Good

Work has picked up. It seems April was the magical month that mid-level and senior associates kept promising would come. I think every first year at my firm is finally billing at least 8 hours a day. For me, I'm busy but not tearing my hair out. For others...well, I'll just say that the firm cancelled the banking finance reception this week because no one could make it due to the number of closings scheduled.

I'm on a deal with the best supervisor I've ever had and loving it. Part of what makes him so great to work for is that he lets me try and participate in everything, expects me to know nothing beforehand and explains it all as if it matters that I really understand the why and how of it all. No longer relegated to officer's certificates and signature pages, I'm discussing comps in credit agreement negotiations with the company and lender's counsel. I'm handling all the foreign counsel. I'm learning so much more on this one deal than I learned in the previous 5 months, it's ridiculous. It really just takes one supervisor that is patient enough and willing to be a mentor to get this kind of experience. I see why most don't...it takes a lot of time on their part. But obviously it helps them in the long run.

I'm also on a bankruptcy case that is set to file the same day as this other deal closes. I have been drafting the first day pleadings and am learning a lot in that case too. Being on this side of a bankruptcy case has sort of made all the pieces fall into place and helped me make sense of the general framework of bankruptcy. The case is topical and interesting, and again, I am working for really smart and really great people.

The third thing that consistently keeps me busy is a pro bono case. I had high hopes for this one, but the actual case hasn't been that enthralling. The client doesn't have a great case and isn't responsive. But my supervisor is widely acknowledged as one of the best people to work for at the firm. She also happens to be a friend and an awesome person to hang out with in general.

So basically, I'm not sure work could get any better right now. I'm working on things I like for people I love and am busy but not TOO busy. (I had to miss bedtime twice this week but also had two nights at home where I just read a book and didn't touch my laptop). I will probably have to work this weekend, but I haven't worked many weekends lately, so I can't complain.

While this job satisfaction makes the present more enjoyable, I can honestly say that at this point, I do not love any of this enough to think it's worth it to work these kind of hours past the point where I need to. I can't imagine how anyone loves this job so much that he or she bills 2,800+ hours a year, misses all that time with his/her family and is constantly sleep-deprived and somehow thinks it was all worth it. Right now, I need experience and I need the money, so I plan on staying here. And really, if I'm going to work in Big Law, I don't see how there could be any place better for me than where I'm at. I'm not unhappy at all. But I don't doubt for a second that this is not my permanent job and I know I will be a happier person when I have definitive time slots carved out of each week (namely nights and weekends) where my job will not interfere with my life.

Looking forward to my 4 month vacation coming up in the fall...