Biglaw firms are serious as a goddamn heart attack about timesheets. It is, after all, how they collect money from clients. But damn, after a long day of actually *doing* the work of lawyering it can be a pain in the ass to actually write down all the lawyering you did. So, you procrastinate to the next day, but days of not doing timesheets can so easily slip into weeks. And this is why more and more firms have implemented policies that financially disincentivize late time entires.
It was back in 2008 that Above the Law first noted the trend — have too many late time entries and you’ll see your bonus slashed. Other firms were quick to hop on the trend, with some taking a bite not just out of bonuses, but of salaries.
But these policies are not relics of the past — not at all. As TikTok user @legallypriscilla learned, firms are still very serious about you getting your timesheets in. After receiving warnings, she reports her paycheck was docked 20 percent.
It’s a super harsh way for a Biglaw firm to make their point — especially when associates tend to be the most delinquent with timesheets when they’re busy billing hours.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).
