third

Why would someone PAY to hang out with the homely social misfits who people large law firms?

Why would someone PAY to hang out with the homely social misfits who people large law firms?

Looks like they're also making the paralegals pay their own way.

1:27: other homely social misfits.

If that was the best discount they could negotiate with a hotel, why would I want them to represent me?

At any of these events, does anyone actually bring their kids?

Ugh...I hate firm events like this...it scares me to go (because you never know what weird and icky situations you might face, like a drunk partner grabbing your ass) and because I don't LIKE those people...but then again, it scares me not to go (because you might miss something...some opportunity or some vital gossip).

are they deleting first posts now?

This is a voluntary trip, that while well attended, is not in the nature of a firm retreat. Unlike a retreat, this is purely recreational - no meetings or propaganda and no obligations once you are there. One can quibble with the discount, but I don't see why the firm should be expected to pay for such an event. The suggestion that the firm is saving money implies, incorrectly, that it should be a firm expense to begin with.

I would take geater issue with the bonus-non-annocement in the wake of unprecedented increases from other fims, than this business.

You know, someone once told me that OMM has a great retreat at the Ritz in Pasadena.

Low blow, with the "sic," Lat. And usually we put it in [square brackets].

Not only do NYC associates get to go on fancy ski trips, but they start at $160K plus five-figure bonus while we poor saps in Philly are still at $145 with a joke for a bonus. Lat, we need a thread on Philly. Help a brutha out.

This is truly awful. It's bad enough when I am compelled to have a few drinks at a local bar after work.

Is attendance at these types of events required? If it officially isn't required, are those who don't come along slapped with the "not team player" label? I am hoping that I will not be forced to show up at this sort of crap when i finally start work...

that is very unprestigious of this morgan lewis person.

morgan lewis is now officially less prestigious than the one philly associate who serially posts messages begging Lat to start a thread about the poors in philly.

What is it with all this Philly garbage? That is one of the worst cities in the world. If you live there, you are a moron and you have no right to complain about anything. You could make the same or more money in almost any other city in the country. Don't be made because you chose to live in a garbage dump.

Move! There's your f-ing thread on Philly!

Whhhoooooosh!!

why does the letter writer put quotation marks around the phrase "get your lodging checks in" in the first paragraph?

There's no skiing in Pasadena

Guys in my high school went skiing all the time. It was no big deal.

because they said "we ask you to..."

This does not seem to be a big deal. Don't they send their summers to Santa Monica or something? My biglaw doesn't do any of this nonsense... ;(

stratton sucks.

2:04, you're a moron.

Not that it matters at all, but Alston & Bird takes all its associates to a third rate resort in the FL panhandle for a weekend in April. Spouses have to pay their own way.

This ski trip has actually been going on for a while now (10+ years?). It's definitely optional and honestly no one cares if you attend or not (attendance the last few years has been relatively small given people's workloads). It's nice that you get a decent discount on a room and they pick up the cost of transportation as well as dinner on Saturday night. The best comparison for this email is to getting a discounted gym membership for joining through the Firm. It's a nice optional weekend event that isn't AT ALL work-related. The events that firms tend to pay for are those that are mandatory or those that you are expected to do things "Firm-related". That has never been and will never be what this B&F ski trip is - it's just a slightly more formalized way for getting people at the firm together to go skiing for a weekend.

Lawyers in the snow
To bond and drink hot cider;
Give me my bonus

Yeah, as long as its actually optional - and everyone knows it, I wish more firms did things like this. My firm has a retreat - but its a decent amount of work, no families, etc. If I was given the option to do something like this I'd probably turn it down, but it seems like a nice gesture at least.

Im sorry, but why would anyone want to ski in Vermont??

I'll never understand why people in NYC insist on going to Vermont to ski. When I lived in NYC, I went for a weekend to VT; I was told that the conditions were as good as they get. It was fine, but the snow (and frigid temps) would have been a disgrace anywhere else (i.e. outside of the northeast).

