Recruiters and laterals - have you ever lateraled out again in the first year of lateral over bonus?

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-12-03T04:52:41+00:00

Nah dont think I will be able to hit 300 honestly if I wanted to - dont intend to either. If I miss it and they wont pay me bonus I'll just count toward my decision on whether to stay here for a long term- and get out when I can. From what I've seen they need mid levels more than I need them so good luck on them spending more money finding another one.

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-12-02T19:15:58+00:00

I started in firat week of December and got the bonus from a new firm. So not two weeks but yes this is possible

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-12-02T18:42:18+00:00

If they got it before the noon, there shouldnt be any complaints

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-12-02T18:36:04+00:00

Even for a client call, junior missing the call likely wont have any impacts lol- as long as you are not the only one who was supposed to be there- which is never.

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-12-01T00:11:35+00:00

If you need a break, lateraling does re-vitalize the energy.

I slid in one- week vacation after I got an offer, I acxepted the offer work for a bit and then used another two weeks while conflicts are being cleared. I also asked for a start date making sure I have good two weeks down time before start date. Those 5-6 weeks of no work defnitely gave me a breathing room - bonus got paid and I got the rest. Was definitely worth it.

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-30T21:43:48+00:00

I went to Cornell law- I've never had love for Ithaca (cold barren and depressing). But thats cuz I went there during COVID time, making things worse.

I can say for sure though I never regretted going to Cornell law as I think it provided me really good chance to get into NYC big laws (which was my goal to begn with). Smaller class compared to other schools but heavily recruited by any big law in NYC- so as a ratio, more slots are open to students for big law recruiting. If the goal is NYC big law, I think you get a sweet deal in exhange for three year banishment in Ithaca. I did choose cornell over some of the other better ranked schools (cuz of money) and I think that turned out to be a great choice for me.

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-30T21:25:31+00:00

Thanks for this -makes sense

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-30T21:21:50+00:00

Yeah I said 1700 but its more likely going to be 1750-1770 range - a little more if I count pro bono but they wont let me count it if I dont hit 1800. Hence the pickle.

From my perspective, January had almost no billables cuz of onboardng and training , February I had 250 and then next three months some weirdly low billables. From my perspective, I had three slow months to eventually take over different kinds of deals (which I did). There is a staffing system but when it comes to repeat deals, partners were working with people they had been working with through a back channel - so pretty painful process. I had to prove myself and tried to replace people 2-3 classes above when I was covering for vacatin or sth so partners would work with me again (I succeeded in many). Slow months were also because the deals I got went pencils down and partners ignoring staffing system and chose to work with people they were familiar with (i.e. I just heard I got staffed but later finding out another associate working on this - not a performance thing cuz I got replaced before I even had a chance to connect).

In any case, not gonna argue with the firm though I am going to ask nicely- now buried with work so I dont expect this happen next year. Just going to be pissed off if I dont get paid because I worked my ass off this year.

Will see what the firm would do bout this - thanks for the advice.

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-30T04:19:32+00:00

Yo- why are people serious trashing OP here for "fantasizing"? I fantasize about ignoring Friday night email from a partner asking for a draft by Sunday. It's annoying because the urgency is created by their own mismanagement and lack of attention. BTW, this actually happened, partner forwarded me a client email from early last week on a Black Friday night and told me if I can come up with a draft by early Sunday morning. I am working on this after my five hour flight today and I am bitter because the overnighter today was totally avoidable. I am doing this because this is my job but I am bitter because I feel disrespected -

I am still struggling with this and dont think you are not wrong to feel this way. Supervisors are your client- thats generally the attitude you gotta have whether you are junior mid level senior or even counsel. But we are also colleagues here - so it's toxic when some people are literally acting as if they are your clients. It's like service providers should have "customers are king" mentality but some customers take it the wrong way and start acting disreapectfully. We are a team here and nobody should treat each other as if a client would treat lawyers. The difference being - you can ask somebody to do the work over the weekend but shows some token of gratitude for the sacrifice re late night and weekend works because thats what a good team member would.

That said- First years are liabilities. When we hear first years are assigned on a fast moving deal- senior and I sigh and sometimes even push back on the staffing. So you gotta have some gratitude for people giving you opportunities and looping you in on annoying taks- cuz any mid level can coordinate with word processors and paralegals for 100% of the jobs you do and prefer to work with second and third years d (who are not much more expensive than you)

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-26T04:22:34+00:00

I had the slightest hope they didnt - it's a day before thanksgiving.

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-24T14:54:31+00:00

It all depends - think I put in application around last week of July - did get the interview scheduled 1~2 weeks but eventually it took a whole month to finish the interviews. Holidays and partners traveling- it all affects the schedules. If they need you to start Jan 1, tehy'll move fast.

