Ali Abdaal

And he's typing away on his Blackberry, like, sure, ask me anything, kid. And I'm like, how come you're never in the office, but people say that you're one of the highest paid partners? And he's like, wait, people are saying I'm never in the office? So now I'm like, cool, I'm definitely getting fired now because I stepped in it at a Starbucks in the basement of this office building.

And he's typing away on his Blackberry, like, sure, ask me anything, kid. And I'm like, how come you're never in the office, but people say that you're one of the highest paid partners? And he's like, wait, people are saying I'm never in the office? So now I'm like, cool, I'm definitely getting fired now because I stepped in it at a Starbucks in the basement of this office building.

And he's typing away on his Blackberry, like, sure, ask me anything, kid. And I'm like, how come you're never in the office, but people say that you're one of the highest paid partners? And he's like, wait, people are saying I'm never in the office? So now I'm like, cool, I'm definitely getting fired now because I stepped in it at a Starbucks in the basement of this office building.

Well, he wasn't thrilled with that, but he didn't shoot the messenger. And he told me, well, I'm usually out generating business for this law firm. Being in the office is a waste of my time. Billing hours is kind of a waste of my time. Yes, I need to do it, but I just oversee projects. So I was like, are you working from home? He's like, yes and no.

Well, he wasn't thrilled with that, but he didn't shoot the messenger. And he told me, well, I'm usually out generating business for this law firm. Being in the office is a waste of my time. Billing hours is kind of a waste of my time. Yes, I need to do it, but I just oversee projects. So I was like, are you working from home? He's like, yes and no.

Well, he wasn't thrilled with that, but he didn't shoot the messenger. And he told me, well, I'm usually out generating business for this law firm. Being in the office is a waste of my time. Billing hours is kind of a waste of my time. Yes, I need to do it, but I just oversee projects. So I was like, are you working from home? He's like, yes and no.

My job is to go play racquetball or squash with clients that are people that might become clients, cycle with those people, do jujitsu with those people, play golf with those people, go on fancy dinners with those people. And he's like, Then I bring in business and he goes, candidly, if I build 2,000 hours a year, which is a ton, that's not every hour you work.

My job is to go play racquetball or squash with clients that are people that might become clients, cycle with those people, do jujitsu with those people, play golf with those people, go on fancy dinners with those people. And he's like, Then I bring in business and he goes, candidly, if I build 2,000 hours a year, which is a ton, that's not every hour you work.

My job is to go play racquetball or squash with clients that are people that might become clients, cycle with those people, do jujitsu with those people, play golf with those people, go on fancy dinners with those people. And he's like, Then I bring in business and he goes, candidly, if I build 2,000 hours a year, which is a ton, that's not every hour you work.

That's just like billable hours to clients. You're working 4,000 hours to get that done, which is a ton. You get a bonus of, I can't remember, it was like X percent. If you bring in a new client, you get a percentage of the total billing. And it might only be 5%, but what if you bring in a $2 million client? So you bring in a couple of those or $10 million client or $20 million.

That's just like billable hours to clients. You're working 4,000 hours to get that done, which is a ton. You get a bonus of, I can't remember, it was like X percent. If you bring in a new client, you get a percentage of the total billing. And it might only be 5%, but what if you bring in a $2 million client? So you bring in a couple of those or $10 million client or $20 million.

That's just like billable hours to clients. You're working 4,000 hours to get that done, which is a ton. You get a bonus of, I can't remember, it was like X percent. If you bring in a new client, you get a percentage of the total billing. And it might only be 5%, but what if you bring in a $2 million client? So you bring in a couple of those or $10 million client or $20 million.

So you bring in a couple of those, your compensation is massive. So he was just focused on that. And a lot of the guys that were like workhorse lawyers who would keep their heads down all the time, they made bonus and they were in the office on Sundays and Dave was never in the office and he made more money than those guys. So I was like, whoa, I've accidentally stumbled onto the cheat code.

So you bring in a couple of those, your compensation is massive. So he was just focused on that. And a lot of the guys that were like workhorse lawyers who would keep their heads down all the time, they made bonus and they were in the office on Sundays and Dave was never in the office and he made more money than those guys. So I was like, whoa, I've accidentally stumbled onto the cheat code.

So you bring in a couple of those, your compensation is massive. So he was just focused on that. And a lot of the guys that were like workhorse lawyers who would keep their heads down all the time, they made bonus and they were in the office on Sundays and Dave was never in the office and he made more money than those guys. So I was like, whoa, I've accidentally stumbled onto the cheat code.

And I thought, why doesn't every lawyer do this? And I started asking the other partners and they were like, man, you know, some people are relationship people and other people aren't. And I thought, that's definitely not really true.

And I thought, why doesn't every lawyer do this? And I started asking the other partners and they were like, man, you know, some people are relationship people and other people aren't. And I thought, that's definitely not really true.

And I thought, why doesn't every lawyer do this? And I started asking the other partners and they were like, man, you know, some people are relationship people and other people aren't. And I thought, that's definitely not really true.

They just didn't want to do it because it was kind of scary or they weren't that great socially or they found that keeping their head down and being a workhorse was easier. But I think that's because overachievers who go to law school are naturally disciplined, heads down kind of people. So if you get out of that situation and you can be a salesman also, you just have disproportionate rewards.

They just didn't want to do it because it was kind of scary or they weren't that great socially or they found that keeping their head down and being a workhorse was easier. But I think that's because overachievers who go to law school are naturally disciplined, heads down kind of people. So if you get out of that situation and you can be a salesman also, you just have disproportionate rewards.