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Was/is anyone here an HONEST biller in biglaw?

i turned off my timer if I was just chatting with coworkers,...
Marvelous know-it-all turdskin shrine
  05/22/25
Look at this fucking nerd using a timer
coral drunken gaming laptop
  05/23/25
230 with no fluff is fucking insane. I routinely billed 200 ...
Alcoholic Startling Station
  05/23/25
lol @ any "man" even using a timer, let alone turn...
pearly hospital twinkling uncleanness
  05/22/25
...
180 Halford Sneaky Criminal
  05/22/25
...
Rusted National
  05/22/25
When I was above 200 my bills were most honest.
Vibrant avocado idea he suggested gaping
  05/22/25
...
Chest-beating aromatic cruise ship place of business
  05/22/25
I bill only for time where I'm 100% engaged, doing my best a...
Red tanning salon dragon
  05/22/25
Partner: Please see me
Vibrant avocado idea he suggested gaping
  05/22/25
...
Chest-beating aromatic cruise ship place of business
  05/22/25
I am the partner. That's what's so insane about this.
Red tanning salon dragon
  05/22/25
...
180 Halford Sneaky Criminal
  05/22/25
...
razzmatazz domesticated range depressive
  05/23/25
...
brilliant space
  06/23/25
the internal moral stress of retaining honesty is a large re...
Violet Main People Mad Cow Disease
  05/22/25
why bother retaining honesty? the whole thing is fraud
Alcoholic Startling Station
  05/23/25
On average probably padded 15 %. Consider it your “tip...
Provocative Twinkling Principal's Office Love Of Her Life
  05/22/25
18% is now normal and many biglaw firms are suggesting 20% o...
180 Halford Sneaky Criminal
  05/22/25
...
Provocative Twinkling Principal's Office Love Of Her Life
  05/22/25
...
sexy pit selfie
  05/22/25
...
Vibrant avocado idea he suggested gaping
  05/23/25
...
brilliant space
  06/23/25
My favorite story is still that Sidley associate who wrote a...
Vibrant avocado idea he suggested gaping
  05/22/25
...
pearly hospital twinkling uncleanness
  05/22/25
...
Cream irradiated therapy
  05/22/25
Any time I've been honest I've been passed up or fired Wh...
Cream irradiated therapy
  05/22/25
...
naked nubile prole nowag
  05/22/25
...
180 Halford Sneaky Criminal
  05/22/25
what happens when the truth comes out later?
Marvelous know-it-all turdskin shrine
  05/22/25
Never does imo It's all a big ponzi scheme and everyone e...
Cream irradiated therapy
  05/22/25
people who make it see the truth immediately, xo autistd and...
mind-boggling elite french chef state
  05/23/25
I’m more of a look at my sent inbox and estimate type ...
lilac laser beams
  05/22/25
...
razzmatazz domesticated range depressive
  05/23/25
While I would bill more than my actual time frequently, I ne...
Ultramarine hissy fit circlehead
  05/22/25
(superstar biglawyer)
Appetizing incel
  05/22/25
...
mind-boggling elite french chef state
  05/23/25
self preservation through mental gymnastics we're all good ...
Bearded Site
  05/23/25
...
Marvelous know-it-all turdskin shrine
  05/22/25
If someone makes $15 an hour at McDonalds, you don't get to ...
curious dysfunction background story
  05/22/25
>Similarly, when you get an email on your blackberry at 1...
pearly hospital twinkling uncleanness
  05/22/25
For a single email id do like a 0.3 or 0.4 but if you're ans...
curious dysfunction background story
  05/22/25
wait why cant they mop the floor when orders get slow
Internet-worthy Haunted Graveyard Gas Station
  05/22/25
When its super slow, they should. When its just a short ...
curious dysfunction background story
  05/22/25
im all for workers rights but i dont think mickey d's employ...
Internet-worthy Haunted Graveyard Gas Station
  05/22/25
...
Vibrant avocado idea he suggested gaping
  05/23/25
this guy gets it
Alcoholic Startling Station
  05/23/25
I bill mainly based upon the value of my work product to the...
Fragrant Pink Preventive Strike Stage
  05/22/25
(Wachtel)
Vibrant avocado idea he suggested gaping
  05/23/25
Why would anyone be honest when you can inflate your hours b...
Slimy Hyperventilating Dilemma
  05/23/25
The thing most non-Jewish juniors don’t understand is ...
pearly hospital twinkling uncleanness
  05/23/25
Real talk: the people who get "caught" are overbil...
Vermilion Travel Guidebook
  05/23/25
I once had to bill more than 24 hours in a day, because our ...
contagious olive center tank
  05/23/25
I massively underbill by a few hundred hours a year, often t...
Umber angry hell pozpig
  05/23/25
lol
coral drunken gaming laptop
  05/23/25
At my V5 prestigious elite M&A MFH shop at which I was c...
coral drunken gaming laptop
  05/23/25
...
contagious olive center tank
  05/23/25
The first thing my biglaw partner told me on day 1 is that y...
comical chestnut ticket booth
  05/23/25
I'm not even joking when I say that it's rare and heartwarmi...
Vermilion Travel Guidebook
  05/23/25
CR I have talked with enough friends and people inhouse to b...
lascivious orange mad-dog skullcap
  06/23/25
Wasn't this the premise for Jim Carrey's Liar Liar?
sexy pit selfie
  05/23/25


