2500-3000 hours billable typical result: burn-out, alcoholism, drug abuse, self destructive behaviors, infidelity.
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They're talking about 2000 billable hours and 2500-3000 actual hours (50 to 60 hours a week).
Of course, many engineers work similar hours, for far less than a NYC law associate.
I would argue, pretty strongly, many engineers do not work similar hours (or work at such "efficiency") in as stressful a way as the lawyers are working.
Of course, I don't argue doing such a thing is necessary or even useful to being a good engineer, just that i think you are giving pretty short shrift to the other side of this :)
Perhaps a lawyer's working hours tend to be more "efficient" or more stressful. My interaction has been primarily limited to in-house patent attorneys, and they don't seem to work appreciably harder or be more stressed out.
Work-related stress is a big issue. Regardless, putting in long hours at work, regardless of stress level, means less time for family, friends, hobbies, recreation, exercise, sleep, etc.
" My interaction has been primarily limited to in-house patent attorneys, and they don't seem to work appreciably harder or be more stressed out."
This is definitely true, but that is precisely the difference between biglaw and in-house.
biglaw has worse-than-startup hours.
in-house is basically 9-5.
(though i've been called at 1am on my wedding anniversary before, it is basically the only thing that happened in 10 years)
There is a significant paycut associated with in-house as a result, of course.
Some engineers work that for 50k in the name of "working for a startup to be the next zucker".
A zucker is born every minute, they say.
yes, but (and I'm biased), it seems plausible that a higher percentage of engineers enjoy a larger fraction of their work than law associates. I have no numbers to back this up, but very few people pick up corporate law as a hobby.