To all the down voters: See, you have an idea of what "success" means. Try and articulate it.
Now if success only means a lot of money, cash as tall as the Burj Khalifa, then you have to do what it takes to make that much money and build that magnificent building. Weekends included. Success.
But if your idea of success is some money and some free time for other interests and aspects of life, then find an office that handles with smaller deals or disputes and also pays you lesser than a T-1 or 2 firm. Success doesn't have to be Burj Khalifa alone. It can be a collection of smaller skyscrapers.. the tallest being your career and many other smaller buildings, each being a part of your life you have dedicated time to over the weekends.
If you want a lot of money and a lot of free time both, (oh the dream!), then build a self sustaining business and pay yourself as much as you want, and take as much time off as you want. Success.
None of the three pursuits are easy. Each has its merits and demerits. Your online complaints sound like someone who is having trouble aligning their life's choices with their idea of success. Either the idea of success must change or the choices you make must be different. You cannot ask the business model to be changed if you neither built it nor own it.
I say this having been a workhorse of an employee, transitioning to being self employed with no money and plenty of time, and now being an employer. Sometimes I work weekends, sometimes I get weekdays off. The same holds true for my employees. You must ask yourself - what is my idea of success? And on a deeper level - do I love what I do? How do I align what I love about law (or any other field) to my idea of success?
My own introspection on these aspects has revealed to me that if I love what I do and I see fair reward for my efforts, I will do it regardless of the day of the week. Sometimes, I do it regardless of rewards too. Meaningful work can make one feel wealthy too.
Hope this helps, and hope each of you will be happy in your life and career someday soon. My best wishes.
As a partner (equity but fairly junior) I have casually spoken to IB's and clients about this, as I work on most deals just like a PA and work weekends and late nights. I have received almost a threat as a response - other law firms aren't complaining and their fees sometimes are even lower. Guess am just screwed as much as the rest on this thread.
Most of all who think they are "well paid" and suffer these work schedules dont realise that your "high" salary is nothing and you don't realize you are cutting short your life and obviously thus your career drastically.A 30 year old would generally refuse such a non-stop working schedule, move away if schedule not bettered or get promoted and better his schedule.Its only 20 something year olds who have 0- 5 years experience who think that "high salary" is worth it, once the experience and intelligence of 5 years work ex sets in, they realise that being deprived of time is just not worth the "high salary".
Very convenient and very corporation strategy -shifting blame.Lawyers and law firms learning to talk the vague bullshitty language.Dont blame the ones exploiting you, accept it as part of the larger bargain followed up with a even more compelling argument of comparison with less fortunate.Basically you should be grateful and legitimate demands will be treated as complaints of ungrateful.
The path to success is paved with hard work. In a competitive world, one must endeavor to outwork the rest of the field. Whether it is a lawyer, engineer, tailor, athlete, cab driver, miner, fisherman.. everyone has to put in the extra hours for the extra reward.
Yes, it is human to want time for rest. But compare your labour (or lack of physical labour) to those of the less fortunate, the safe and comfortable office setup, the financial security you are creating for yourself. Yes, you are asked to sacrifice some joys, but aren't you gaining something in return? If not, then would it not be the right time to renegotiate the terms of your engagement, or find better suitors, or lower your lofty goals and cultivate a better life? You do have free will, free choice. Knowing what is lacking in one's life and getting what one desires is not an employer's responsibility; only your own.
Only in India do you spend even your major festival seasons, constantly glued to a laptop. English and American law firms have auto replies on Xmas and public holidays when we await just another stinker from a boss on Diwali Holi Id or Xmas! Being so available should be frowned upon and not the opposite honestly. Ofcourse there is a need to draw HARD boundaries. Let major holidays be untouched as a start and ofcourse give us our weekends!!
Happier associates are bound to be more productive and mentally up to support on tough weekdays than tired and distressed ones. There is no glory in overworking people and rewarding them for it.
To all the nameless faceless username, while I agree with the sentiments in these comments, hyperbolic drivel and references "slavery", "fundamental rights" etc. should be avoided for obvious reasons. And if you don't know the reasons I suggest you read some history. Have the courage to draw the line somewhere! Some Facebook Revolution this.
Now let the down-voting begin. I couldn't care less. I have reclaimed my weekends.
Most of the people at tier 1s shouldn’t even have passed law school in the first place, PCSJ is for people who have clear basics but that is not the case with 80% lawyers at tier 1 firms.
Attitudes such as yours are why law firms have become uninhabitable. Sorry, but wanting to have a life that doesn't involve the law isn't a crime, nor does it make a lawyers commitment to his job.
Plenty of high performers and lawyers who were valued members of their respective teams have left (ask the partners how they're faring). Rather than being obnoxious, try to actually consider a solution oriented approach.
Okay, the last line may be slightly exaggerated - but more importantly, what you'll get as a civil judge is respect and reputation. As Maslow's hierarchy rightly points out, once a man's need for security (money) is met, the next thing he looks for is recognition and social approval. And trust me, there is no point in making 50L a year and being treated like an always-on-call boy.
Responses of these people tell us why we've to ask for such a basic and fundamental right on the first place. C'mon man we must draw a line somewhere?!
The complete lack of weekends at many Tier 1 law firms - something that has become considerably worse after the onset of the pandemic - needs to be addressed.
Clients, who weren't necessarily the most reasonable to begin with, seem to expect us to stay glued in front of our laptop screens working, our personal and other commitments be damned. And investment bankers are a whole other league of entitled - sending stinkers and chasers at all sort of odd hours and proposing calls on weekends even after principals/lawyers have pushed back (or maybe it's just the imbeciles on the deals we are working on). These are the sort of clients who need to be fired.
