<p>A lot of people talk about there hatred or dislike for the profession because of the brutal hours. My question is aren't there many Quality of Life firms which work less hours? Why not join one of those and work there out of law school? I know salary will be less than BIGLAW but the salary wont be bad at all and you can somewhat enjoy your life? I don't think something like 1700 Billable Hours is ridiculous. What do practicing lawyers have to say about this?</p>
<p>I've never heard of a law firm that makes a point of having everyone work 9-5 (the old term was "banker's hours"). I imagine there are some, but it's a competitive marketplace for law firms too...</p>
<p>Government and academic jobs may be the closest to normal hours.</p>
<p>the first thing you really really have to understand about the practice of law -- law is a service industry. it is the lawyer's/law firms' job to meet the needs of the clients -- otherwise they find another lawyer/law firm.</p>
<p>so the nature of the work will largely dictate the types of hours involved. if a client wants an answer tomorrow because they need to make an important decision based on your answer tomorrow -- you get them the answer tomorrow -- even if it means staying all night to get it. sometimes they may not really need the answer tomorrow, but the partner still wants to get them the answer tomorrow so that they know that the next time they really really need the answer tomorrow this firm will be able to do it.</p>
<p>law firms are businesses -- businesses that survive and grow by keeping their clients happy. </p>
<p>also beware of firms that "think" they are lifestyle firms -- their definition of that may vary considerably from yours. lawyers have a tendency to compare themselves to other firms where they think things are much worse to convince themselves that they really aren't working as insane hours as they in fact are.</p>
<p>also - you have to understand the difference between billable hours and real actual in the office hours. not every minute you are at work is billable. there is a HUGE difference between billing 1700 and being at work 1700 hours.</p>
<p>I second what unbelievablem said. </p>
<p>I recently attended a conference where a very successful woman attorney spoke. She scathingly attacked junior associates who won't give out their cell phone numbers to clients. She essentially saw this as grounds for immediate termination.</p>
<p>Believe me, when a clilent ASKS for your cell phone number, it's very hard to refuse to give it out. If you're an associate, you have to realize it's probable that a complaint will be lodged with one of the partners, and the client may ask that a different associate be assigned to the client. If you are with a small firm or are the partner yourself, it may mean losing the business.</p>
<p>I completely agree with unbelievablem's response.</p>
<p>In fact, for many years there were large law firms in NYC and other places that tried to sell themselves to law students as lifestyle firms. However, while the average hours billed at these firms may have been lower, unbelievablem is completely correct that when a client says jump, the only acceptable response is, "How high?". If a client needs for you to work all night to draft a document, research an issue or prepare a response, you will do just that, even if your firm touts itself as a lifestyle firm. Moreover, espectially as a junior associate in a big law firm, your hours and your individual lifestyle are much more dependent on your practice area, the senior attorneys with whom you work and the nature of your clients' needs from moment to moment.</p>
<p>At the heart of practicing law for most lawyers in private practice is an element of unpredictability that makes "lifestyle" and work/life balance difficult at times.</p>
<p>thanks a lot for all the responses!</p>