Day in the Life of a Big Law Associate | What Does a Lawyer Do on a Typical Day
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- Опубліковано 5 сер 2024
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DAY IN THE LIFE OF A BIG LAW ASSOCIATE//Wondering what does a lawyer do in a typical day? Curious about what a day in the life of a big law lawyer looks like? In this video we walk through a big law associate day in the life. I will go through biglaw work life balance and what a biglaw salary actually looks like. You will get to see a day in the life of a corporate lawyer and stay tuned until the end to see why I quit my job as a lawyer.
Questions? Drop them in the comments below!
Angela
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Connect with Marissa here! 👇
/ marissa-geannette-3223...
/ theunbillablelife
theunbillablelife.com/
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Big Law Salary and Bonus Scale: www.biglawinvestor.com/biglaw...
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Let's connect! 👇
/ angelavorpahl
/ angelavorpahl
www.angelavorpahl.com/
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Check out my “How to Get a BigLaw Job” 4-part Video Series!:
How to Get a BigLaw Job: Step 1: 1L Grades: • How to Get a BigLaw Jo...
How to Get a BigLaw Job: Step 2: 1L Summer Internship: • How to Get a BigLaw Jo...
How to Get a BigLaw Job: Step 3: 1L Summer Hacks: • How to Get a BigLaw Jo...
Check out my playlist of other LEGAL CAREER AND INDUSTRY VIDEOS here!:
How Much Do Lawyers Work: • How Much Do Lawyers Wo...
How Much Do Lawyers Make: • How Much Do Lawyers Ma...
How to Get Legal Clients: • How to Get More Client...
Legal Job Market 2020: • Legal Job Market 2020 ...
Litigation v. Corporate: • Litigation vs Transact...
Top 100 U.S. Law Firms: • Top U.S. Law Firms | T...
How to Get a Job Out of Law School:
Big Law Firm v. Small Law Firm: • Big Law Firm vs. Small...
How to Become an International Lawyer: • How to Become an Inter...
Top 10 Cities for Lawyers: • Top 10 Cities for Lawy...
Mom Lawyer: • Work Life Balance for ...
Financial Do's and Don't's: • Financial Do's and Don...
Check out my playlist of other LEGAL LIFESTYLE VIDEOS here!:
First Jobs Out of Law School: • First Jobs Out of Law ...
The Truth About a Big Law Firm Salary: • The Truth About a Big ...
Work Life Balance for Lawyers: • Work Life Balance for ...
Lawyer Personality Types: • Lawyer Personality Typ...
Millennial Lawyers 2019: • What Millennials Want ...
Top 5 Myths About Lawyers: • Top 5 Myths About Lawy...
Why I Became a Lawyer: • Why I Decided to Becom...
Girl Lawyer War Stories: • Girl Lawyer War Stories
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Outro music: bensound.com
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• Day in the Life of a B...
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#lawshool #lawstudents #lawyer
![Litigation vs Transactional Law [What Does a Corporate Attorney Do | What Do Litigators Do]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/MnjX1nByoOc/mqdefault.jpg)
Want to learn the study strategies needed to compete for TOP law school grades?
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so incredibly insightful! I’m a 2L and just landed a big law internship for the summer. with no lawyers in the family, this is invaluable for me!
Andrea, that's AMAZING!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! If you have any questions or want to get any other insights before you start, feel free to reach out in the FB group I run for law students and new lawyers(!): facebook.com/groups/lawtribenetwork.
I guess Im asking the wrong place but does anybody know of a method to get back into an instagram account..?
I was dumb forgot the login password. I would love any tricks you can offer me.
@Axton Michael Instablaster :)
@Jaden Jaxson I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site through google and I'm trying it out now.
I see it takes a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Jaden Jaxson It worked and I actually got access to my account again. Im so happy:D
Thanks so much, you saved my ass !
Hands down the best no bs look into big law in all of UA-cam. I’ve watched this several times during my two years in law school and I love it every time. Thanks Angela.
Wow. Thanks, Abhinav! I'm so glad the video was helpful. Your comment made my day!! 😍
Angela,
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Noone ever gets into specifics regarding the actual granular work of big law attorneys. Makes total sense and thanks again for the clear picture. You rock.
😭😭 I can't tell you how awesome it feels when one of these videos really resonates with someone and helps give clarity around something I've always thought is so weirdly secretive! I live for these moments, so thank you so much Chris for letting me know!! 😭😭
I love your program! Straight forward, honest, and informative! Thank you!
Hi Kevin! I'm so glad the video was helpful! My goal is definitely to cut through the confusion and uncertainty, so I'm glad this video seemed to do exactly that!! 💯
Good in-depth info about life in big law. Congrats to your guest Marissa for making it through so many years; she must be an incredibly hard worker!
Thanks so much! Hell yeah, Marissa is amazing!! I would definitely recommend following her and her post-biglaw journey :)
Loved this . Thanks for sharing .
My pleasure! I'm so glad it resonated with you! Are you already in practice, or thinking about a possible legal career? :)
Very insightful! I’m glad I found this channel 👏👏👏
Yay!! I'm so glad the video was helpful! Are you thinking of pursuing a legal career? :)
Great information and well made video-thank you very much
My pleasure! If you're interested in more information and support, I run a free FB group for law students, prelaw students, and new lawyers. Would you like the link to join?
Thank you for the video! Very helpful!
My pleasure! I'm so happy to hear the video gave some helpful insights!!
You two provided good information. I've never worked in biglaw & have worked in small to medium firms. I think the long hours & impact on personal life are true for many lawyers, regardless of the sector & firm size. It can't be sustained & I've finally had enough after sacrificing my personal life & saying "no" to my own needs hundreds of times. The only thing that keeps me going is that my current job is likely my last firm job in a litigation role.
Hi Violet! I think that your story is such an important one to share. It's definitely true that the stress and overwhelm in the legal industry isn't exclusive to biglaw, and friends of mine in small and medium firms struggle with the same issues on a daily basis. I'm glad that you are already creating a path to find a better fit for you 💚
Really good video, thank you!
I'm so glad you found it helpful!! :)
Love your content. From the UK♥️
Thank you so much! That makes my day! I'm planning to start making new videos again soon!! :)
Such a helpful video. I’m over the moon that I found your channel! Thank you so much Ms. Vorpahl!
Yay!! I'm so glad the video was helpful!! Where are you in the law school/legal career pursuit at the moment? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl I’m actually applying to medical school - but have always been interested in law. Your channel has been so helpful in breaking down the specifics of the career. I think one day I will go Law School. Again, thank you so much!!! This is invaluable information!
@@andrewhunter742 Oh my gosh that's amazing!! I have all the respect in the world for medical student, hats off to you guys! I can't wait to see you with a medical degree in one hand and a law degree in the other! :)
Here's the problem- your time on this planet is finite- you are trading your most valuable years of your life for the money- I decided to go to law school back when I was 19, but i spent a week with my uncle who worked at Kirkland, the guy spent his entire 20s, and 30s at the firm, yes he made a lot of money but in the one life he was given he, spent his youth in a office. Seeing that example i decided to do other things like travel, be a musician, a social worker and have all the fun in my youth and I just started law school at 39, It's a interesting experience for sure.