Poast new message in this thread



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 12:45 PM
Author: Marvelous know-it-all turdskin shrine

i turned off my timer if I was just chatting with coworkers, browsing the internet for personal stuff, using the restroom.

also, if I accidentally left my timer running when I wasn't working, I subtracted the excess time based on my rough estimate.

under this system, the most i ever billed in a month was 230, and that was absolutely hellish.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953664)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 8:41 AM
Author: coral drunken gaming laptop

Look at this fucking nerd using a timer

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955796)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 11:17 AM
Author: Alcoholic Startling Station

230 with no fluff is fucking insane. I routinely billed 200 a month but actually workd like a hundred or so

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48956128)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 12:48 PM
Author: pearly hospital twinkling uncleanness

lol @ any "man" even using a timer, let alone turning it off. are u a fempoaster?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953677)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 1:10 PM
Author: 180 Halford Sneaky Criminal



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953775)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 12:49 PM
Author: Rusted National



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953683)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 12:51 PM
Author: Vibrant avocado idea he suggested gaping

When I was above 200 my bills were most honest.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953693)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 12:52 PM
Author: Chest-beating aromatic cruise ship place of business



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953696)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 12:53 PM
Author: Red tanning salon dragon

I bill only for time where I'm 100% engaged, doing my best and adding value

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953697)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 12:57 PM
Author: Vibrant avocado idea he suggested gaping

Partner: Please see me

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953711)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 12:58 PM
Author: Chest-beating aromatic cruise ship place of business



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953719)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 1:01 PM
Author: Red tanning salon dragon

I am the partner. That's what's so insane about this.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953730)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 1:10 PM
Author: 180 Halford Sneaky Criminal



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953776)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 11:32 AM
Author: razzmatazz domesticated range depressive



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48956167)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 23rd, 2025 1:24 AM
Author: brilliant space



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#49041751)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 12:55 PM
Author: Violet Main People Mad Cow Disease

the internal moral stress of retaining honesty is a large reason why I left biglaw

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953704)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 11:18 AM
Author: Alcoholic Startling Station

why bother retaining honesty? the whole thing is fraud

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48956129)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 1:00 PM
Author: Provocative Twinkling Principal's Office Love Of Her Life

On average probably padded 15 %. Consider it your “tip” for your services.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953725)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 1:11 PM
Author: 180 Halford Sneaky Criminal

18% is now normal and many biglaw firms are suggesting 20% or even 22%

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953779)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 1:18 PM
Author: Provocative Twinkling Principal's Office Love Of Her Life



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953815)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 1:19 PM
Author: sexy pit selfie



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953820)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 6:26 AM
Author: Vibrant avocado idea he suggested gaping



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955678)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 23rd, 2025 1:24 AM
Author: brilliant space



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#49041752)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 1:12 PM
Author: Vibrant avocado idea he suggested gaping

My favorite story is still that Sidley associate who wrote an essay admitting to billing fraud and Sidley was like, “we checked and everything looked good to us. Here’s a ten percent rebate.”

