of those types of months), it seems like you'll never have the other again. But you will and it will juice you up for the reverse.

Wasting your downtime worrying about hours will make you more likely to burn out when you get busy because you'll have less left in the tank. Thinking the good times will never come again when you're in a black pit of work, 3 months deep into 250+s, that'll burn you out. Take a day off and work from home, drink a beverage, read a book.

50 hour months? If you have a 50 hour month, it's time to find a new firm.

Why are there always stupid responses like this in every single thread about hours? Do you honestly feel this way or do you simply enjoy spreading false info and scare people who are already stressed? If the former, you need a reality check. If the latter, you need therapy.

[Anonymous User]

Last year I billed over 2,000 hours, and yes, there were a few slow times. Don’t fret, instead enjoy them while you can.

[Sprinkler]

It's too slow when you can't make your bonus.

[Spartan_Alum_12]

Those hours are fine for a 1st year. Work will find you, enjoy the downtime. To expand on this a little - you have to be able to roll with work flow, it's a really important part of staying sane in corporate. You'll have 300 hour months and you'll have 50 hour months. When you are in either of those types of months (or a series of one of those types of months), it seems like you'll never have the other again. But you will and it will juice you up for the reverse.

Wasting your downtime worrying about hours will make you more likely to burn out when you get busy because you'll have less left in the tank. Thinking the good times will never come again when you're in a black pit of work, 3 months deep into 250+s, that'll burn you out. Take a day off and work from home, drink a beverage, read a book.

50 hour months? If you have a 50 hour month, it's time to find a new firm.

If your coach gives up more than 50 points in the biggest game of the year, it's time to find a new coach to worship.

In all seriousness, there can be many reasons for a 50 hour month, and one 50 hour month is certainly not a reason to find a new firm.

[Kikero]

I'm just going to add that as a first year you're not going to get fired for low hours. Full stop. Maybe you have some other major issue that results in low hours and you get fired for that issue, but first years don't have much control over their workload and firms know that.

[jbagelboy]

lol I'm a first year who can count the number of hours I have on one hand.

Are you at a V5?

this is insane

[Anonymous User]

First year averaging 70 hours a month since December.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. I’m guessing the above V-5 first year is exaggerating. Right?

FWIW, I’m in cap markets/banking. I am told that it has been slow due to interest rates/market volatility, but feel like that period has kinda passed?

[Anonymous User]

Seeing a lot of posts about ppl being slow lately? I haven’t been slow, but have noticed lots of juniors at my v10 are slow.

Is it just self-selection bias making it seem like everyone is slow (ie, only slow ppl respond to threads about slowness), or is this more of a systemic problem?

[jkpolk]

The truth is that there's not a lot a fresh 1st year can do to rack up hours in corporate outside of diligence (takes like 6-12 months to really be useful at all). Missing your hours as a 1st year in corporate is normal. Good news, you're unlikely to miss your hours in years 2 through forever.

[Anonymous User]

First year in L&E at a big firm (think a Morgan Lewis, Proskauer, etc.). Been pretty slow, only at 84 billable hours so far this month. November (my first month), was understandably pathetic (less than 50 hours billed), December trended up to around 90, and January to 120. I've gotten pretty good substantive feedback on what I have done, but nonetheless I am starting to get concerned.

[Anonymous User]

This is fucking unreal. I've billed 110 (because of 2 week long training) 210, 209, and now 160 (which has been wonderful) since i've started. Where do you people work? I need to lateral.

[Anonymous User]

This is fucking unreal. I've billed 110 (because of 2 week long training) 210, 209, and now 160 (which has been wonderful) since i've started. Where do you people work? I need to lateral.

Lol don't jinx it. You'll hate being slow. Time drags on forever during the day when you got nothin to do.

[Anonymous User]

I know this isn't much of an original insight, but I was following all these threads about being slow and junior, and boy did it all come true. Being slow is an anxiety inducing situation, so you look for some reassurance things are okay or going to be okay. Anyway, for my hours this calendar year I had Jan: 110, Feb: 90, Mar: 79, and I was starting to get real worried. Now there's still a week left in April and I'm over 250 for the month and I am officially hoping to be slow for a while so I can deal with THAT problem for a week or two. I'll probably have more hours in April than in the entire first quarter of the year.

Anyway, just imagining me a month ago and thought I'd throw one more nugget of experience to the TLS trove. Things can change real quick.