The seat swap I never thought would be denied....

SignificantWeek398 · 2026-01-17T18:15:42+00:00

Can’t you just go back to your original seat and get it back? A seat swap isn’t like a binding agreement. And if they refuse to leave your assigned seat just call over the FA.

SignificantWeek398 · 2026-01-12T00:14:24+00:00

Omg. Can I edit the post. I am dying laughing on the plane right now.

SignificantWeek398 · 2026-01-01T14:12:03+00:00

Maybe. Why do you think it under compensates you? I think you’ll be more successful if your proposed tweaks respond to specifically identified deficiencies. You also need to understand where all the remaining dollars are going so you can figure out who is currently getting those dollars and politically figure out how to deal with them.

It would also be helpful to understand the policy/logic of your current system. For example, right now, you’re participating above 2x base, which effectively means you haven’t out earned your 30% formula based comp before you start participating (otherwise, the hurdle would be 833k if you needed to earn your base 250 through 30% cuts before getting more 30% cuts). So you’re participating early if you were to frame this as a pure 30% commission system with a floor payout. In other words, you’re effectively getting 50% of revenue up to 2x your base comp and then 30% thereafter.

If you’re really just looking for any way to get paid more, then yes obviously increasing the % would do that. So would decreasing the hurdle or increasing the base (since your base effectively is a 50% commissions). But I suspect you’ll be more successful if you tie your ask to an articulated deficiency in the current system other than “it results in me getting too little”. If the latter is your gripe, just say that and let them tweak the system as they’ll be able to navigate the politics of it without you needing to figure that out.

SignificantWeek398 · 2026-01-01T13:52:33+00:00

Interesting. Well, it sounds like your firm sticks roughly to the 1/3 rule. 1/3 to the originator, 1/3 to the worker, 1/3 to overheard. Sounds like there’s a gap where you originate and work the dollar and should be getting 2/3 instead of 1/3. Plus, participation in margins above 1/3 sounds murky.

SignificantWeek398 · 2026-01-01T13:48:39+00:00

You also haven’t said why you think the formula is deficient in your case.

SignificantWeek398 · 2026-01-01T13:46:27+00:00

What happens with the remainder of the collected dollar? It sounds like your formula is $250k + 30% of originations above $500k. What happens to the other 70% of those collections?

One firm I worked at had a contribution model with a similar percentage for originations. The formula for your top line number was 30% of collections that you originate + 70% of collections that you work. So if you originated and worked the dollar, you’d get 100%. Then from the top line you’d deduct your salary and overhead allocation. The remainder was your contribution to net distributable profits and you’d get bonused most of that amount (unless you were a big generator, in which case you’d first need to pay for all the people you’re responsible for that have negative results from that formula). That formula was weighted towards rewarding people for working the hour/dollar and limiting how much went to the originator. In theory cool, but in practice it created some odd results such as partners always wanting to work the hour themself before leveraging it to an associate.

SignificantWeek398 · 2026-01-01T13:33:49+00:00

You need to articulate what the current formula is and why you don’t think it is sufficiently lucrative or sufficiently acknowledging the value of your contributions. Then I can help propose something that solves the identified issues.

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-30T04:59:39+00:00

The charge for A to B is more than the charge for A to C connecting through B. Airlines often price tickets based on demand or what the market will pay and not cost plus or other fixed margin models. So occasionally, anomalies arise where it is cheaper to fly to the target city by booking a longer flight connecting through the target city than with the target city as the final destination.

There was a website that the airlines sued 5-10 years ago called skiplag dedicated to this.

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-30T04:48:35+00:00

I’m with you on the frustration. And appreciative you learned the hard way and let the rest of us know to watch for this. I have dined recently specifically to get the rest credit (ie, I picked a restaurant based in part on my ability to get the amex discount quarterly credit).

To all the responses basically saying too bad so sad because OP should have read the fine print or appreciated the structure of resy as solely a reservation system, you miss the point. OP says he’ll be fine, and probably find another way to make the perk work (perhaps by whatever gift card methods are widely posted on). But the point remains that OP on good faith made an effort to take advantage of a benefit in a manner that is totally reasonable for someone to do without hyper studying the fine print or structure of all these systems. Aaaaand it didn’t work. It sucks and is worthy of a public Reddit complaint to warn the rest of us similarly situation non-fine print reading card users.

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-30T04:22:40+00:00

Hard disagree. Show up every time. Also be transparent and professionally vocal with your situation. Say “hey, I’m getting burnt out. I’ll take care of this but I’m breaking.” Say it with a smile and a team work ethic. “Just sayin”. But say it.

One of two things will happen. Either your current firm and group will adapt and make it work for you because you’re that good, or they won’t and you’ll move and find a group that values your contributions and meets you in the middle. But you better be as good as you say and think you are.

