| Unregistered |
06-08-2020 01:32 PM |
You realise after entering practice for a while that it's in fact very easy to figure out what kind of life you will have in a team even if you've never worked there before - it's just a function of:
(1) Ranking -> Band 1 teams will always have higher standards than other teams in the same practice area, and this usually translates into longer hours.
(2) The nature of the practice itself -> In corp this is especially true, M&A/financing/capital markets/real estate/regulatory work all have different timelines and client expectations which affect your hours accordingly. Even in disputes, Arbitration/commercial disputes/crim have different work patterns.
(3) Firm culture -> this is less true for big 4 because each department usually plays by their own rules, but for mid/small firm it is more likely than not that the hours are set firm wide and most people usually knock off around the same time.
(4) The specific partner you are working for -> if it is a up and comer or an established person in the field, be prepared to work your ass off.
There are of course outliers, asshole bosses do exist and they will make you work completely unnecessary hours for their own amusement. But imo, they are in fact outliers.
I do recognise that it is very difficult for a law student to understand all this so early in their law lives, which is sad because that's actually when it's most important to know. So I encourage u guys to intern as much as possible so you can make an informed decision.
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