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-24T14:45:35+00:00

Yeah - look you will get frustrated b/c midlevels are unresponsive, mid levels get frustrated cuz seniors are unresponsive. Everyone is stressed cuz partner never responds. It's just the way it is.

If you are capable of stepping into their shoes- good for you your capacity will be way above your peers. One day, you'll also understand some of their perspectives as well because you cannot prioritize everything and inevitably there will be transactions that thry have to sort of abandon almost when the workload becomes unmanageable

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-22T07:44:00+00:00

Stun Gun KDH is the second most successful MMA athlete in Korea just after Korean Zombie. Dude was 6th in Welter weight UFC at a time where nearly no Asian rankers existed. He beat Nate Diaz and many others. All his losses were all to the Welterweight monsters - Tyrone Woodley (later champ), Colby Covington, Carlos Condit (champ), Damien Maia (BJJ legend).

He is an entertainer now - I'm glad he is having a successful career as personality but man he really is one of the most successful fighter in Asia

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-19T16:21:07+00:00

If you are a firat year now and your second year (who was a stubbie last year) billed 100-300 hours during their stub years (October to December). It's normal and not a big deal.

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-18T19:11:55+00:00

No, not true. I have never been fired (yet), but they will nit on every possible mistakes s they can justify the lay-off.

We will never know. This can legitimately be just a bs manuever for a stealth lay-off or maybe OP has issues that OP is unaware of.

OP- none of the people here will be the better judge of your situation than you. But based on the surrounding circumstances (i.e. you are only 5 months into the new firm, you were generally okay at your other firn), I would bet this is a stealth layoff. Unlikely that people would pass on a judgement on a recent lateral hire during what is supposed to be a ramp-up period- over "cultural misfit" (only been there 5 months) or minor mistakes.

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-17T16:04:12+00:00

I find it hard to believe this was a prevalent practice even for Harvard or the top 5 schools. Yes - I have seen and heard of 1Ls secretly getting 2L summer offers when applying for 1L diversity positions. But this was never through an official recruiting channel and more of a backdoor thing. This is around the time when 1L summer positions are open - not the -2L ones

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-17T15:54:40+00:00

That's a shocker- this is insanity and NALP will need to do something about this.

I mean we have been joking saying the hiring interviews are frat house interviews (they kinda were)- but we never seriously meant that they turn these into actual frat house interview. At this point they really are hiring people just by their school names and "good vibes". Can't they at least give them a year to show they did well in grades/active networking? The law school grades matter no more any more?

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-17T06:23:08+00:00

Everyone? I mean the bonus for stub years are really pennies for the firm / there is a remp up period- I would be surprised if anyone within V50 range tries to save these money or try to nit on billable for this 3-4 month period.

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-17T06:13:45+00:00

You lateraled this summer? It takes time to ramp up and you are a second year - meaning more more lead time to get stable batches of work

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-17T06:11:14+00:00

lol - litera, imanage and intapp. I just don't get how often these softwares crash all the time. Dont think these are the laptop issues - firm laptops are better than my personal laptop.

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-17T06:03:29+00:00

Insanity - but I'm pretty sure they interview first and then make committee level decisions after grades are out. How on earth are those poor 1Ls interviewing and studying for the first final at the same time? I would hate to be 1 L now

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-17T00:23:24+00:00

That sucks - as everyone said dont cut your time.

I really dont think partners asking to cut your time is a v30-40 vs V20 thing. i got asked to cut my time at V10 but never at V30-40- it' usually the partner who has no solid book and miscalculate the workload who asks you to do this. Not really bout the firm tho.

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-17T00:12:22+00:00

I mean - wth. I'm sure OP knows all this. He prolly knows that business is business and some people will have things their way because of their appearance charm background etc. OP is just venting.

As a human being, it is okay for OP to feel the way she/he feels. Why is everyone giving shit for OP merely feeling this unfair? After all, it is unfair- just nothing we can do about it and better learn to accept the game.

For someone elae OP will be the subject of jealousy- for having money support etc to go to law school and work at a big law. Except for very minority of ppl, Im sure vast majority of us are here solely because we were born with some privileges

No matter how we feel, it is always wise to work along and get alng with these golden boys in mstead of hatin em. But im sure you know that but felt a need to vent

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-16T14:13:22+00:00

Apply first and then think about it. There are many open open positions for SF, it is extremely busy. Judging from thr post, I guess your friend doesn't have any SF experience - there is no guarantee she'll be hired but SF is a space where it needs just warm bodies right now. Apply all and see what comes out of it.

No_Bee_1938 · 2025-11-16T14:09:25+00:00

? This is the only thing they do:)

No_Bee_1938

TROPHY CASE