What an inspiring story! It's so awesome that you got to live an entire life doing all the things you were passionate about and now get to turn to the next adventure! I actually run a free FB group for law students and prelaw students looking for clarity and support in their law school journey and a BIG chunk of people in the group are non-traditional students starting law school in their 30s and 40s! Would you like the link to join? :)
Also thanks again. So nuanced and in depth. Studying for the LSAT rn and I haven’t known the type of law I want to practice for a while now but your videos and insights make me really consider Big Law (at least right out of law school lol)
I'm so glad to hear the videos have been helpful! Figuring out what you want to do with your law degree is definitely a process and most of don't know when we're heading into law school, so don't worry :)
I'm actually answering questions all about this type of thing inside the FB group that I host for law students, prelaw students, and new lawyers -- would you like the link to join?
@@AngelaVorpahl yes please!
@@jesusalejandrocazares3343 Awesome! Here you go: facebook.com/groups/lawtribenetwork. See you inside! :)
Enjoying your videos
I'm so glad to hear it! Is law school the next big thing coming up for you?
Great vid 👍🏻
Thanks, Chris! Is biglaw something you're interested in pursuing?
Great Content
Thanks, Cheryl! Are you thinking about law school or already neck deep in it? :)
Excellent video
Thanks so much! I'm so glad it was helpful!!
I’m starting as a 2L in Big Law too! This is really interesting. I still can’t decide between Lit and corporate, that both sound interesting to me
That's awesome, congratulations! I know the litigation/corporate decision is a tough one, especially if you're anything like I was at the time and have zero experience in either. If you can try out both types of projects that helps give you a bit of a window, but also conducting informational interviews with lawyers at the firm in the opposite practice group will also give you some insight into exactly what they do day in and day out!
Awesome 🙏🙏🙏
😍😍😍
Thanks for sharing your horror stories. I'm sure many of us have similar stuff having happened to us. Mistakes happen.
Definitely! I agree, it's so good to share our experiences so that we can all learn and try to do better!
Absolutely great video. I subscribed!
That's awesome! Is biglaw something you're interested in? :)
@@tmercari8807 That's awesome!! I'm so glad this helped give you some clarity around a really good career fit for you :)
Very good. I am an old lawyer. Over 30 years in I still get as much pleasure from reading cases in my area as any hobby. I am very lucky. However I never made partner and set up on my own entirely alone which actually now with hindsight was brilliant - I decide everything, work when I like and keep all the money. 4 of my children are lawyers or almost lawyers here in the UK (London big law in many senses is similar to NY big law) so I have certainly not put off the next generation either.
That's amazing!! I know that's the dream of SO many of us to be able to work the complex cases but do it in a way that doesn't take over our lives. I'm so impressed that you found a way to do it that gives you the best of both worlds :)
The best analogy I've heard in regards to making partner is ' it's like winning a pie eating contest and first prize is more pie.' Definitely my experience. Don't expect things to lighten up until you are a senior partner with 6-8 years under your belt as a partner...if you live that long lol.
That's an AMAZING analogy, thank you so much for sharing that perspective from the inside! We always use to say that the reward for good work is more work, but I like the pie-eating analogy even better :)
That’s an Awesome video
Thanks, Ali! I'm so glad it resonated!!
Very informative, 30 minutes felt like 3 minutes. I can't believe US associates get paid what partners in big law UK firms get paid, with the same billable hour targets too.
That's so interesting! Yeah the biglaw salaries and bonuses get crazy high really fast. I suppose the main tradeoff for us is that the amount of student loan debt we graduate with is on average something like $150,000 to $250,000, so that's why a lot of associates who can get biglaw jobs choose to work in biglaw for a few years before they transition out to do something else.
@@AngelaVorpahl that is a crazy amount of debt. In the UK we don’t have to pay back our loans if we can’t afford it and we only pay back a small amount after we earn a certain amount of money.
Some partners in the UK are feeling threatened by US firms because graduates are training in UK firms and then moving to US firms once their training is complete for the bigger salary.
@@shibazhussain2889 Oh wow, I hadn't heard that! That would definitely be the best of both worlds -- low debt and high pay. I'd be interested to learn more about those transitions!
Angela! I am a new subscriber and your videos has been so helpful. A Q about BigLaw: what is vacation time like? Are you usually taking weekend getaways? Are you allowed to take a 1-2 week vacation? I feel I haven’t heard this perspective before.
Hi Coco! So vacation is an interesting topic, and definitely a very strategic one (both in biglaw or any law firm I'd say). Generally you're given 4 weeks of vacation per year, but the challenge is to actually be able to find time to take it since you're constantly staffed on multiple matters at a time. So in the first few years you're likely going to be taking a few days here and there, long weekends and things like that, while you build a name and reputation for yourself as a hard worker who produces strong work product.
Once you're a couple of years in it feels much more comfortable to take an entire week off or even 2 weeks off a time. But in order to take large chunks of time, you definitely need to find other associates on your team to cover for you and take over your projects so that you're not being emailed every 5 minutes while you're on vacation, and I always found it easiest and best to take these longer vacations right when a case settled or right when a big trial ended because things are quiet for a week or two at the point before you get staffed on another matter. So it's a lot of timing and strategy to pull it off :)
Angela, your war stories are rough! You're obviously very resilient!
It was tough at times for sure, but the absolute perfect thing for me to be doing at that phase of my life!
Really informative - thank you!
My pleasure! I actually run a free FB group for law students and prelaw students looking to gain clarity and support in their law school journey. Would you like the link to join? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl sure!
@@mung2585 Cool! Here's the link to join: facebook.com/groups/lawtribenetwork. See you inside!
This was so informative. Thank you!
Yay!! I'm so glad! Is biglaw something you have in your sights? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl I’m not sure. I’ve always done public interest law. Never really gave private sector much thought. I imagine I’m too much of an outsider at this point with no real connections to big law. I’m sure it would be interesting though.
@@DanaLynnette Gotcha! If you don't mind me asking, are you currently in law school or already out and practicing? Because the stage of your career carries with it different strategies for making lateral moves like this if you ever were to become interested :)
@@AngelaVorpahl I’m a fledgling attorney. I have a few years of experience. I’m pretty committed to my geographical location, so that makes things even more interesting... 🤷🏽♀️ It’s a good thing I’m pretty content, lol
I m thinking of pursuing law and your videos are so encouraging i feel like i can just do what i want
That's so awesome to hear!! I'm so glad!! If you're interested I run a free FB group for law students and prelaw students, would you like the link to join? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl i would have loved to but i dont have social media i mean i had but i deleted all my acc 🥺
@@krsakay2094 No worries! You can always reach out here if you ever have any questions :)
@@AngelaVorpahl 🥺 thnx❤❤
I love this content! I would love to see more interviews with Big Law associates. It is invaluable to an aspiring attorney. Thanks!