This is all getting out of hand. Even people who otherwise like (and even love) their jobs and are otherwise quite happy to put in the time and effort are getting sick of this painful rut. Yes, we are getting paid more than our contemporaries in some other professions but we are certainly not being paid enough (one could very well take the view that no amount of money would be enough) to justify the demands that are being made.
The problem is that partners (and management) refuse to push back against these leeches of clients/IBs and are more than happy to bend over backwards to appease their idiosyncratic behaviour with scant regard to the needs/wants of their team members (junior and mid level). Even attrition doesn't seem to deter them, nor the uptick in health issues, nor even the death of their fairly young colleagues. Some pay lip service to their colleagues but gaslight them later into believing that the expectations piled upon them are reasonable. It's almost sociopathic.
I'm especially interested to hear the perspective of partners on this front: are you guys really so clueless and greedy that you care about nothing but your books? Do you not care how badly your choices and eagerness to make a name for yourself in an admittedly crowded market is quite literally killing off people?
What is going to be enough of a wake up call for you to realize that we need to start laying down boundaries at some point?
Let's start with making sure that weekends are off limits. It's not a big ask.
Now if success only means a lot of money, cash as tall as the Burj Khalifa, then you have to do what it takes to make that much money and build that magnificent building. Weekends included. Success.
But if your idea of success is some money and some free time for other interests and aspects of life, then find an office that handles with smaller deals or disputes and also pays you lesser than a T-1 or 2 firm. Success doesn't have to be Burj Khalifa alone. It can be a collection of smaller skyscrapers.. the tallest being your career and many other smaller buildings, each being a part of your life you have dedicated time to over the weekends.
If you want a lot of money and a lot of free time both, (oh the dream!), then build a self sustaining business and pay yourself as much as you want, and take as much time off as you want. Success.
None of the three pursuits are easy. Each has its merits and demerits. Your online complaints sound like someone who is having trouble aligning their life's choices with their idea of success. Either the idea of success must change or the choices you make must be different. You cannot ask the business model to be changed if you neither built it nor own it.
I say this having been a workhorse of an employee, transitioning to being self employed with no money and plenty of time, and now being an employer. Sometimes I work weekends, sometimes I get weekdays off. The same holds true for my employees. You must ask yourself - what is my idea of success? And on a deeper level - do I love what I do? How do I align what I love about law (or any other field) to my idea of success?
My own introspection on these aspects has revealed to me that if I love what I do and I see fair reward for my efforts, I will do it regardless of the day of the week. Sometimes, I do it regardless of rewards too. Meaningful work can make one feel wealthy too.
Hope this helps, and hope each of you will be happy in your life and career someday soon. My best wishes.
The path to success is paved with hard work. In a competitive world, one must endeavor to outwork the rest of the field. Whether it is a lawyer, engineer, tailor, athlete, cab driver, miner, fisherman.. everyone has to put in the extra hours for the extra reward.
Yes, it is human to want time for rest. But compare your labour (or lack of physical labour) to those of the less fortunate, the safe and comfortable office setup, the financial security you are creating for yourself. Yes, you are asked to sacrifice some joys, but aren't you gaining something in return? If not, then would it not be the right time to renegotiate the terms of your engagement, or find better suitors, or lower your lofty goals and cultivate a better life? You do have free will, free choice. Knowing what is lacking in one's life and getting what one desires is not an employer's responsibility; only your own.
Being so available should be frowned upon and not the opposite honestly. Ofcourse there is a need to draw HARD boundaries. Let major holidays be untouched as a start and ofcourse give us our weekends!!
Happier associates are bound to be more productive and mentally up to support on tough weekdays than tired and distressed ones. There is no glory in overworking people and rewarding them for it.
No wonder you guys will be horrible when it comes to Litigation.
Getting 20 LPA as a fresher, wanting chill working days and no works on weekends because it's my 'funDEMENtal right'.
Now let the down-voting begin. I couldn't care less. I have reclaimed my weekends.
Plenty of high performers and lawyers who were valued members of their respective teams have left (ask the partners how they're faring). Rather than being obnoxious, try to actually consider a solution oriented approach.
Guessing this is what you see when you look into the mirror
You will not only get weekends. Even work days are better as a Civil Judge than on 'holidays' at law firms.
Clients, who weren't necessarily the most reasonable to begin with, seem to expect us to stay glued in front of our laptop screens working, our personal and other commitments be damned. And investment bankers are a whole other league of entitled - sending stinkers and chasers at all sort of odd hours and proposing calls on weekends even after principals/lawyers have pushed back (or maybe it's just the imbeciles on the deals we are working on). These are the sort of clients who need to be fired.
This is all getting out of hand. Even people who otherwise like (and even love) their jobs and are otherwise quite happy to put in the time and effort are getting sick of this painful rut. Yes, we are getting paid more than our contemporaries in some other professions but we are certainly not being paid enough (one could very well take the view that no amount of money would be enough) to justify the demands that are being made.
The problem is that partners (and management) refuse to push back against these leeches of clients/IBs and are more than happy to bend over backwards to appease their idiosyncratic behaviour with scant regard to the needs/wants of their team members (junior and mid level). Even attrition doesn't seem to deter them, nor the uptick in health issues, nor even the death of their fairly young colleagues. Some pay lip service to their colleagues but gaslight them later into believing that the expectations piled upon them are reasonable. It's almost sociopathic.
I'm especially interested to hear the perspective of partners on this front: are you guys really so clueless and greedy that you care about nothing but your books? Do you not care how badly your choices and eagerness to make a name for yourself in an admittedly crowded market is quite literally killing off people?
What is going to be enough of a wake up call for you to realize that we need to start laying down boundaries at some point?
Let's start with making sure that weekends are off limits. It's not a big ask.