Analyzing My Second Year: A Detailed Breakdown of Work Hours in 2024
As we usher in the New Year, it’s an opportune moment to reflect on the past year’s accomplishments and challenges. Having completed my second year in a high-demand specialty finance practice at a leading firm in New York City, I’ve taken the time to analyze my billed hours for 2024. This review could serve as an informative reference for junior professionals or anyone contemplating a career in biglaw, offering a glimpse into the day-to-day workload in this demanding field.
A Snapshot of My Year
In my role at a top-tier law firm, I embraced a consistent work pattern that avoided the extreme highs and lows typical in other practices like Capital Markets. My strategy was to distribute my workload evenly across the year.
Here’s a basic breakdown of my billed hours:
- Total Billable Hours: 2,249 (plus 119 non-billable equivalents)
- Average Hours Per Workday: 8.7
- Minimum Recorded in a Day: 1 hour
- Maximum Recorded in a Day: 17 hours
- Average Per Week: 43.3 hours (over 52 weeks) or 46.9 hours (over 48 weeks)
- Minimum in a Week: 0.5 hours (during vacation)
- Maximum in a Week: 69.8 hours
- Lowest Month: January, with 125.5 hours
- Busiest Month: October, with 228.25 hours
- Total Days Billed: 322
These figures represent pure billable time, exclusive of activities such as pro bono work, continuing legal education (CLE), or firm-related marketing efforts.
Working Through Weekends and Holidays
Despite a demanding schedule, there were six weekends completely free from work. On 19 weekends, I worked at least one day, averaging nearly 2 hours. For 27 weekends, I worked both days, with an average of about 2.45 hours each day.
Regarding vacation and holidays:
- I utilized 13 official vacation days, resulting in 26 days of total vacation when combined with weekends and holidays.
- Our firm observed 11 holidays.
- Typically, vacation days involved minimal work—usually to clear tasks while in transit.
Here’s the breakdown of work on non-standard days:
- Weekend Days Worked: 73 days (70.2%
One Response
Thank you for sharing your detailed breakdown of work hours and experiences during your second year in a high-demand finance practice. Your reflection is not only enlightening for those considering a career in biglaw, but it also highlights the balance that can be achieved through meticulous workload management.
It’s interesting to see how you’re able to maintain a relatively even distribution of hours throughout the year, which can be particularly beneficial for mental health and longevity in such a demanding field. Many professionals often overlook the importance of taking regular breaks and utilizing vacation days effectively, and your approach serves as a great reminder of the value of doing so.
I would also love to hear more about your strategies for managing work-life balance, especially during the busier months. Did you find certain tools or methods particularly effective for keeping your workload manageable? Additionally, considering the pressures of the profession, how do you prioritize self-care to avoid burnout during peak times? Your insights could greatly benefit others navigating similar challenges.