I'm so glad the video was helpful!! Are you currently in law school or headed in that direction? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl I'm going to law school in the fall. :) I'm interested in litigation and criminal law so I am debating whether to take the firm or district attorney's office route. I love these kind of informational videos. It really helps decide what career path seems most appealing!
haha I just realized I commented on this video a few months back. I've watched it a few times and still helpful!
@@Justice404b I love how totally invested you are in finding your right path for you and learning about what you may want to do with your law degree! In the next couple of weeks I'm actually going to be opening the doors to a new beta mini course called "The 0L Project" to walk you guys through exactly how to use these next few months to get ready for the next stage of your life and career in law school. Would you like to join the waitlist to learn more? :)
@@Justice404b Haha that's NEXT LEVEL awesomely passionate! :)
You guys working so hard! Definitely makes you guys very good people for our society!
Thanks, Jane! I love hearing that the videos resonate with you guys :) I also run a free FB group for prelaw and law students to provide clarity and support in their law school journey, would you like the link to join? :)
Thank both of you. So instructive.
I'm so happy to hear it! Is biglaw something you're considering? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl yes. I would like to pursue my legal studies with a Llm in US, the next year.
@@Magnus351 Very cool! I actually run a free FB group for law students looking for clarity and support in their law school journey, would you like the link to join?
@@AngelaVorpahl Yes, please.
@@Magnus351 @Emmanuel TCHOKPODO Great! Here's the link: facebook.com/groups/lawtribenetwork See you inside!
As a government litigator, I was doing every task she described in this video, in my first month, by myself, and paid 1/10 the salary. Great video though, I never knew the day to day of a big law associate.
That's so stressful to hear, I'm so sorry! Did your workload eventually lighten up and/or did they hire someone to help you?
It is actually a really good experience so far. Only way to get federal civil trials under my belt. We're understaffed but slowly bringing new people on.
@@meray1010 That sounds so exciting!! Good for you!! :)
ahhh dream job! I'm taking notes! Thank you!
Yay!! Where are you in the law school/legal career process at the moment? :)
Me as well!! Im still in high school but am trying to get on track for a career in “big law”.
@@sanveergill9770 That's awesome! I actually run a free FB group for law students and prelaw students! Would you like the link to join? :)
Could I get added as well? I’m a senior in college and this group sounds so helpful!
@@alwaysJulie2 Absolutely! Here's the link to join: facebook.com/groups/lawtribenetwork. See you inside!!
Hey Angela! This was easily your most outstanding video; I could not find this anywhere else! I wanted to know if I could message you somewhere, in regards to your opinion on my chances of getting into one of the better law schools. I have focused my whole life into it, and I plan on taking the lsat in a year. I know how busy you must be, but please let me know =)
Absolutely! Send me a DM on Instagram @angelavorpahl, and let me know the specifics of what you hope to get insight on!
Just stumbled upon your channel! This is very informative and a great listen. I will be checking out your other videos over the next few weeks. Have you done any videos or web posts regarding social media use? Meaning with the emphasis placed on social media in society, how important would you say it is to have a LinkedIn account, Twitter etc. or is there another type of online presence that you would recommend/not recommend for a legal career? Basically the do's and do nots for social media/online presence.
I will be attending University of Nebraska, Lincoln in August. 1L. I am very excited! :)
Great question! You 100% want to build out your LinkedIn account because that is where all the lawyers hang out online. A lot of government and nonprofit organizations also post on Twitter, but it's not a must if you're not in those spaces. My personal advice (if the goal is to build up your community in the legal industry and eventually look for internships, jobs, and mentors) is to go all-in on LinkedIn. (I love talking social media stuff!) I actually run a free FB group for law students and prelaw students looking to get clarity and support in their law school journey. Would you like the link to join? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl yes please! I started the process with Linkedin and created one. I just feel so out of the loop! I'm from the generation where you didn't have any social media or online presence and now that's how you network.
The delivery of this information is priceless.
Thanks so much, Tressa!! Are you interested in biglaw as a possible career option?
@@AngelaVorpahl Yes. I've been thinking hard about a career change from chemical scientist. After this video I am thinking "wow,they really make that much (I expected a salary that was closer to my current career path)" "interesting that there's two more lawyers who decided to leave big law" and "the work environment is something I don't mind."
@@Artressa Very cool!! If you have any questions as you make your way through the process, don't hesitate to reach out! :)
thank you for the video!!! :) i love all of your content!
Yay!! You're welcome! I'm so glad it was helpful!! Are you currently in the law school/legal career seeking process? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl yes! I'm in Canada and I found your channel while prepping for my OCIs. All your content is super helpful and insightful and I'm happy to say that I landed an articling position at a national firm :)
@@ilovewatchvideos OMG that's amazing!!! Congratulations!!! 🎉🎉🎉
@@AngelaVorpahl thank you !!! huge thanks to you Angela :D
@@ilovewatchvideos 😍😍😍
great
Question: Did you know going into your law firm that you were going to be a civil litigator? Do people usually know what teams/ projects they’re going to be on? I now realize how vast and big Big Law is.
So in the first interview with law firms -- almost always through the OCI (on-campus interviewing) process -- they will ask you what type of law you're interested in practicing. Most law students have zero idea what type of law they want to practice, but I help coach my students on how to go about answering this question and it generally entails letting the firm know that you're interested in either a litigation track or a transactional track. If the law firm likes you they'll give you an offer for a summer associateship, and they'll usually pick 1-2 practice groups to put you in based on the needs of the law firm and the area of law you expressed interest in during the interview.
At the end of the summer, they will likely make you a permanent offer of employment (if all goes well), and if you worked in more than one practice group they'll ask you to rank them according to preference. At the end of the day the law firm will put you in the practice group where they need you, but your preferences may help impact the decision to the extent that both practice groups need new associates.
Does that answer your question?
@@AngelaVorpahl Yes and more! I’ve literally watched so many other channels and no one else is this in depth and thorough as you are! God bless your soul!! Lol ✊🏼
@@jesusalejandrocazares3343 💪💪💪
Hey Angela! Would you mind repeating this series with a Canadian lawyers? The earning prospects for lawyers here is very very different at barely $100,000 as a first year associate. I'm interested to know what their work day is like to understand if its really worth a salary that is basically only half of what a similar job would earn you in America...
This earning potential is something that is largely pushing Canadian pre-law students to apply to an American law school (including me!) and I'd love to hear what the difference between the two nations really is
Hi Alexa! That's such an interesting question! I have a few students who are Canadians attending U.S. law schools so I'll make a point to ask them if they know the major differences between the two systems because I would imagine that one perk of the Canadian system is that the cost of law school would be much lower, but that's just a guess!
@@AngelaVorpahl It's definitely lower but not really low enough to justify the potential difference in salary haha - Canada's "#1 Law School" (I say that in quotes because we really only have a handful and they're all considered top notch) is ~33k CAD or 25K US and the cheapest you'll find is still around $20K CAD...so, still crazy expensive and enough to deter many Canadians from becoming lawyers.
