Roll Call: What Time Did You Get to Work Today?

associate
Jun 3, 2009 12:35 PM CST

Our office almost runs in shifts.  We have the 6am arrival crowd, 8:30am is the VAST majority, and then a few late night (i.e., single) people that come in around 10am.

6am leaves around 5pm; 8:30am leaves around 7pm, and the 10am group leaves between 8 and 9.

This is all irrevelevant though since most of us get back on after dinner and work till midnight or later.

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Legal Lady
Jun 4, 2009 7:30 AM CST

Today, I was in at 7:30, which is a tad early for me.  Regardless, I’m in by no later than 8:30 and that’s a rather late arrival.

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gary weiner
Jun 4, 2009 12:24 PM CST

our court opens for biz at 8. that’s when i get here.

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things are looking Milhouse
Jun 5, 2009 5:04 AM CST

5:30am out by 6pm

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Ruben R. Chapa
Jun 5, 2009 5:21 AM CST

I was in by 5:41 am.  You know the saying early to bed, early to rise….

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Turf
Jun 5, 2009 5:31 AM CST

It’s important to adhere to a schedule that works for oneself and one’s clients.  The exact start and finish times are not relevant if one keeps to that principle.  I typically am in by 6 a.m., and don’t leave until the work is done (typically between 6 - 8 p.m.).  I try to get out early on Fridays though, in order to avoid burnout.

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Sarah
Jun 5, 2009 5:39 AM CST

I’m in house, and I typically arrive by 7:00. I don’t expect that of outside counsel, but I have always found the 9:30 start time of NY law firms very client unfriendly.  Most businesses are already well into their day by 9:30.

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F. Woodbridge
Jun 5, 2009 5:51 AM CST

7h15 - never later than 7h30 (avoiding rush hour, quiet intense work time before world awakes)

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L
Jun 5, 2009 6:04 AM CST

Ten ‘til 7, which is normal unless I have an early-morning meeting outside the office.  I try to leave by 4:30, but that almost never happens - it’s usually more like 5, 5:30, 6, 6:30, or later.  I used to get in just before 8, but started coming in an hour earlier a number of years ago during a very busy period, and discovered the benefits of beating traffic and being here before the phones start to ring.

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Krista
Jun 5, 2009 6:10 AM CST

I am in the office between 7 and 7:30 most mornings. I seem to be one of the few attorneys in my area who is in that early, but I find it gives me a chance to get a “jump start” on the day ahead. (And, I find it often allows me to get out earlier as things get done MUCH faster when you are working without disruption.)

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Dick Brickwedde
Jun 5, 2009 6:14 AM CST

I arrived at my office by bike around 7:30 this morning although 8-8:30 is more the normal time.  I get here earlier in the summer and later in the winter.  Syracuse doesn’t have a rush hour or even a rush 15 minutes except if you take the elevator when you might have to wait 3-5 minutes.

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John
Jun 5, 2009 6:23 AM CST

This is a rule of reason, but also a social efficiency issue. It’s silly to hauling everyone into the urban core just for face time on general principles.  But, if you want to the lawyers to socialize with the summer associates (which is essential), electronic presence is not going to get the job done.  And depends on the specific practice and geographic location - as a tax lawyer in a congested metro area, I have no need for a regular arrival time, and tell my associates I don’t care where they are a as long as they can respond.  Started work at 7:40 AM at home on VPN high speed internet connection to the office.  Expect to arrive office at 11:00, but if the traffic’s bad or the weather’s good, or I’m feeling guilty about my carbon footprint, or need to be sure to be home for dinner with the family . . .  I can work from home just as well.  I deal with lawyers (including some of my own associates) from Europe to Asia.  But my liberality on this is related to my views on the earlier question about being accessable—my blackberry is always on and I carry my laptop like a PDA.  On balance, decentralization and e-connection is probably the efficient future for symbol manipulators.  Maybe I should just move to a tax haven and work from there by internet . . .

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Yenrab
Jun 5, 2009 6:34 AM CST

By 7:45 AM:  The local Public Radio station in Syracuse has a “Sousa-Larm” at 7:45 each day, playing a John Philip Sousa march, which is a real treat to listen to either just as I park the car or just as I sit down at my desk.  That is more fun than just trying to get to work by a given time so I can read through boring legal papers.

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Maine lawyer
Jun 5, 2009 6:46 AM CST

In house, try to get here by 8:15 to balance time at home with the kids before school and getting in before too many emails have hit.  When in private practice about the same - assistants started at 8:30 and most attorneys did the same.