Why not fly to Denver (a 2.5 hour flight, then drive 1.5 hours to Winter Park, or 2 hours to Summit Co. or Vail) or fly directly into Steamboat (about 3.5 hours)? When all is said and done, the travel time is pretty close to the drive to VT. And Utah isn't much farther.

The lodging is about the same cost, and the lift tickets are just a bit more expensive. But for crying out loud, the snow, terrain, temps and scenery are 1,000,000% superior to VT. And at night, you won't be surrounded by a bunch of New Yorkers (or even worse, all the Massholes who flock to VT). There are a lot of Texans, but one can't have everything.

I read about these people advertising for "skiing" and "snow bunnies" on craigslist. Its not what you think people.

Morgan Lewis should be ashamed of himself.

MLB actually picks up the whole tab for summer associate and associate mandatory events such as multi-day events in Chicago, Santa Monica, or (ick) New Jersey. This isn't a mandatory event and you don't have to do any firm-related training so there's no reason the firm should pay.

2:04 - You must be well-traveled to be able to compare Philly to nearly every other city in the country. That is hard to believe, considering you spend 7 days a week in the office. Get a clue.

PS Seriously, living in New York is not that cool.

Then there's no reason they should be offering it either, since I have no reason to spend time with my co-workers unless it is work-related.

What is it with all this NYC garbage? That is one of the worst cities in the world. If you live there, you are a moron and you have no right to complain about anything. You could make the same or more money in almost any other city in the country. Don't be mad because you chose to live in a garbage dump.

Move! There's your f-ing thread on New York!

Gibson matched

2:54 -- "Im [sic] sorry, but why would anyone want to ski in Vermont??"

I'm sorry, but why would anyone want to ski in Tahoe?

I moved from Boston to Philly for a job. I love it here. Fuck you all.

Alta or Bust, indeed, Alta is outstanding (but so is the Bird, which allows snowboards), and is certainly less feast or famine than Tahoe. Yet when Tahoe is good, it is great (and the variety is nice, from the mega Squaw, to rustic Sugar Bowl, with some outstanding and quite accessible backcountry in between). But alas, as Alta is located in a state whose license plate announces "Greatest Snow on Earth," it's hard to beat.

Richie C., see Dec. 14, 3:00's comment (re: Massholes).

A non-NY MLB announcement. The Princeton, NJ, received word this past week at a impromptu meeting of corporate attorneys. We were told (i) that bonuses would be individually announced middle of next week and (ii) the Princeton office would be increasing salaries, at least for senior associates. Princeton is currently on the Philadelphia payschale (145-205). We were told that salaries would be adjusted upward so that there is a bigger difference between 1st years and senior associates (so that the difference, all-in, would be around 100k).

All of you people in the States pissing and moaning about stupid shit are pretty funny. Debating back and forth about Philly vs. New York is quite a comical display.

I am sitting in Paris right now, wine in hand, thinking about how both Philly and New York are disgusting shitholes. Keep on working 2600 hours for your paycheck funded by deflated dollars. Meanwhile, I will be enjoying a crepe on my two hour lunch paid for with my very valuable Euro.

Paris is a dump that is socially and economically about 4 decades behind. Enjoy your racist little crap hole filled with stinky French people.

Massachusetts is far and away the best state in the union, with New York and California coming in close behind, jockeying for second.

Probably no one will post to this thread anymore, but what's the story on Hangley Aronchick in Philly? Good place to work? Did they pay bonuses this year?

Hangley = poo.

Thanks, 3:19. You rule. Could I work for you, jack*ss?

Sweet, a chance to ski on reefed out ice sheets in Vermont. Are Chicago and LA lawyers lucky enough to pay their own way to Mount Wilmont and Snow Summit?

When MLB's NY labor and employment group did this trip, attendance was absolutely mandatory (though not officially). Such unpleasant weekends!