I could be wrong but I believe on average an American law school is about 1.5 or 2x as much, so i wrestle with the idea of paying twice as much for an American education given it will probably pay dividends long term as starting salary's are twice as much and the potential to earn much more long-term is also there......
.......such a difficult decision......
Could you also speak to your students about if they've thought about the possibility of coming back home and practicing in Canada again? How much of a burden is it to get licensed in both places is something I wonder as well if that's even possible
@@AlexG-oo8kt Interesting! I also just had an idea -- another way we could crowdsource this information is through the free FB group I run! I have a lot of international law students and prelaw students in there and have no doubt that there will be other Canadians. Would you like the link to join?
@@AngelaVorpahl Yes please!
@@AlexG-oo8kt Here you go: facebook.com/groups/lawtribenetwork. See you in there!!
If she made $470,000 in NYC as an 8-year Associate, how much of that went towards taxes (Federal, New York State, New York City, Social Security, Medicare, etc.) and insurance? After that, how much went towards your rent/mortgage and living expenses? And even with such a high salary and bonus in NYC, after taxes, insurance, and living expenses, did you really feel THAT rich in such an expensive city.....?
Good question! I actually made a video on this exact topic, showing you guys how much I made vs. how much I spent so you can get a sense for how much goes to taxes, expenditures, and savings. Feel free to check it out here(!): ua-cam.com/video/R4_050pVNXs/v-deo.html
Your videos are so helpful! Thanks for the content. I’m starting LS this coming fall and the path I want to take it to become a prosecutor out of law school then possibly transition to big law 3 years later or so. Assuming my grades/ranking is good and my school is decent, is that a good path? I’ve read online that it’s not necessarily a good idea. What do you think?
Hi Arman! I have several thoughts on this, so send me this question to me in a DM on Instagram (@angelavorpahl) that way I can send you an audio and give you a fuller explanation :)
@@AngelaVorpahl Done!
@@armanvardumyan3248 Awesome! Just sent you a response! :)
People you must remember when she speaks about her salary being 420,000 (i'm assuming she made a type when she said 470,000) for the 8th year law associate position. She isn't accounting for Taxes! I assume its her gross so when all is said and done she will really only be making around 300,000 perhaps a little less a year which is still quite an incredible amount.
Thank you so much.
My pleasure! Is biglaw something you're interested in pursuing? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl Yes, I am from South Africa and tomorrow I have a virtual interview with the biggest firm in Africa. Thank God UA-cam led me to your channel because I found answers to questions that are asked in our big firms as well.
@@lithasigabi4594 That's so amazing!! I'm so happy that the videos have been helpful! Please let me know how it goes! :)
@@AngelaVorpahl I'm guessing it went really well because today I got an email from the firm telling me what they require of me in the next step of the recruitment process.
@@lithasigabi4594 NICE! Congratulations!!
This question may be a harder one but what was the general associate proximity to the firm like? I mean did every associate live in the city to save time on the commute or were there associates that lived outside the city and spent time commuting in? I have always been a commuter and love the peace and quiet and general aesthetic of living in a small-town outside NYC but do you think it's not really feasible to do that while employed in BigLaw, is it unheard of associates spending over an hour to and from work every day?
In NYC long commutes were very common. I would say half or more of the associates and partners had a longer than 1-hour commute, either to NJ, Long Island, or Brooklyn. We were lucky in that our building was located one block from Port Authority, so commuting is was incredibly convenient for everyone. There are quite a few law firms with offices in midtown so those commutes aren't terrible, but I know that a lot of firms recently moved offices to Hudson Yards, so I would definitley plan out (if possible) where you're going to live in relation to the proximity to trains and subways needed -- but that's more for your own convenience than anything else!
Hey, Angela love the videos. How do you pace your work if you have to work a 14 hour day. Do you have a lunch break etc... and do you work on a single task and then switch to another one after it's done. Some perspective would be really helpful.
I'm so glad the video is helpful! So the work day definitely happens in waves. For me, I would get into the office, get a cup of green tea, boot up my computer, and usually work 10:30am to 1:30pm, then I would go somewhere nearby to grab lunch to go, eat at my desk while working or watching a youtube video (like the Daily Show), do another round of work from around 2:30pm to 6:30pm (usually with a coffee break in between), and then I would probably find someone to chat with a bit to take a break, and then around that time I got my third wind and would work about 7pm to 10pm, or however long I was working for that day. If it was a 14-hour day that usually meant that a big project was due, like a brief or an expert report and so I was able to stay focused for longer to try and get it done, but it also could be a long day because there were a lot of meetings or client calls or filings and I would be bouncing around the office a lot more which makes the day fly by even faster.
Does that answer your question?
@@AngelaVorpahl Yes very insightful indeed. One last question, when you have multiple assignments to work on, and lets say the one your working on for whatever reason seems to irritate you at the moment. Do you switch to another assignment or do you just power through it? ( in a case where the deadline isn't right around the corner.)
@@MichaelJakcsonMusic So it will definitely depend on the assignment and the deadline, but for me I liked to bounce around and work on a few different projects per day so that my brain didn't melt from monotony or overwhelm over just one. That being said, whenever there was a research or writing assignment, that requires a high level of mental energy and focus and I personally need huge chunks of time to get into the zone and make progress on it -- I'm not able to quickly and easily bounce in and out of that type of project. So if I had writing to do I would usually wait until most of the office went home (6:30pm-7:30pm) and then get in 4 to 6 to 8 hours of just pure writing time free from interruptions.
Is BigLaw something you're interested in pursuing? :)
I don't think everyone can work those kinds of hours. The money is great but there's definitely a sacrifice for it.
Hello Angela! I just stumbled across this video and I must say, I have found it to be incredibly informative. I was hoping you could answer these questions for me. What was the application process and/ or interviewing process like for you? Is it true that you have to be a straight A student or mostly an A student to land this type of job? What, in your view, mostly impresses big law firms? I graduated law school almost two years ago, and I’m currently working for a personal injury firm in NY. Currently awaiting bar exam results. So, I’m just weighing my options. Thanks again for this wealth of information!
Hi Brittany! I'm so glad you found the video to be helpful! These are all great questions and I am happy to answer them. Send me a DM on Instragram (@angelavorpahl) with these same questions and that way I can send you an audio with my thoughts!
@@AngelaVorpahl Thank you for responding to me. As I am not on Instagram, I was wondering if another platform would work for you/ perhaps email/Facebook/ WhatsApp?
@@brittanycampbell9332 I just checked and LinkedIn has brought back its audio messaging capabilities so feel free to send me the questions on LI!
@@AngelaVorpahl Will do!
Just to give some context - 2,000 hours a year is 40 hrs/week with 2 weeks vacation. And billable hours is only part of your job….Some law school administration estimate that first year associates only bill have of their total working time. It’s understandable why they’re working 10-14 hours a day to make those requirements.
Totally. The hours you're actually at the office are much more than the hours you can physically bill work to a client. 2000-2200 billable hours per year makes for a very intense professional life for sure.
She said her salary and I literally almost fell out of my chair!! Lol one year of her 8th year salary would pay off my house and both of our cars. Wow. Of course I live and plan on practicing in Arkansas....so going to be much lower.