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L. Orgera
Jun 5, 2009 6:47 AM CST

In by 6:30 or so, out by 5:30 or so.  For me it is the only way to have a life outside work.

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Tanner Pittman
Jun 5, 2009 6:52 AM CST

8-5 every day. Most days, I’m back in the office at 9 p.m. after baby goes to sleep, and I stick around until about 11. I’m a solo practitioner.

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SCP
Jun 5, 2009 6:58 AM CST

8 am, 8:15 at the latest, usually if traffic is particularly bad.  I live in the city and work in the suburbs, rather than the other way ‘round, so I suppose the commute could be worse.

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early bird
Jun 5, 2009 7:12 AM CST

I always get to work at 7:45am.  I’m supposed to be in by 8am, so I come a little early.  My hours are 8am to 5pm Monday through Thursday and 8am to 4:30am on Fridays.  And I never have to work late or work weekends at my job!  Pretty sweet

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InhousenearDC
Jun 5, 2009 7:13 AM CST

I arrived today at 8:30. I have a 25 mile commute, which makes for some vagaries due to traffic and weather, so I try to either get here by 8:30 or by 9:30 (not in between, because it would just mean longer in the car, without productivity). I’m also inhouse where most people don’t get in before 9, but I’m almost always here until at least 7 PM, when the rest of the office has left by 5.

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Katharine L.
Jun 5, 2009 7:24 AM CST

In at 8.10, no thanks to relatively slow public transit. I’m hourly,* though, so I -could- show up any time I want to on days when I don’t have a court call. I cannot work more than 40 hours a week, so today’s only a half day. It’s one of the few (okay, the only) small perks of underemployment.

*Yes, and I’m already licensed. No, it’s not that great.

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JH
Jun 5, 2009 7:25 AM CST

I think we’re going to have to get used to the idea that performance can’t be measured by when you are seen sitting at your desk.  The next generation of lawyers is going to want the flexibility to work when and where they are most comfortable, so long as they get the work done and they do it well.

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JRC
Jun 5, 2009 7:32 AM CST

In by 6:15 (big city commute), out by 4:30 or 5:00 (coaching kids/ family dinner).  Rest of office is 8:30 to 5:30 or 6 or 9:15 to 7:00ish.  Love the morning-no phone, no court, no people).  11 lawyer firm, and we all are flexible—when we need to meet either with clients or on firm stuff in the evening, I stay; similarly, when we need an “early” (8:00 or 8:30) meeting, partners come in early.

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tgr
Jun 5, 2009 7:38 AM CST

Here in Ohio,most folks most places are in by 8:30 or 9 AM although there is the early shift people who arrive as early as 6:30 or 7 AM (well before I have even rolled out of bed).  And there’s generally a relationship with quitting times, i.e. the earlier you get in, the earlier you leave.  Personally, I’d rather get in at 9 AM like I did today and work a little later than have to get up earlier.  However, even to me, 9:30 AM just seems awfully late to be rolling in to work on a regular basis.  Maybe it’s the hellish commute times folks on the East coast have to deal with - I can’t imagine commuting an hour or more each way.  It generally oinly takes me about 20 minutes.

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TS
Jun 5, 2009 7:46 AM CST

I typically get to work as a law school clinical instructor by 6:30 a.m.  This was true when I was in private practice as well.  While this is certainly not standard among my colleagues, it is also not rare for them to arrive at this time.  A couple of my colleagues beat me to work about half the time - I guess it’s just difficult to sleep here in Idaho when the sun is up and the birds are chirping.  Of course, the fact that we have virtually no commute time makes it much easier.

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Erin
Jun 5, 2009 7:50 AM CST

Reading this thread, I have never been more glad to be a public interest lawyer.

I generally arrive between 8:30 and 9 and leave between 5 and 5:30. Usually I have time for a lunch break.  I don’t go back to work afterward, nor do I normally work on weekends. And I get everything done. The latest I’ve ever stayed in the office is about 8:30pm, and if I feel like coming in later in the morning that’s no problem although I’ll end up staying later too.

Giving up an extra 20 or 30 hours per week of my life would not be worth the extra $100,000 per year I’d make at a firm. Granted, working in public interest is no guarantee of good hours - at my previous job, I regularly worked 9:00am to 8:00pm, for less money than I make now. But even that is a light schedule compared to what my friends at big firms put up with.

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