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953784)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 1:13 PM
Author: pearly hospital twinkling uncleanness



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953787)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 1:23 PM
Author: Cream irradiated therapy



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953844)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 1:17 PM
Author: Cream irradiated therapy

Any time I've been honest I've been passed up or fired

When applying I'd give honest solid resumes all passed up

Then I lie even a little bit and they all bite

I tell clients realistic timetables that are still aggressive but reasonable passed or fired eventually

Now I straight up lie

Employment is a satanic system built around forcing u to lie cheat and steal in some sick humiliation ritual

Few ever see the truth about this

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953813)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 1:19 PM
Author: naked nubile prole nowag



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953819)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 1:21 PM
Author: 180 Halford Sneaky Criminal



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48953828)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 2:51 PM
Author: Marvelous know-it-all turdskin shrine

what happens when the truth comes out later?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48954139)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 2:54 PM
Author: Cream irradiated therapy

Never does imo

It's all a big ponzi scheme and everyone else is in on it trying not to be caught

Seems like u only get "caught" if u step out of line politically (call out jews etc) or are bottom of the barrel and are essentially a Aztec pyramid blood sacrifice

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48954150)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 9:29 AM
Author: mind-boggling elite french chef state

people who make it see the truth immediately, xo autistd and women struggle

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955867)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 4:50 PM
Author: lilac laser beams

I’m more of a look at my sent inbox and estimate type of bro

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48954460)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 11:33 AM
Author: razzmatazz domesticated range depressive



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48956169)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 4:55 PM
Author: Ultramarine hissy fit circlehead

While I would bill more than my actual time frequently, I never billed for more than the "value" of my work product. So yes I was honest.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48954471)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 5:22 PM
Author: Appetizing incel

(superstar biglawyer)

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48954578)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 9:29 AM
Author: mind-boggling elite french chef state



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955868)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 11:28 AM
Author: Bearded Site

self preservation through mental gymnastics

we're all good people, right? especially me.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48956161)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 5:14 PM
Author: Marvelous know-it-all turdskin shrine



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48954529)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 9:45 PM
Author: curious dysfunction background story

If someone makes $15 an hour at McDonalds, you don't get to dock their pay because when the orders got slow, they chatted with their cowrker rather than mopped the floor.

The same thing applies to law. You take the time you were at work, working, and you divide proportionally.

It's not natural for a person to read 500 pages of bonds without a break - in fact most research says you need to take periodic breaks for your mind to regenerate.

YOu shouldn't "pause your timer" after draftig some document because you're taking a lap to the water cooler or checking Facebook for a bit because you can't rewrite Section 13.6 e.

Similarly, when you get an email on your blackberry at 11 pm, and it takes you 3 minutes to respond - that's not billed as a 0.05 hour. You had to be on call to check for that email, then you lost the momentum from your evening, you're going to think about that email for 10 minutes after, and the deal will be in your head for whatever else you were planning on doing that night.

My point being that whenever your brain is required to be in "work mode" - someone should be paying for that.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955165)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 10:27 PM
Author: pearly hospital twinkling uncleanness

>Similarly, when you get an email on your blackberry at 11 pm, and it takes you 3 minutes to respond - that's not billed as a 0.05 hour. You had to be on call to check for that email, then you lost the momentum from your evening, you're going to think about that email for 10 minutes after, and the deal will be in your head for whatever else you were planning on doing that night.

so what do you bill for that? 1.25 to me makes sense

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955247)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 10:31 PM
Author: curious dysfunction background story

For a single email id do like a 0.3 or 0.4 but if you're answering multiple hours then i feel like the entire time is fair game

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955262)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 10:35 PM
Author: Internet-worthy Haunted Graveyard Gas Station

wait why cant they mop the floor when orders get slow

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955265)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 10:40 PM
Author: curious dysfunction background story

When its super slow, they should.