I know right! The biglaw salary numbers get crazy high. But it's definitely long hours and a lot of grunt work to start, so a lot of lawyers plan to work in biglaw for a few years before transitioning out and doing something else! Keep in mind too that there are biglaw offices all around the country, not only in the big markets like NYC, SF, and DC. So it may be the case that a few have offices somewhere in Arkansas. Where are you in the law school and legal career process? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl I haven't started 1L as of yet. Hopefully I can start next fall!!
@@SLM41 Very cool! If it would be helpful I'm in my FB group all the time answering questions about law school and legal careers, would you like the link to join?
@@AngelaVorpahl I'm already joined on fb but its easy to listen to the videos through UA-cam while I work during the day.
@@SLM41 Excellent! UA-cam videos were my go-to work break too!
What type of law did you do while you were at big law? Also, is it possible to have a family (wife, a kid, etc) or date while at big law?
Good question! I practiced IP litigation, which was something I didn't even know existed when I started law school (life will always surprise you)! I have lots of thoughts I'm happy to share about personal life while in biglaw--DM me on Instagram (@angelavorpahl) with this question and I'll send you a voicenote!
Hello! I’m a student at Northwestern and I’m really interested in law but I’m not quite sure on how to pick a speciality or specific area of law to study. I grew up loving everything about law and I am currently in the legal studies program at northwestern but I don’t have a preference for what type of law to focus on. Do you have any advice for choosing specific areas of law to make a career in? Thank you and this video was amazing!
Hi! I'm so glad the video was helpful!! With respect to starting to hone in on the type of law you might want to practice, I have 4 recommendations.
1. Make sure you have a high level understanding about the difference between litigation-based practice groups and transactional-based practice groups because almost all niches fall into one of these two umbrellas. Check out this video here for a breakdown of each: ua-cam.com/video/MnjX1nByoOc/v-deo.html
2. Start to do informational interviews with lawyers in different legal niches and the different legal sectors (i.e. law firms, corporations, non-profits, government agencies, and academia) so that you can start to get a sense for what the different types of law are like day-to-day. Check out this video here for how to go about conducting informational interviews: ua-cam.com/video/MMldkngNHB0/v-deo.html
3. If you can, try and get an internship in one of the above sectors that puts you working with or around lawyers so that you have first-hand context for what a lawyer does and what their day-to-day looks like.
4. Just to get the ball rolling, you can take this "What Type of Lawyer Should I Be?" quiz that I made :) launch.angelavorpahl.com/what-type-of-lawyer-quiz
I hope this was helpful!! Let me know how it goes!
Angela
@@AngelaVorpahl this was incredibly helpful. My best friends mom (and person who pushed me towards law school) is Marketa Lindt. She works at Sidley Austin doing immigration law and I always found her work fascinating. I’ll make sure to check out the different sectors and your quiz. I do have an additional question, if I’m able to get an internship at a large law firm as a undergraduate would you suggest doing it even though it will be all coffee runs and grunt work? I really appreciate your help!
@@Goss2002 Soo my sense is that that type of internship would be very helpful to be able to (i) see from the inside how a law firm is run and what the day-to-day work looks like even if you're not the one doing the substantive work, (ii) put you in close quarters with lawyers who hopefully you can impress with your work ethic to the point where you feel comfortable enough asking them for a 15-minute coffee chat to get to know more about what they do and how they got to where they are (i.e. an informational interview to begin building your professional network), and (iii) be able to talk credibly about your desire to work in a law firm later in law firm interviews during 2L OCI. So it's definitely not a bad idea, but if you have the chance, I would couple that internship with another more substantive one at a smaller law firm, non-profit, or government agency so that you can also get the opportunity to work on more substantive projects as well!
@@AngelaVorpahl thank you so much, I’ll definitely take this into consideration!
@@Goss2002 Awesome! If you're looking for additional support, I also run a free FB group for law students and prelaw students, would you like the link to join? :)
Hi Angela as always love your videos and thanks for putting them there!!!! I wander if you would find a lip brush and pencil useful to make defined lines? hope I’m not intruding and thanks again for the video!!!
I'm glad the video was helpful!! Haha you're probably not wrong about a lip brush, I'm horrible with makeup!
@@AngelaVorpahl I personally benefited a lot from them! A lovely girl at the store showed me how to use a lip brush(and a Q-tip) to make a lip, and i loved it!
And then I kind of generalized makeup being using different brushes and techniques to do different parts haha.
Maybe it can be an enhancement to you as well if you find it useful!
@@mittyxxx8791 💪💪💪
Hi, so I am really enjoying your videos especially as an aspiring attorney that currently works as a paralegal and am in law school..My question is, from your knowledge, are paralegals raking in over-time as well? I hear they also work a lot and am just curious how stressful biglaw life is for a paralegal? Thanks
Ooh good question. I honestly am not totally sure how paralegals are paid at biglaw firms -- that is, if they qualify as employees who are paid overtime or if they are considered professionals with a set salary regardless of the number of hours they work. If I had to guess I would say the latter, but I'm definitely not totally positive about that.
May I ask what year of law school you're in? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl I'm thankfully entering my final year! I'm beyond happy that 2021 will be the year I finally am done especially with law school now being through Zoom! So this semester, Im doing an externship for an employee rights not-for-profit which is a nice change from the insurance defense lit that I work in. Even though I work with attorneys, its still refreshing to hear from someone who is not a ruthless litigator and has that Type A personality. I am unsure what practice area to pursue but simply know that I don't want to live to work and spend my life in .6 min increments!
@@lotusgrl444 @Lotus 444 That's awesome!! Congratulations! You're so close!! And if you're looking for additional support as you end law school and start your legal career, I run a free FB group for law students and new lawyers! Would you like the link to join? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl yes! I'd love to!
@@lotusgrl444 Awesome! Here's the link: facebook.com/groups/lawtribenetwork. See you on the inside! :)
I’d walk in with a hangover, get in the office at around noon, pop an Advil, sleep for half hour, take a shit, then do half ass work. Then leave early around 3.
Let’s say I didn’t last as long as others.
What do you expect
i use this to help me fall asleep at night
to be a receptionist or secretary to work in a lawyer firm or Attorney office Do you have to have a college degree.
Hmm good question. Not necessarily. We had an office manager without a college degree, so a receptionist or secretary may not require one in every office. You can definitely run some searches in LinkedIn and Indeed and see what the law firms in your area are requiring for those types of positions!
Do the billable hour requirement change by city? In my time at an investment bank, secondary cities had a higher hour expectation because managers figured the short commutes made it possible to work more. Anything like that in big law?
Hi David! Good question. So, yes, I would say that the biglaw billing requirements change slightly by city. The biggest divide I would say is probably NYC and everywhere else. So, for example, if you're working in the Dallas office of BigLaw Firm X, your billable hour requirements may be 2000, but if you work in the NYC office of the same firm, you may officially (or unofficially) be expected to bill 2200 hours per year simply because the culture in NYC generally tends to be that people work more. So generally speaking, the bigger the city (for the same law firm) the more you may be expected to work, whether that's an official billable hour change, or more likely, simply from the culture or the internal pressures of the office (i.e. all of the other associates are doing it).
