My firm's pyramid structure is rock-solid, and can't topple. I do the substantive work that my clients need, and bill appropriately for it. No hedonistic biglaw excesses here, like extravagant candidate dinners, piles of useless swag, pointless 'retreats' or redundant staff. Unless you count the frozen margaritas by the pool or beach while I work. But I never charge the clients for those! *slurp*

13, 19: You might be thinking quite differently when you get your no-offer/pink slip. Don't think you're 'safe' because you're not. My presence here gives many attorneys who got the short end of the stick in the current meltdown something to think about, and maybe move forward with.

I would never trade my frozen margs for those sour grapes you're spewing. If you were more civil, I'd actually feel sorry for you.

@1: haha....wrong. I started my own practice when a couple of my clients offered to give me full-time work as a solo. And I did it after many years' experience, but before this sh*tstorm came down that you are dealing with.

Slaving away as an associate, subjected to the whims of irrational partners, stressing about layoffs, bonuses, salary freezes and canceled vacation plans--now *that* is the lazy head-in-the-sand approach! I'm much happier controlling my own destiny, workflow, and billing. I work less, and make more than senior associates (and most junior partners/of counsel), even after the few additional expenses are subtracted. (Business deductions help there, too.)

It doesn't cost that much to set up a small office: a computer, decent printer/scanner/fax, some firm management software, liability insurance, and you're good to go. (Unlimited Blackberry service is only about $20/month, domain/website with lots of custom e-mail addresses is less than $10/month.) Home offices don't take up much space either, so no need to pay rent. The local bar associations often have conference rooms, libraries and other legal research resources available free or for a minimal charge.

Basically, my clients save money while getting my same services and expertise, and for me it's all profit. The bloated excesses of large firms have been cut out. Having time for midday workouts, hanging at the coffee shop to read things, seeing friends and family, traveling.... Sweet. I would never entertain one thought about joining the biglaw grind again. These frozen margaritas taste just too goddamn good.

Enjoy your slave existence, 1. Must suck always wondering if the next pink slip has your name on it.

121: I'm billing at about half of my biglaw mid/senior associate rate, and 100% of it goes into my account. Do the math. (You *did* take some math in junior high, right?)

124: I'm not knocking all biglaw attorneys; just the ones who think they're 'better' than lawyers working solo or at small firms. I've worked and interacted with many solid attorneys in a few biglaw shops. I did the biglaw thing, and it is not necessarily the 'elite' experience that certain people boast about. In fact, not one attorney I know who has gone in-house or started up a practice would go back to the biglaw grind. Interesting, eh?

126: I agree completely--experience and client contacts help a lot. But people who take this route also tend to be entrepreneurial and creative, developing and using networks and various resources, and being forced to work harder at learning relevant law without the many layers of cushion that big firms provide. I wouldn't disparage them, as several anonymous people here have done. They're actually setting out to practice law without the huge safety net of a big firm. I think that's respectable.

And, having been in the biglaw grind just long enough, I really do sympathize with the legions of associates, of counsel, staff, etc. who are still there and moreso for those who have been shown the door recently. One reason I post here is to remind people that a rewarding legal career is possible outside of biglaw.

I have it on pretty good authority that there won't be ANY layoffs at my firm. However, they did announce yesterday that they'll be cutting back from 3 to 2 frozen marg breaks per day. *slurp*

I thought about doing this "escorted from the building" thing as well. Then I realized there would be no one to let me back in after I escorted myself out. Too confusing. Besides, there aren't even any buildings here on the sandy beach with my laptop. Those cabanas are too far away to make it work. Awww, screw it.

Time for another frozen marg and more billables to pocket! *slurp*

I thought about doing this "escorted from the building" thing as well. Then I realized there would be no one to let me back in after I escorted myself out. Too confusing. Besides, there aren't even any buildings here on the sandy beach with my laptop. Those cabanas are too far away to make it work. Awww, screw it.

Time for another frozen marg and more billables to pocket! *slurp*

Whoa, I think I might be double-posting because I'm seeing double right now. Time to cut back on those margs. Barmaid, make the next one with just one shot of Cabo Wabo, please!

6-OMFG. Do you think that MAYBE the judge knew it was a 3L and offered the praise as a pat on the back, like your second-grade teacher putting a gold star on your paper even though it was mediocre? It's all about self-esteem and feeling 'enabled' these days, and not about intrinsic quality anymore.

There is much wisdom here by 136, 141, and 143. Oh, and of course 127.

63: I bet that Goodwin just busts, period. (To some degree.) They incurred a lot of debt and obligations in their recent expansions just before things went down the crapper, and the billings and income aren't there now to support the expanded capacity. Those spiffy new offices in NY and Cali are still costing them a pretty penny.

Just one. Or 11, if you also count my toes that are buried in the warm sand as I sip my noontime frozen marg on this beautiful beach day.

25 nailed it. 24 and 26 are bitter suckups who are nervously slaving away in their biglaw offices, always at the beck and call of their partners/masters. Enjoy your life, you mindless fungible drones, while Lat REALLY enjoys his!

Those grapes are pretty sour, eh?

@41: Thanks for the Monday morning LOL. But, you see, my clients are all larger corporations. And I pull in more than you ever will as an associate (even with your cherished-but-vanishing "bonus"). And my typical workday includes these tasty frozen margaritas.

Now go answer your phone. That's a partner calling with another 'urgent' weekend project for you. Beeyotch!

--sent from my oceanside Blackberry

I don't get this. Business has never been better!
Oh, wait. I'm part of the new paradigm.

This warm weather is making me thirsty! Thank god for these frozen margs. MUCH better than the weak coffee that my old firm used to generously provide. Makes the work more fun too.

69: Sucks being a fungible biglaw drone, eh? Your bitterness is understandable. I'll remind you of the following: My clients are large firms; I can take real vacations and days off whenever I want to without fear of cancellation; partners at law firms suck up to me when I deal with them; I take home more than you do with a tiny fraction of the hassle; and, as noted above, I drink frozen margs instead of coffee while I work.

Now back to your closet-sized office before you get laid off! Not that you can stop the axe from falling on your superfluous neck.

*SLURP!*

93: Patents. Large clients will happily pay good fees for quality drafting and prosecution. And it is easy to charge less than the bloated biglaw firms and still make a good income. (Do the math, with a quite reasonable hourly rate and well under 2000 hours.) The work can be done anywhere, like by the beach, and overhead is very low. And I love the smell of frozen margs in the morning! Smells like... success!

93: Patents. Large clients will happily pay good fees for quality drafting and prosecution. And it is easy to charge less than the bloated biglaw firms and still make a good income. (Do the math, with a quite reasonable hourly rate and well under 2000 hours.) The work can be done anywhere, like by the beach, and overhead is very low. And I love the smell of frozen margs in the morning! Smells like... success!

There will be no bonuses this year at my firm, in accordance with standard policies. On the other hand, I get to keep every cent I bill, so maybe that's the biggest bonus of all. (And before the "real estate closings" snarks come in, let me remind you that if you're a biglaw associate, I am earning more than you. Without the anxiety or crap being shoveled on by partners. Although getting the sand out of my keyboard can be a bitch!)