Associates Trying to Retain Their Jobs Put Work-Life Concerns On Back Burner

The economy may be putting a damper on associates’ quest for work-life balance.

Some associates are pressing for more billable hours and putting work-life balance concerns on the back burner, the Legal Intelligencer reports. A legal consultant and some associates who spoke to the publication reported that the quest for hours is a response to the economic downturn.

“People are generally stressed about the economy and about keeping their jobs,” said Reed Smith associate Erin Coyne. Associates push for more work even though firms are not focusing on increased billables, she said.

But one consultant, Deborah Epstein Henry of Flex-Time Lawyers, thinks a better response to the downturn is fewer hours. She suggests that law firms seeing a loss of work could reduce lawyer hours and pay rather than headcount. Then, when the economy improves, the law firm will have loyal lawyers who can boost their hours to respond to the increased the work demand.