Are you thinking of pursuing a career in biglaw yourself? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl Yes, I’ve been in finance for a while, and have had a lot of success on the sales side. I’m thinking of making some changes-which in sales almost always means building your clientele from scratch again-so it seems like an opportunity to learn new skills and build a different kind of business. I’m considering doing that in law, and thinking of how that fits with the kind of life I want to have.
@@GoDaveGo That's so cool! I'm so excited for you that you're thinking of other ways to use the skill set you've developed! I'm a huge fan of growing and changing and challenging yourself to do new things :)
If you're interested in additional support as you think through possibly pursuing a career in the law, I run a free FB group for law students, prelaw students, and new lawyers, would you like the link to join?
@@AngelaVorpahl That would be great, thank you!
@@GoDaveGo Great! Here's the link: facebook.com/groups/lawtribenetwork. See you inside!!
I've worked a lot of different jobs at different types of employers. Do you think it takes a special type of person to work the number of hours required by these law firms? Are there people who are smart and competent but did not succeed in BigLaw because they were not able to handle the hours?
Hi JT! This is such an interesting question. It's definitely true that a lot of people get burnt out by law firm hours, and the rough statistics are about 50% of associates leave in the first 3 years and 85% of associates leave in the first 5 years, but I don't necessarily know that those numbers drastically increase with biglaw as opposed to just law firms in general.
I have known a lot of lawyers who have left biglaw in the first 5 years and a lot of lawyers who have stayed, and I would say that probably what most determines longevity is much more about the priorities people have for their life and career, and much less about whether they can "hack" it or not.
Personally, I really enjoyed the long hours and challenging work that came along with biglaw, but that was also a very specific season in my life when my main priority was working insanely hard, learning everything I could, building a reputation for myself, and just generally going all in on my career. After those first 6 years out of law school, my priorities began to change, and I started to value much more the specific groups of people I was helping and slowly realized I was shifting what I wanted in my life from "grind it out" to "fun and light."
So, in answer to your question, I think that biglaw hours work best when they're in alignment with what you're looking for out of your career in a particular season of your life, and for some people that's 1 year, for others that's 5-10 years, and for others that may be for their entire professional career. But whichever category you fall into, the experience of working in biglaw can still be really valuable and eye-opening, if only to help point you more clearly in the direction you want to go.
Let me know if that answers your question :)
Angela
Can’t I just do Ctrl- F when sifting through documents for material terms?
I am a 2L and still looking up for internship opportunity in a big law firm kindly make videos on how to get top internship
Ooh this is a good question and I have a lot of thoughts on this! Are you already a member of the FB group? If not I can send you the link to join and you can come live to our next Ask Me Anything!
@@AngelaVorpahl right, kindly do that
@@karanteotia9705 Great! Here's the link to join: facebook.com/groups/lawtribenetwork See you inside!!
2400 billable is insane.I feel sorry for you Angela based on your experience. Glad you made it out though.
Thanks! At that phase of my life, it was exactly what I wanted. I don't know if I would feel the same way now...
Your videos make me insist on going to law school.
Haha if after watching this video you're jazzed to go to law school then a legal career is something you are VERY likely to enjoy!
Drafting motions is definitely not a high level task.
My brother landed a job a skadden second year associate
Very cool! Tell him congratulations!!
What did you do after you left?
I worked in the human rights field for a few years and then became an entrepreneur and law school coach!
This must a sign from God that I need to be a lawyer….oh wait that’s just the algorithm 🙃lol
Haha the internet is trying to trick you!! That being said...did this video make you want to become a lawyer or definitely steer clear? :)
Question: do big law firms avoid hiring new attorneys that are older? (30s) (assuming you went to a decent law school and had excellent grades) Is it basically too late?
Also, I take it there’s basically no work life balance.
Good question, and one I actually had myself. The short answer is no, and that many biglaw firms actually see prior experience as a plus (especially if it's related to the area of the law you're interested in practicing). The one caveat is that they will ask you why you decided to pursue law school (so just be ready for that question), and they're also going to ask (or want to see) that you're okay starting at the bottom and working your way up. BigLaw firms are VERY hierarchical and so you will need to reassure them that you are 100% on board with starting as a first year associate with everyone else, learning from the senior associates and partners and working hard, and taking on more substantive projects one step at a time.
The reality is that as a more experienced professional you are likely to get more client contact and more substantive projects earlier on, but they're very likely going to want to hear that you're completely comfortable starting from scratch again with a new career. And from the attorneys I've interviewed that can be the most challenging part for them personally since in many cases they've had successful careers in other areas. I'm also coming out with a more comprehensive video on this soon, so stay tuned for that!
@@AngelaVorpahl Thanks. I wouldn’t say I had successful careers in other areas which is one of the reasons why I’m considering law school. It’s been on the back burner for years (I can get into why if needed), in short I was not really sure I wanted to do that. Now I’m starting to believe it would be a good fit (depending on the field of course) . I work in the finance industry and I want to get away from it all together. My undergrad has nothing to do with finance.
Also, it’s safe to assume lawyers at big firms basically have no work life balance?
@@rypb16 So, it depends on your view on work-life balance. Like we said in the video, it's definitely long hours and you're expected to be available whenever they need you (nights, weekends, holidays, vacations). It doesn't mean you will always have to work those, but if a client or team member needs you, you'll be expected to be available. I really enjoyed my time in biglaw because I was at a point in my life where I loved working a ton and learning a ton, and I was in a late-night city where having dinner late or drinks late or playing volleyball late was very much the culture. That being said, if you have a family or you really value your personal time, it's definitely going to be an adjustment. That's honestly why so many associates leave in the first 3 to 5 years. That being said, if you decide to go to law school you definitely don't have to go into biglaw. There are a lot of other sectors where lawyers don't have the same work demands. So be sure to factor that in as well if that resonates more with the type of lifestyle you're looking for ;)
@@AngelaVorpahl I’m in my early 30s, no kids. Single. The past year made me take a hard look at my life and what I want for my future, even though I’m older.
Can you make 6 figures without working at a big firm like that?
I would love to pick your brain and get your take.
The areas of law I’m interested in: liability/tort, estate, civil rights, estate, constitution, public policy or public interest(I guess that’s not really a law field), worker’s compensation, bankruptcy, immigration, maybe labor as well. But I have been told that those law fields typically do not bring high salaries. Is there any truth to that? I know legal salaries are all over the place.
@@rypb16 It's definitely true that salaries vary across sectors, size of institution, and geographic area. It's not impossible to make 6 figures in sectors outside of biglaw (such as midsized law firms or in-house counsel), but almost across the board it takes at least 3-4 years to work your way up to 6 figures in those sectors (or in the case of in-house counsel it will take that much experience just to be eligible for that position). In other sectors (like government agencies or public interest) it can take 10-15 years to make 6 figures (if ever) depending on the level and size of the institution. The median starting salary for new law school graduates is $45,000 to $75,000.
