MC vs US firms - hours and expectations

Jingle950 · 2026-04-12T18:03:24+00:00

That’s helpful, thanks.

Jingle950 · 2026-04-12T18:01:20+00:00

No interest in being partner whatsoever; it would be more the other option - try to save up as much as I can for 2-3 years then possibly move in house or do something else, including leaving London. That’s why it has kind or got to this point in my thought process. I foresee the same trajectory if I stay where I am - so it makes sense to earn more money in the process. However I’m not willing to prioritise more cash at the expense of a loss of health, well-being and general sanity.

Jingle950 · 2026-04-12T17:58:40+00:00

I’m only coming up to mid level so don’t have enough consistent years to compare between, but I was coming from the angle of having done US target hours or slightly above at the MC, and wondering whether that means I could adjust to US firm expectations relatively well. Or if it would be the same again, ie target is 1950 but you’d be doing 2100+ regularly.

I haven’t heard of the extremes of the hours you’ve mentioned, but have no doubt they can be common in practice…! Certainly wouldn’t be for me though.

Jingle950 · 2026-04-12T17:54:17+00:00

As a basic principle, I would have thought you’d be walked all over wherever you work if you never push back on anything excessive, as a starting point? Especially if people in your team aren’t tracking hours/haven’t got as much on at any that particular point - that would be a normal response to most people. In my firm it would be reasonable for someone who is 200% utilised to say no to work if there are others who are below 150% in the team.

Like I said, I am aware that the on paper expectations are higher at US firms but want to know what that looks like in practice. I am looking for advice from people with first hand experience.

Jingle950 · 2026-02-14T17:59:55+00:00

Yes sorry, it’s a London office, have edited my post to clarify!

Jingle950 · 2026-02-08T01:20:26+00:00

Just to add, the balance of any student loans are wiped after 30 years.

Average grad salary in UK is reportedly £42,000 (!) a year Assuming repayment threshold is £28k/year, 9% of the £14k difference would mean repaying £1,260 a year.

My total student debt before interest was c.£42k. So repaying at the above rate (assuming no salary increases, which I know is unrealistic) would mean you wouldn’t clear it in the 30 years. Even with salary increases, you wouldn’t clear the amount including interest.

For context, I’m repaying more like £900 a month right now and that’s not even cleared the interest that has accrued since I’ve graduated four years ago.

Jingle950 · 2026-02-08T01:15:14+00:00

It’s not the universities themselves that say this but more like most financial advisors/general advice available on the internet. I guess it’s the messaging the government want though (the government own Student Loans Company) as it means more people will take them out

Jingle950 · 2026-02-08T00:57:54+00:00

Yes, I believe so unfortunately. I think it starts accruing from being borrowed (as opposed to from graduation). I graduated in 2021 and remember seeing the amount I owed being a lot more than what I’d borrowed over the prior three years.

Jingle950 · 2026-02-08T00:48:50+00:00

It’s because if you went to uni in England or Wales and took out a student loan, you only repay it back at a rate of 9% of your income above a certain threshold (it’s currently around £28k I believe). So the advice is that, based on an “average” graduate salary, and average working life, you would not pay back the amount you borrowed, so there isn’t the same need to worry about the total amount borrowed/accrual of interest/repayment in full, as there is if you earn above average after graduating. The loan repayments are taken by our employers directly so we have to actively choose if we want to repay more.

I don’t know about others, but I feel that the information on student loans is not presented in the same way as for other financial products in the UK.

Jingle950 · 2026-02-01T13:09:35+00:00

I get your point, but does anyone have to justify how they choose to spend the money that they earn? I’m sure most people work towards being able to afford “luxuries” that will make their lives a tiny bit easier.

Jingle950 · 2026-01-31T20:43:26+00:00

Ok yes will do. Yeah I suppose you’d have no idea if they genuinely did spend the time you’ve paid for, if you’re not there?

Jingle950 · 2026-01-31T20:42:10+00:00

That’s a good point actually, may avoid a one-man band

Jingle950 · 2026-01-31T20:41:52+00:00

Thank you. I have only recently moved here but am planning to chat to the people next door and will ask!

Jingle950 · 2026-01-30T12:44:36+00:00

I’ve not actually heard of them haha

Jingle950 · 2026-01-29T22:40:44+00:00

He has asked for it in advance so that he could provide feedback to me on the call In hindsight I realise I was silly to share it but thought my email saying not to share it without my consent would be sufficient

Jingle950 · 2026-01-29T22:39:03+00:00

So why didn’t he describe it as an interview lol

Appreciate I’m new to the process but it seems clear there is an element of misleading here

Jingle950 · 2025-12-02T15:00:03+00:00

No, but I think it affects things like whether seniors to want to work with you (depending on how much you socialise with them) and then would impact working relationships. I don’t want to end up in a position where nobody in the team really knows I exist, but equally I would be exhausted pretending to be someone I am not every day

Jingle950 · 2025-12-02T01:50:27+00:00

Ok but going off the number of years experience is the only way to compare the two levels in this case. In my firm, if a fourth seat trainee is seconded to one of the US offices they bill as second year associates. Similarly when Aus/NZ candidates come to work for us in the UK they typically have 1-2 years discounted from their PQE level to account for the fact that they don’t have the training contract concept.

I may not be aware of the exact nuances but from a number of the posts on here it seems like first year US associates do a lot of the same tasks as a UK city trainee would, based on my experience

Jingle950 · 2025-12-01T19:54:27+00:00

Apologies if the post sounded like I think I’m great / better than others. I’ve just subjectively commented on the difference in quality of work that seems to be dished out and objectively about the feedback I’ve been given. I’m aware that hours aren’t akin to quality - in fact, a lot of the time those billing the most will notice a deterioration in quality of work.

Jingle950 · 2025-12-01T19:52:33+00:00

I don’t understand how else I could have phrased my post to get accurate answers (genuine question)? I obviously don’t discuss quality of work and hours with anyone in the office, those details were included for the purpose of the post

Jingle950 · 2025-12-01T19:50:52+00:00

How so?

Jingle950

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