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Yes, new big firm associates don't get much in the way of work/life balance. The advantage of the big firm is (used to be) you don't have to hunt for work. In return, about 2/3 of every hour you bill goes to the firm. However, the result is they don't spend as much time as your consultant friend chasing down clients - that is mostly work that the partners do.
At least two of the Akin-Gump associates were brand new lawyers just out of law school. I happened to catch a lecture they gave on the experience. Typically, most big firms have associates do the majority of the grunt work and the partners either review it or handle the key aspects. Few businesses want to pay Walter Dellinger rates for routine legal stuff.
However, you are still looking at $200-300/hr even for a first year big firm associate. So even a single associate billing $200/hr for 5yrs could hit $2 million in fees.
Last edited by Bartholomew Roberts; March 24, 2011 at 02:53 PM.
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