I hope that helped answer your question! If you have a particular type of law you'd like to practice in a particular geographic area, you can also run searches on Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Google Jobs to get a sense for how much those positions pay and how many years of experience they require :)
Do you think I hard to get into big law?
It is definitely very competitive because biglaw firms almost universally hire only at the very top of the 1L class (top 33%, top 25%, top 10% are the most common 1L class ranking cut-offs to be able to participate to interview for biglaw firm jobs) and only in medium-to-bigger U.S. cities. Here's a video on the 1L class ranking v. law school ranking cut-offs to consider as you're picking a law school if biglaw is your goal: ua-cam.com/video/EurwlmjKsms/v-deo.html
Is this the same for patent law? Also since I am a science major should I focus on patent law?
Patent law is a lucrative area
What does a normal weekend look like for you guys?
When I was working as an associate, for a normal weekend I would usually take Saturday off and work about 3-4 hours on Sunday. I enjoyed picking up a few hours on Sunday because I would take my laptop to a coffee shop and do things that took more concentrated alone time that were tough to get done in the hustle and bustle of the office -- like read through a deposition, for example :) It also took a bit of the edge off of the week's billable hours because I already had 4 billable hours banked heading into Monday. Are you interested in pursuing biglaw? :)
What was your education path like right out of high school
Hi Kailynn! My path was very traditional -- I went from high school straight to 4 years of college straight into law school. That being said, taking gap years in between high school and college, and college and law school, can be a great way to build up your professional experience, get clear on what you might actually like to do and why, and further strengthen your law school admissions application.
Is law school something you're interested in? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl if you don’t mind me asking what did you get your degree in for the first four years of college ?
@@kailynndelgado8992 I double majored in poltical science and Spanish! But law school is totally agnostic to what your major or background is in, so you can literally major in anything and still go to law school. So my recommendation is always major in what you think you'll be most interested in because (i) you're likely to care more and work harder to get better grades, (ii) the major may open you up to other career paths that are good fits for you, and (iii) your uniqueness is what is going to create a rich background and personal narrative that will be your greatest asset in your personal statement for law school :)
Good afternoon how you
Hello!
What do you know about Big Law and top Universities?
I’m 24 years old and will go next year to a University in Spain to study Law. I would like to move to NYC and land a job and of course Big Law is the ultimate goal as you said.
My fear is that this Big Law firms will not take me into consideration as i studied in a Spanish Uni and not an Ivy League one for example... Are Big Law firms recruiting only from top unis? What has been your experience? Did you have colleagues from not so top Unis?
Did you have foreign colleagues?
Thank you so much!! The video was really interesting.
Hi Pablo! Really good questions. Send me a DM on Instagram (@angelavorpahl) and that way I can send you my thoughts via audio!
I have a quick question: so it seems like both of you definitely worked overtime ( more than typical work hours which is 8hr/day and 5days/week). Early in the video you both said how the 10+ hours/ days is pretty typical, and Marissa also talked about how she sometimes had to go into the office even on both Sat/Sundays. However, she also said only 2000hrs are required every year (1800 billable + 200 overhead). 2000hr is typical work hours without any over time. 2000hr/260 working days = 7.69hr/day which is technically not even full 8hrs/day. I wonder how come the requirement is so low when you had to work long hours on weekdays and had to work even on the weekends? In other words, do you get paid more if you work more? or is it just a fixed "lockstep" salary and all the overtime work beyond 2000hrs doesn't give yo more money (beside just "bonus" lump sum at then end of year)
I understand this video was posted 2 yours ago, but I would gladly appreciate if you could share some information with me. Thank you a lot in advance :)
Hi! Good question, and I totally understand the confusion. When we talk about "billable hours," those are hours that we're doing legal work that we can actually bill the client. I talk about it more in this video (ua-cam.com/video/Cd5jhQHYXJ4/v-deo.html), but it's virtually impossible to walk into a day at your law firm and bill for 8 hours straight. On a "good" day you'll physically be at work about 11 hours to get 8 billable hours in. And that's because there's always going to be non-billable time happening, like waiting for a partner's edits on a draft, waiting for clients to review work product, internal firm-related meetings or recruiting events, personal appointments, lunch, etc.
In addition to the above, work at a law firm is very ebb and flow. So there will be entire days (and even weeks) where you finish a big case or deal and are trying to get staffed on another one. Not to mention of course days off and vacation. So all of that "lost" billable time has to get made up while you're actively on a case or deal.
I will also say that while 2,000 billable hours is about average for biglaw, if there is work that needsto be done, the clock doesn't stop at 2,000 billable hours. You'll be expected to bill as much as you're needed (including on weekends, holidays, vacations, etc.). Not to mention, at my law firm the "expected" billable rate was 2,400 hours per year.
P.S. To your question about additional pay, you're exactly right. In biglaw it's generally a lockstep salary by associate class year, with a lockstep bonus if you hit a certain number of billable hours (e.g. 2000 hours might be one bonus, 2200 hours might be another bonus, etc.). As you get more senior, the law firm can be even more deferential with your bonus (i.e. giving you more for not only the work you do but how much moneh the cases/deals you worked on made for the firm). But to your question, no, you don't get "overtime" payments simply for working nights, weekends, or holidays because lawyers are generally considered "white collar" workers that are exempt from the overtime requirements.
@@AngelaVorpahl Thank you very much for your reply. It was very informative :)
Very useful indeed. It’s just not clear for me whether the yearly salary was based on the number of billable hours you were making during that year. Meaning : do your billable hours “belong to you”, meaning that you were getting a part of each hour billed, or you were getting your annual salary as long as you would hit the annual goal for billable hours ?
Hi Matthieu! The answer is the latter. You get a set salary (e.g. $190,000 for a first year associate) and the expectation is that you bill the law firm's yearly billable requirement (e.g. 2200 billable hours per associate). Even equity partners in the law firm don't get a "portion" of the money made from each billable hour they bill, instead they get a percentage of the overall profits of the firm for that year based on a point division system evaluated each year. I hope that helps!
Thanks for the answer, yes it helps understand how it works (and why it is important for the firm that associates meet the requirement).
Back school 🏫
What questions do you have about BigLaw? 👇🏼
What about food? I've heard of firms that provide catering/some type of lunch everyday, is that normal? Or did you order lunch and dinner at the office everyday? When did you have time to grocery shop and cook?
@@xolisa25 For lunch we were on our own and just walked to one of the nearby salad or sandwich places or chipotle. Most days we were busy enough that most people would eat at their desk, but a few times a month a lot of the associates would go to a sit down restaurant or the nearby park and eat together. For dinner, if you stayed past a certain time working (usually 8:30pm/9pm) you could order dinner and charge it to the firm. But not all law firms do that, so you'll find out more about the dinner policies once you've worked there a bit. We were in NYC and that's very typical of NYC firms, but not necessarily all biglaw firms in all geographic areas. As far as grocery shopping, I would usually go to the nearby whole foods on the weekends, but maybe if I just wanted to get fruit and snacks and stuff I occasionally went over lunch or after work. I personally never cooked, and most associates (even those that left the office around 7:30pm) would order dinner at home and if they cooked likely only did so on the weekends.
