I work in Australia, and the same issues resonate here.

In my experience working both in-house and in a BigLaw firm, Gen Y lawyers have been as willing to put in the hours and the work as any other generation (including Gen X). What they have not been willing to do is to put in those hours and undertake that work without understanding why it is required and what the end goal is – client service is absolutely appropriate as a reason, as is learning and development, but doing something in an utterly inefficient way is not. And they’re certainly (and, in my view, rightly) not interested in face time for the sake of it. (Quite apart from anything else, a client should only be paying for productive work on their matter, and ‘face time’ is often a proxy for bill padding. Which in my view is a theft from the client.)

I don’t think either of those latter propositions are unreasonable, and I consider it my obligation as a senior Gen X lawyer to train and explain what it’s all about and why I’m requiring work to be done and to be done in a particular way. I’ve certainly never accepted ‘it’s just the way it is’ or ‘that’s how we’ve always done it’ is a reasonable or appropriate basis for inefficient or illogical work practices, and I don’t quibble with Gen Y when they ask those questions. I further think it’s my obligation to ensure that instructions are given in a way which maximises the efficiency of my junior teams or external counsel – not only is it professional courtesy, it benefits me, since it’s normally far less costly to do so whether in hours spent or costs incurred.

That said, I agree with Holden and Scott that law is a complex, tough, high pressure occupation that requires time and dedication, and if you don’t want to put in the hours and time, then don’t do it. Considering how client service can be maintained by doing things more efficiently is one thing; assuming you have the right not to pull your weight or do the work because you have other competing interests is another. If you have other priorities in life, make them your priority and accept your choice – don’t suggest anyone forced you into it. And if someone makes it clear that the requirement for making partner is to be able to work and bill more than any other person around, well, nobody can say you weren’t warned. If you don’t want to do that because that’s not how you want to spend your time, then don’t complain when you’re not made partner. Go set up your own firm, go in-house, change careers – take responsibility for the choices you’ve made about the rewards you seek in your life.

And never, ever, leave your client in the lurch because you have an elsewhere to be.