Real Challenges of Working in a Large Law Firm

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LawCrossing Feature

Real Challenges of Working in a Large Law Firm When trying to understand what it is like to work in a large law firm, I once came across this smart quip: “All you do is work and sleep, and you don’t get enough sleep.” If you are a confirmed workaholic, a big law firm is both your heaven and haven – you are where you need to be.

When you work your way up the career ladder, the only

suppressed racism. Lawyers are smart enough to

thing that changes is the nature of work – you do less

avoid doing anything overly illegal and provable,

grunt work and work more on client management, and

and that’s what makes it more challenging and

may be sometimes you can get home early. The only thing, happily, that one can say has changed over the

more awful. •

The bureaucracy can drive you insane – but it

years is that your job is no more at stake if you fail to

will teach you the importance, priorities, and pat-

make partner. Big law firms, today, are happy to allow

terns of law practice

“senior associates” to slog on ad infinitum. Previously,

“Work-life balance” is a myth in big law firms,

if you did not become a partner within the expected

though it is present in boutique law firms that

timeframe, you were expected to leave.

lean more on learning and higher subject expertise than on mass delivery

Having said that, let’s consider the actual challenges

faced by people while working in a large law firm:

It is difficult to ignore senior lawyers carrying chips on their shoulders who are bent upon forming disgruntled lobbies. The problem is that too

Pay is fine, if you manage to get paid, that is.

often the causes of grievance are too true, only

Now if you were an associate working for the nation’s eighth largest law firm, Dewy & LeBoeuf

the remedies differ case to case. •

– you know what that means. •

people need the same copier at the same time

Large law firms are extremely secretive in nature

looking to gather experience and put an employ-

big difference between policies that are preached

er brand on their resumes, along with good pay,

and announced on websites, and the policies that

for those who are on the partner track, the wait

control real decision making among partners and

can be too long •

Work is ultra-competitive and there are always The bottom line is always money. In smaller law

As mentioned in the beginning, irregular hours, long hours, and the stressful nature of work

small lobbies being formed around star lawyers •

Though most people who join large law firms are

about policies and planning – there’s always a

management. •

Conflicts over resources are common as several

takes a toll on both the mind and the body •

Lots of traveling can be expected in large law

firms, camaraderie and loyalty counts. In bigger

firms which have several offices across the coun-

law firms the person who can bring in the most

try or the world

money and biggest clients is worshipped regard•

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less of his/her professional integrity or learning

However, the worst thing in large law firms is the

In globalized law firms, there is a big amount

impersonal attitude and false warmth. Everybody

of culture shock and culture conflict, as well as

exudes love and warmth, but few, ever “feel” anything.

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