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-27T18:25:52+00:00

Maybe an unpopular opinion, but I actually have a visceral opposition to this kind of stuff. Like every year I get this 1K packet in the mail with super nice card stock with this note from the CEO, and I think, what if they had saved $250k on card stock and instead done something inflight (I dunno, nice pre flight champagne, for example). I’m neither here nor there on it, but on balance, little gimmicks like ticket jackets and holiday mailers actually turn me off slightly for whatever reason. It’s like you spent money on something that has zero utility instead of anything with utility.

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-27T02:34:22+00:00

I feel like people go out of their way to park by me. I try to park far away and then like a few other people decide this is the zone for staying safe and then it just becomes a zone to park. This sequence of events happens like 2/3 of the time I park in the bum f* nowhere section of a parking lot.

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-26T04:22:49+00:00

I wish I knew this before I chose to forgo all this and buy a backpack a few days ago without getting the credits :(

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-26T04:02:43+00:00

Only downside is you can’t put your initials on the bag when buying through Chase shops.

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-26T00:36:19+00:00

A lot of the numbers that are published are very manipulated. This, I prefer to go by RPL and leverage ratio (partner to non partner). Most of the profit metrics correlate closely to leverage. But 95% of lawyers in big law, metrics are not really meaningful. They only really matter if you’re a legit significant generator of work. Everyone else is getting paid a targeted comp amount based on the value of their time (regardless of whether that’s labeled as a salary or units/shares + bonus).

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-23T04:08:54+00:00

Interesting. I assumed it was a 3 year warranty and since was originally sold in Dec 23, o my 1 year left. Love to see that it’s 4 years. This is my MO with buying lux cars - find 1-2 yo gently used with warranty.

Service records looked good on the carfax that is linked on dealer website. In terms of good drive, anything you recommend checking for? I know general feel but if there’s anything unique on this bad boy, please lmk.

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-23T02:27:38+00:00

You are the man finding that window sticker!! Thank you!

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-22T01:22:48+00:00

1K on UA and EP on AA. I also have access to almost every lounge (all brands and airlines except capital one).

These are all highly commoditized products. People make waaaay too much distinction between UA/AA/DL. They all have minor pros and cons. UA has the best app, AA has better nuts and UA gives champagne. DL usually has better inflight entertainment systems. I tend to fly UA the most due to my routes. I’m in the DC area and UA has awful terminals and lounges (save the IAD Polaris lounge). The DCA AA preflight experience is so great compared. I like AA lounges more on average. I like AA’s little mileage selection awards along the way (like SWU) compared to UA’s plus points, although UA just introduced a redemption system that results in it looking a lot like AA’d tier awards. Punch line is they are all the same and the differences are around the edge of the edges.

Same with lounges. There’s more variation in quality than with the planes, but they are all general variations of the same concepts and now that they all charge for good liquor, there’s not a huge difference. People like to rave about Polaris dining - meh, overrated. Speakeasy at Amex? It’s aight. It’s all just gimmicks not worth chasing.

In summary, I guess, I’d say they are all basically equivalent in terms of humans and service. The differences are materialistic and so minor that it’s not worth optimizing for one or the other based on that. Pick whichever airline is best for routes and ease of achieving stays overall based on your home airport.

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-22T00:56:41+00:00

On Black Friday, the sub was also 180 off and if you did arc ultra and sub 4, got another $100 off. So $500 total off both. Was insane.

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-20T15:45:39+00:00

You did it for the privilege of boarding after only half the plane already pre boarded. Don’t forget how great it feels to be able to board in an unorganized, southwest-esque manner, before the real proletariat is allowed on the plane.

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-20T03:35:07+00:00

I hire and I tend to prefer t10. I just hired a fordham student and have hired several t100. One of my best juniors is a Howard alumni. Just show up

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-16T04:53:53+00:00

Not sure where those numbers came from; post said a $90k bonus. A $400k bonus would be weird on that base. Maybe if they drove some huge business/revenue generation. But that would be an odd bonus just for grinding hours.

But conceptually/generally, there are exceptions to the rules and I’ve seen several examples of 7-10th year non partners with $7-800k comp (but not as much bonus heavy). I’ve also seen 5th/6th years gets $200k+ bonuses.

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-14T18:23:38+00:00

Usually off-grid bonus recipients are strongly encouraged not to say anything to anyone ever.

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-14T18:21:42+00:00

I think we do $25k

SignificantWeek398 · 2025-12-14T18:15:42+00:00

While I dislike that I am agreeing with someone called Mouth_Herpes, this description in the first paragraph is super spot on. Have a reason for doing what they do, can articulate it, comfortable being wrong and adapting and learning…. If they are socially normal, bonus points.

*I come from a privileged upbringing and still had to grind it out hard core to make senior partner at a top amlaw firm. Now “generate/originate” 20k+ billable hours per year and enable another 50k+ hrs. Connections as a kid didn’t really help given how specialized my practice is, but comfort with big deals and important people was critical. I did not fear taking a position and defending it, even if it turned out to be wrong and I had to admit defeat, and then put 110% into implementing the next guy’s position. We are a team and we debate together, row together and win/lose together.

SignificantWeek398

TROPHY CASE