What are some benefits you wish firms would offer? Forum

[Anonymous User]

What are some creative benefits that you wish your firm would offer, or that big law should offer?
(mods - i have a good reason for anon, but I don't want to divulge it in the thread because it would basically out me.)

[Anonymous User]

Don’t know how creative but:

Out of whatever number of vacation days you get, 7 truly unreachable days a year. Maybe this has to end at a certain point due to clients, but first and second years are interchangeable and would be nice to be able to point at your 7 days and say screw it, I’m going on vacation and leaving my phone. Throw in a 60 day notice period so no one gets messed around by associates walking off deals. The rest of your vacation, you would treat as normal.

For fourth years and above, a one time use only 2 month sabbatical. Like maternity/paternity leave but no kid required. Normalize it, too, so people feel they can use.

[Anonymous User]

decent health insurance would be nice. my premiums are absolutely disgusting.

[TheoO]

Matching 401. Quality health insurance.

[2013]

Paw-ternity leave so I can get and train a puppy.

[Anonymous User]

Paw-ternity leave so I can get and train a puppy.

Freaking genius.

[Anonymous User]

What about in-office massages? That would be nice.

[Anonymous User]

decent health insurance would be nice. my premiums are absolutely disgusting.

Frustrating to have a choice of either this or a more manageable premium in a HDHP with a huge deductible. I feel like the only prudent decision for me, as a healthy 20-something single associate, is to do this but maintain an HSA in case something happens.

401k contributions - matching or otherwise - would be nice as well. Right now I don't send much here.

[Anonymous User]

Reasonable medical plan premiums - right now associates at my firm pay $1,000 a month for family coverage, which is a lot of money if you're a junior associate with a young family and student loan debt.

Love the idea of a sabbatical for mid-senior level associates - I think a lot of the move to in-house has to do with people being burned out, and if you just gave them a couple of months to recharge, you might see less attrition.

The ability to go on a reduced schedule for a couple of years even for associates who don't have kids.

Matching payments in 401(k)s - and since it's now possible to match on student loan payments, matching on that too.

Help with housing down payments - I'm more likely to stay in the area if I own my own place, but yikes, it's hard to get a down payment when you've got student loan debt and you're trying to save for retirement.

Some sort of support for our outside of the office interest - if someone's interested in taking up the guitar, or languages, or sports, give us some sort of credit for that (again, to help with the burn out).

Flexibility to work from home/work from wherever. Sometimes I'd just like to go to the beach for a couple of weeks and work from an AirBnb, but partners who want face time won't allow it.

[icansortofmath]

Paw-ternity leave so I can get and train a puppy.

+infinity

[Auxilio]

One of the firms I'm looking at has a basically enforced 4 week paid break every four years. Definitely a plus.

Paw-ternity would be amazing too. Health insurance and 401k matching would be nice, but that's basically just compensation of a different form, not really creative etc.

[Anonymous User]

What about in-office massages? That would be nice.

My firm brings in masseuses, as well as mobile manicures/pedicures. However you have to pay for it. It's convenient but not really a benefit I guess.

[Anonymous User]

Love the idea of a sabbatical for mid-senior level associates - I think a lot of the move to in-house has to do with people being burned out, and if you just gave them a couple of months to recharge, you might see less attrition.

The ability to go on a reduced schedule for a couple of years even for associates who don't have kids.

This is what I was going to say. A lot of folks see Biglaw as something where you put your real life on hold and then leave for greener pastures. If I could have biglaw and still get to take that big trip when I'm relatively young, or go develop that side passion project for a bit, it'd be great.

Agree with the reduced schedule too. Even if just temporary, it'd be nice to be able to say to a partner "ok, I know I'm starting to burn out, let me go 9-5 for a few months" and get that ok'ed with the firm.

[Mullens]

I would check with your firm on the down payment thing. My firm has relationships with a few banks where you only have to put 5% down so that may already be a perk you can take advantage of.