When its just a short break, people would quit if they were expected to be fully working 100% of the time.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955278)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 10:42 PM
Author: Internet-worthy Haunted Graveyard Gas Station

im all for workers rights but i dont think mickey d's employees can actually quit. thats mickey d's whole business model.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955287)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 6:28 AM
Author: Vibrant avocado idea he suggested gaping



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955680)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 11:21 AM
Author: Alcoholic Startling Station

this guy gets it

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48956141)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 22nd, 2025 10:51 PM
Author: Fragrant Pink Preventive Strike Stage

I bill mainly based upon the value of my work product to the client. If I work hard on something but don't end up with a product that helps the client very much then I will actually underbill for my hours spent. Usually the product is good, though, and then I'm pretty fucking loose in my billing. Me and everyone else I know.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955307)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 6:28 AM
Author: Vibrant avocado idea he suggested gaping

(Wachtel)

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955681)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 7:31 AM
Author: Slimy Hyperventilating Dilemma

Why would anyone be honest when you can inflate your hours by 50% without drawing suspicion? 1500 gets you fired, 2250 gets you a bonus. The only people who ever get caught do colossally stupid shit like bill more than 24 hours in a day, bill for work that was never done, etc.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955722)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 8:43 AM
Author: pearly hospital twinkling uncleanness

The thing most non-Jewish juniors don’t understand is that the firm WANTS you to inflate your bill by 50%. Incentives are entirely aligned.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955798)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 9:06 AM
Author: Vermilion Travel Guidebook

Real talk: the people who get "caught" are overbilling by 200-500%, not flame. It's like the young woman who spends too long with one foot out the door, or the dude with developing mental illness who's unable to do more than an hour or two of work a couple times a week. And they're ID'd for qualitative reasons, not the billing itself, which is often a straight-up pretext to expedite getting rid of the person.



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955831)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 11:24 AM
Author: contagious olive center tank

I once had to bill more than 24 hours in a day, because our faggy billing system automatically populated 8 hours on holidays. I think this was for the benefit of the hourly employees, but it carried over for salaried lawyers too. Anyway, I ended up working an 18 hour day on Thanksgiving, which the system wouldn't accept. Getting that sorted with the billing system retard was a nightmare.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48956150)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 8:41 AM
Author: Umber angry hell pozpig

I massively underbill by a few hundred hours a year, often to the benefit of nobody (lots of contingency matters).

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955792)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 8:41 AM
Author: coral drunken gaming laptop

lol

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955794)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 8:44 AM
Author: coral drunken gaming laptop

At my V5 prestigious elite M&A MFH shop at which I was considered a top associate we had a universal understanding on asshole taxes for work that came in Friday afternoon with a “don’t kill your self on this, Monday AM is fine for a markup”

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955799)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 11:31 AM
Author: contagious olive center tank



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48956165)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 9:08 AM
Author: comical chestnut ticket booth

The first thing my biglaw partner told me on day 1 is that you never log anything less than a 0.4 even if you spend 30 seconds on it because whatever you’re doing is taking you away from something else you could be doing and billing for

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955837)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 9:15 AM
Author: Vermilion Travel Guidebook

I'm not even joking when I say that it's rare and heartwarming to hear about a partner looking out for a young person like that.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48955848)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 23rd, 2025 1:55 AM
Author: lascivious orange mad-dog skullcap

CR I have talked with enough friends and people inhouse to be certain that nearly everyone who made it 5+ years at one firm had a partner or senior associate that both coached them up and did a bunch of internal marketing for them. In that sense biglaw is not really that different from other workplaces except it has this preposterous meritocracy mythology that completely overlooks this obviously central factor. It’s very weird to me that still to this day it’s not CW to go to a worse firm if eg you’re coming from a higher ranked lol school than they typically get and will treat you like you’re supposed to be a superstar when you’re a first year.v

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#49041779)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 23rd, 2025 11:35 AM
Author: sexy pit selfie

Wasn't this the premise for Jim Carrey's Liar Liar?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5728819&forum_id=2#48956178)