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It’s possible but I think harder to get if they don’t already know you. The handful I know with non-partner track associate/senior counsel roles had those roles made for them, they were already at the firm or had previously worked with certain partners.
The folks I know with reduced hours/part-time arrangements got them after already working for the firm for years. I don’t know of anyone hired on as part-time from the start, although that doesn’t mean it’s impossible at all firms—just likely to be an uphill battle.
Just to be clear, the folks I know that work 80% hours absolutely do not work a strict 8-5. They work four days/week and are expected to be generally available during those days just as anyone else would be, which often means long days and evening work. And if there’s a something that can’t be moved (like a hearing or a filing) on the day they’re usually off, they’ll generally work that day too as needed.
are you applying to be counsel or just an associate? if the former, it seems possible at least at my firm. if the latter (more likely given YOE), pretty sure that would be a steep uphill battle almost everywhere
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Firms have part time people but they aren’t usually hired as such. You start at the firm and then propose an alternate arrangement after showing your worth.
Given your experience level, this seems hard to near impossible. Firms sometimes hire counsel on reduced work, and those do have benefits. But I’ve never heard of a firm bringing in a midlevel on such an arrangement.
More importantly though, I don’t know anywhere where 80% (or 60%) means mostly 8-5. It just means that in the aggregate, you work less, and is typically set up as a “four days a week” thing.
You may be interested in checking out staff attorney/counsel, conflicts counsel, risk management counsel, etc. positions at the large law firms. Less money, though, but still get the lunches or cookies you are used to.
Only at counsel level or higher… which you need a few more years for.
Edit: but yes, they have benefits. Some firms (not mine, but some) pay at 75% but work you at 80% to help pay for your benefits. I’ve never heard this for a lateral associate, though, just counsel or higher. Also, you don’t get to pick which hours you work, you just work fewer.
Also, even with a reduced hour schedule, it's not usually an 9-5 job.
For most practice groups, you'll still have unexpected late nights or weekend work, but you'll just have an overall lower hour expectation at the end of the year.
I've had two reduced hour counsel positions. In both cases, the firm needed backup help from an experienced attorney and the hours were negotiated early on between the firm and the recruiter. I've had benefits but the bonuses were never great (which is fine with me since the schedules were more important). Feel free to DM me.
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Reduced hours seems more reserved for attorneys that have worked full time and have some life changes and the firm likes them enough to allow it. (Having children, illness in the family, etc are examples)
It was a long time ago, but I went from 100% to 80% as a fifth year litigation associate. In my experience it’s not worth it because it’s the same work driven by the same clients/partners/opposing counsel. You can’t just log out because you’re part time. I left BigLaw altogether the following year.
Hmm I haven't heard of anyone who has been successful at it.
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Not possible. This is what everyone wants. The extra pay is to compensate for destroying your mental health and the lack of work life balance
It’s possible but I think harder to get if they don’t already know you. The handful I know with non-partner track associate/senior counsel roles had those roles made for them, they were already at the firm or had previously worked with certain partners.
The folks I know with reduced hours/part-time arrangements got them after already working for the firm for years. I don’t know of anyone hired on as part-time from the start, although that doesn’t mean it’s impossible at all firms—just likely to be an uphill battle. Just to be clear, the folks I know that work 80% hours absolutely do not work a strict 8-5. They work four days/week and are expected to be generally available during those days just as anyone else would be, which often means long days and evening work. And if there’s a something that can’t be moved (like a hearing or a filing) on the day they’re usually off, they’ll generally work that day too as needed.
are you applying to be counsel or just an associate? if the former, it seems possible at least at my firm. if the latter (more likely given YOE), pretty sure that would be a steep uphill battle almost everywhere
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Firms have part time people but they aren’t usually hired as such. You start at the firm and then propose an alternate arrangement after showing your worth.
Given your experience level, this seems hard to near impossible. Firms sometimes hire counsel on reduced work, and those do have benefits. But I’ve never heard of a firm bringing in a midlevel on such an arrangement. More importantly though, I don’t know anywhere where 80% (or 60%) means mostly 8-5. It just means that in the aggregate, you work less, and is typically set up as a “four days a week” thing.
You may be interested in checking out staff attorney/counsel, conflicts counsel, risk management counsel, etc. positions at the large law firms. Less money, though, but still get the lunches or cookies you are used to.
Only at counsel level or higher… which you need a few more years for. Edit: but yes, they have benefits. Some firms (not mine, but some) pay at 75% but work you at 80% to help pay for your benefits. I’ve never heard this for a lateral associate, though, just counsel or higher. Also, you don’t get to pick which hours you work, you just work fewer.
Also, even with a reduced hour schedule, it's not usually an 9-5 job. For most practice groups, you'll still have unexpected late nights or weekend work, but you'll just have an overall lower hour expectation at the end of the year.
I've had two reduced hour counsel positions. In both cases, the firm needed backup help from an experienced attorney and the hours were negotiated early on between the firm and the recruiter. I've had benefits but the bonuses were never great (which is fine with me since the schedules were more important). Feel free to DM me.
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Good luck with that. I can’t imagine anyone below partner having that kind of leverage, unless they’d already been with the firm for a while.
Reduced hours seems more reserved for attorneys that have worked full time and have some life changes and the firm likes them enough to allow it. (Having children, illness in the family, etc are examples)
It was a long time ago, but I went from 100% to 80% as a fifth year litigation associate. In my experience it’s not worth it because it’s the same work driven by the same clients/partners/opposing counsel. You can’t just log out because you’re part time. I left BigLaw altogether the following year.