There's been a small amount of hub-bub in the blogosphere lately about last week's NYT article chronicling the shift of law firms to something more lifestyle-oriented. This movement is underlined by the many 'perks' firms now provide.
Some of the so-called perks include:
On-site tailoring service
Blackberrys
Late-night car service from the office
Concierge-like services
Pay & Bonus increases
Parties with chi-chi food
Wine-tasting
Guaranteeing the first 100k of a real estate loan
In-house psychologists and counseling services
Dinner delivered from fine restaurants to the office
Emergency nanny services
My question is this: Since when are devices that enable me to spend even more time at the office considered perks?
Late nights at my desk with tuna tartare do not sound appealing to me in the slightest. Nor do I think that free milkshakes are going to make me feel better about missing my kid's t-ball game. Perhaps BigLaw is a little confused as to the meaning of "lifestyle." I suppose if my purpose is to look important and impressive on a superficial level to others then their definition might fit. If my purpose is to be able to see my dog, friends, and family, then not so much. I've got a bright idea. Why don't they offer less shiny crap, lower pay, and fewer billable hours? I'd be more than happy to take a job at half the starting rate of most large firms along with two-thirds the number of billable hours. That is a lifestyle-oriented perk in my book.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
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9 comments:
amen soul sistah
Amen.
Umm, NO SHIT. Amen sister, amen.
I had to stop subscribing to ATL because I got tired of hearing folks whine about which firm was offering what and how this firm I'd never heard of was only matching this other firm I'd never heard of's bonus structure instead of beating it.
I console myself with the thought that it is basically a window into a different world, where $145k starting salary is considered paltry, and where people are willing to sacrifice EVERYTHING that makes life enjoyable for only $15k more than that.
I agree - "perks" that make it easier for you to spend 16 hours a day or more in the office aren't perks at all; they should be considered part of your compensation if those kind of hours are the expectation.
Hello! I was thinking the same thing. It all sounds great until you get in there and you're eating the same rich food every night and then trying to stay awake until midnight to edit that brief right up until the 11:59 p.m. e-filing deadline (damn ECF!) Been there, done that and that's why I fled litigation. And you know the real estate loan service seems like a real perk until they realize they don't even have time to house hunt...
I will say, however, that emergency childcare rocks. Now if only it was for sick kids or for more than normal business hours!
I'm mad that article was the number one emailed article for like 3 days. WTF. I hate people.
Can I just say, after having been there for 6 years. Perks? The only perk they can give you when you're there at 2am doing what amounts to clerical work is more money. The car services are awful, the take out food is crap. DLA had free drinks which was a plus at lunch time but that was quickly made up for by the fact that they had virtually no nightstaff which thus necessitated associates staying late to do the aforementioned clerical work. PHJW gave a great discount at The Sports Club LA/Reebok fitness center, too bad PHJW is essentially the fifth ring of hell. Lifestyle firms get merged into BigLaw firms. We need to unionize.
AMEN sister!!!! I'm amazed that I managed to miss that article when it came out, I had to go digging through the past few days of NYT articles...
Good call. Hope I don't reach the point where those things are perks. I remember the movie Devil's Advocate where one of the firm's perks is giving psychological care...to the families of the attorneys who are working the mad hours...
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