@@AngelaVorpahl Very informative, thank you!
So if you do value your personal time...what kind of law would you recommend going into?
@@xolisa25 Yay! You're welcome! Are you currently in the law school/legal career seeking process? :)
Sounds horrible. I have to say, I enjoy being a solo lawyer, and a member of the Family Court assigned counsel panel, although the money isn't nearly as good.
I'm so glad you found a great fit! It's definitely not an easy thing to do in the legal industry!
Work-Life-Balance doesnt exist there. I dont get it. if there is work for 12 to 14 hour days, why not just hire 3 instead of 2 people? NOBODY is productive for 12 to 14 hours a days over a long time period.
That's a really good question, and I think it's several things. The main one is that they're paying you a lot of money to be available whenever they need you, and I think the other thought is that it's more efficient to have the time, energy, resources, and training invested in a single person rather than doubling up on everything for double the number of people. That being said, turnover rates are crazy high in biglaw, so they tend to lose that investment rather quickly. So you would think that would cause them to rethink their strategy...
How can I get in touch with Marissa? What's the link to her biography
Absolutely! All of her contact info is in the description below the video!
@@AngelaVorpahl Thanks girl! Are you online rn on IG I DM you
@@rachelmwendwa5824 Sure! You can DM me @angelavorpahl
Why would somebody work 12 hours a day?
It's definitely not for everyone, but if you're doing work that you find exciting and meaningful it can be an absolute joy. 💜
930-530? I was expecting 7-8
It totally depends on the law firm, but 9:30am to 5:30pm is definitely more typical in terms of "official" working hours. But I would imagine that West Coast firms may need to be at least available online earlier just because of the time zone difference.
I am there's
Can we live in New Jersey and work in New York as lawyer?
Good question! It used to be the case that the NJ and NY bars would run in conjunction so that graduates could sit for both over a three day period (which is almost impossible to do with any other state pairing since the Bar is only offered twice a year). You didn't have to do this, but it was usual practice since so many people living in NJ wanted to keep their options open in case they went from a NY-based law firm to a NJ-based law firm. But now I'm pretty sure both NJ and NY are UBE states, so as long as you meet each state's minimum point requirement on the UBE (uniform bar exam) you can qualify to apply to practice in both states (or either one)!
@@AngelaVorpahl Thanks for the clarification. Very helpful. One more question: is that possible to work only in NY while staying in NJ and vice versa?.
@@sowmyahari2730 Ah okay, I think I misunderstood your question. The short answer is yes, you can live in NJ and work for a law firm in NY if you're licensed to practice in NY (and vice versa). The ethics rules are less clear when it comes to working "virtually" from home out of state (for example), but it looks like the ABA is looking into revisiting those scenarios as more lawyer set up virtual offices and/or work from home. Is law school something you're considering? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl Thanks for your quick response. That’s so nice of you. Actually one of my friend’s friend is working as ca in Ca and wants to pursue law as well. And wants to shift to NYC so we are figuring out the options. Actually we found cost of living is more or less high in both the states but he wants to give it a try here. Let’s hope for the best.
Why did you work part-time?
I wanted to travel! So I opted to become a contract attorney so that I could travel and work remotely, and only come into the office when I needed to be physically present for a project :)
@@AngelaVorpahl How many hours was required of you as a part time associate?
@@KP-uz3nk There were no requirements, but my personal goal was to meet the same billable hours even as a "part-time" associate :)
Her former work schedule sounds like a nightmare and like a living hell holy sht
Sifting through a 200-300 page document? YIKES
It can get tiring for sure, but you also get better at it and faster at it over time. And sometimes having "mindless" work to do can be a nice break from really mentally intensive projects, so if you're able to strike a balance between the two that's ideal :)
@@AngelaVorpahl Thanks for the info. I'm considering a lot of fields after I finish my BA. I'm thinking potentially law, or cybersecurity, as long as the Army pays for it and not me!
@@TheTyphoon365 Very cool! I also run a free FB group for law students and prelaw students looking to get clarity and support in their law school journey. Seeing as how law school may be something you're interested in, I think you would get a lot of value out of the group! Would you like the link to join? :)
$300K! Wow! Nice.
I know, right?! The salaries at biglaw get super high crazy fast.
They look like twins
Haha that's awesome!!
It rlly sounds like you don’t have a life outside of work with a law profession 👀
Every law firm is definitely a bit different, but I don't want to mislead you guys--if you work in private practice (i.e. a law firm), it's going to demand a LOT of your time. That being said, there are definitely steps you can take to be incredibly intentional about how you schedule your time around work to still do things you enjoy, see people that you love, and feel like a human.
This sounds horrible. Don’t become a wage slave. Limit debt. Graduating debt free > prestige of the law school, then get a job to learn and stack up cash to create your own business system to eventually collect passive income. All this girl is going is making someone else rich and giving up her chance to raise a family and spend time with friends and family.
Hi Matthew! I totally understand the perspective of not wanting to go into biglaw because of the long hours. It can definitely be really intense. That being said, for some of us it was a wonderful experience and gave us the opportunity to learn a ton and also gave us the financial freedom to be flexible and creative in our next career moves. But I definitely agree that biglaw is not for everyoone and you can learn essential lawyering skills and open up your own firm down the road without having gone the biglaw route, and some lawyers are much happier with that career path. It just goes to show that there's not a one-size-fits-all when it comes to legal careers, which is great news :)
Sounds boring.
I'm drained from just listening at the responsibilities. Associates sound like a paralegal/legal assistant.
The first few years are definitely a lot of grunt work for sure, and it totally feels like a high school intern could do a lot of the work you're assigned. And then slowly over time as you go from junior associate to mid-level associate you start to get more responsibility, more substantive work, and more leadership roles on cases and deals. But without a doubt, the long hours and grunt work assignments are what burn out people from biglaw the most!
If it sounds boring and you feel drained, maybe that's why law firms have to pay people so much money in the form of "compensation" for the hours they work and the level of focus required....
@@drivethrutours1916 Definitely! And the reality is that biglaw firm billable rates to clients are super high so clients demand immediate turn-around and perfection (or as close as possible), so every little project still needs to be done incredibly well and right away. Whereas in smaller law firms, where there are less lawyers on the team, you are forced to spend your time on the higher level tasks and let the small stuff go a lot of the time.
Girl, how high did you get before this? Throw in some eye drops... damn
Nice video - Burnout factor is high, money is good- work doesn't seem that rewarding. Cheers to pursuing more passionate things in life 😎⚖ Twitter @jwb1216
I'm glad it helped give you clarity!
Insightful video. Thanks!
I'm so glad you liked it!! I'm always hanging out in the free FB group I run for law students, prelaw students, and new lawyers answering questions and giving insights! Would you like the link to join?
@@AngelaVorpahl yes I am interested!
@@Justice404b Great! Here's the link to join: facebook.com/groups/lawtribenetwork. See you in there!!