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How many hours are expected out of an A1 at a Tier 1 Law Firm in Mumbai. Does it vary across offices/teams?

Of course it is hectic, but is it as horrible as heard? (15 hours a day, Calls on Sunday). Or is it just an exception (Deal Closing/Important Matters)

Is it like this just for the initial years or does it continue like this forever? How do associates balance work - life/family?
Let me complete your incomplete title-

β€œAre a Joke”.

Feels apt now.
Since you're an A1, you're probably WFH having been onboarded remotely as well. Wait until things settle down and you're back to the grind in the office, 14 hours a day.
Its 365247. There is no respite. Of course you may have some time off but you don't know when you will get that dreaded call/e-mail that will be super urgent because your partner blabbered to the client that they will get it across on Monday morning. There are no rules. We all are robots. Have fun with that money.
A 8-word comment posted 2 years ago was not published.
Heard that calls by seniors at 4 a.m. are frequent for some 'urgent' work. Is the pressure so bad that associates particularly at an A0 and A1 level don't even get to sleep peacefully?
There are times when there is some real urgent work and you might have to slog that late. But as for other work that might not really be urgent, you will have to draw a line. If you don't, expect your senior to push you to hilt. As a junior associate, it is difficult to take a stand but it is essential if you want to stay sane. A senior associate in my team bullied me with work for months when I accepted eveyrything thinking it to be the right of passage but slowly as I gained confidence, I told him what was what. That improved my life.
Is it like this forever (15 hours a day * 7) or does it change when you go to a higher level? (Counsel or Partner)
The work culture of the firm in particular of ALL THE REAL ESTATE TEAMS is horribly toxic. The working hours are somewhere between 12 - 15 hours per day. A0 - A3 Associates are intentionally called up on Sundays and public Holidays for so called "Urgent Deliverables" which are nothing more than making Flow Charts, Tables and Excel Sheets. The Associates are asked to remain available for calls and emails 24/7. The Senior Associates right up to the Associate Partners have all given up on their lives and are trying to imbibe that into their juniors relentlessly.
I agree, a real estate team sits next to me and the grind is double my work
BUMPPP

Also, are working hours of disputes teams relatively better than corp teams?
TOO MUCH exaggeration in the comments.

Some lawyers have started owning their work hours as a badge of honour, and this can get quite unrealistic. That’s not same everywhere. Also, please remember that mostly people who are frustrated with their life are more likely to visit / comment on LegallyIndia - this might give you a skewed picture.

What’s the reality?

Generally working hours are 10-12 hours. Depending on the team and type of work at certain time, it can go up to 14 hours a days. There are days of less work, but you still have to stick around in office till 8:30pm - 9pm, in case some work comes in.

Also, on an average, out of the 12 hours, not everything is high intense work. You also develop a bond with your colleagues and take breaks in between work at the office, so that makes it bearable. You also get used to the hours after a point ?

Of course, during certain closings, people only get time to sleep for 2-3 hours, but that’s in rare cases. If someone is in a team where this happens regularly, that is just bad management by their boss and they seriously need to start considering other workplaces.

Hope this above perspective helps.
Why are normalizing work hours of 12 hours a day, 72 hours a week?, considering your comment, if you leave office at 9pm, in most cases you get home at 10, How much time do you actually have to yourself, dinner, sound sleep, exercise, and family?
God Forbid, your senior is a single in his or her late twenties to late thirties, you're in for hell of a ride of 15hours of work each day
A 54-word comment posted 1 year ago was not published.