<p>you only have to work 80-100 hours for your twenties, the so-called best years of your life. i was interested in law before, but the salary numbers make it all the more attractive.</p>
<p>Sachmoney, I’m not sure if you’re implying, in post 21, that you work those hours for your twenties, then leave ‘biglaw’? If so, then I suppose that is a possibility. However, if you are implying that if you work those hours in your twenties then you don’t have to, or that you aren’t expected to, work those hours at a ‘biglaw’ firm later in your career, then you are mistaken.</p>
<p>Just to clarify the non-existent salary bump, yesterday Simpson Thacher confirmed in a memo that, at least for now (and given the state of the economy, probably for the foreseeable future), salaries will stay exactly the same. I think most associates will simply have to find a way to be happy with the jump in salary that comes from moving up a class year even without a “bump”. </p>
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<p>I’m sure that you’ve heard the oft quoted maxim about biglaw associate salaries: they pay more than anyone else – and it’s all minimum wage. In other words, be prepared to live at the office. Thanks, but no thanks.</p>
<p>I think I was being kind of sarcastic, but I really don’t know what I meant. Like the way I feel now, the hours seem awful, but if I do Wall Street or something, I’m going to be doing the same thing. I’ll probably want to do law, then go get an MBA or MFin and get into Wall Street. I do want that law background, in case I want to go into law later down the line. I’m really into doing something in Civil Rights right now, so I don’t know how attractive Big Law is for that. May be lobbying or something in Washington.</p>
<p>The fact is if you want the big $$ you’re going to have to put in the hard work/hours. It’s the same for every business. If you could do something for 40 hrs/week and make huge $$ everyone would be doing it. These opportunities are few and far between.</p>
<p>Also it depends on where you work gbesq. If you work in NYC then yes, better bring a pillow to the office. If you work in LA, SF, DC it’s not much better (but it is, a little). However in other places, such as Houston, you’re average hours worked is around 55…not too bad for 160k pay.</p>