At law firms, where the billable hour still reigns supreme, the idea of work-life balance during the early years of practice is tough for some senior attorneys to grasp.

“If you're going to represent clients like we have, you need to be able to go through the boot camp of learning to be a lawyer,” says J. Daniel Hull, a partner at Hull McGuire. “During the first six or seven years, you really do need to sacrifice a little bit.”

During the past four years, Hull says he has witnessed a dramatic downturn in the hours young attorneys willingly put into projects. Last summer, for example, an associate left the office just hours before a project's completion because, Hull says, the associate felt he'd put in his share of time.

While that may seem to be an individual as opposed to a generational issue, Hull disagrees. “One of the things you don't see in people in their 20s and 30s to an extent is an immersion in their work: 'I really want to do this. I want to do this like I've never wanted to do anything in my life,'” he says.

When she was applying to firms, Deborah Mason, a second-year associate at Ropes & Gray, considered work-life balance a factor in accepting a position. But soon her desire for balance rapidly shifted in favor of work. She's now accustomed to the long hours associated with life at a New York firm, both in the office and beyond, noting that she commonly gets after-hours e-mails on her BlackBerry that she responds to promptly.

“When I was interviewing for jobs, we joked you were looking for someone you could be in the office with at one in the morning,” she says. “Those of us graduating in my class had realistic expectations that you're going to have late hours.”

William Steinhaus, managing shareholder of Ogletree Deakins' Atlanta office, says that in the early 2000s, associates wanted greater work-life balance. But in recent years, that trend has reversed. He says he now finds associates actually prefer to be incredibly busy.

“Our current associates seem much more focused on working harder and gaining experience,” he says. “Most are very eager to spend additional time in client development activities. I find this group to be successfully meeting our expectations.”

Many firms, Ogletree Deakins included, are re-evaluating their models–not only because the law firm compensation model is facing so much scrutiny but also because of the different work outlook Gen Y associates bring to the office. Ann-Marie Neville, managing director of the associate group at Major, Lindsay & Africa, a placement firm, says that law firms are enacting programs that allow for both flexible schedules and a greater choice in the type of work associates get to do.

“[Millennials] are much more accustomed to being in the driver's seat,” she says. “Parents give kids a lot more say and want them to be who they want to be, so they're accustomed to having greater power in what their day entails–and they expect to have that same control when they graduate from law school.”

At law firms, where the billable hour still reigns supreme, the idea of work-life balance during the early years of practice is tough for some senior attorneys to grasp.

“If you're going to represent clients like we have, you need to be able to go through the boot camp of learning to be a lawyer,” says J. Daniel Hull, a partner at Hull McGuire. “During the first six or seven years, you really do need to sacrifice a little bit.”

During the past four years, Hull says he has witnessed a dramatic downturn in the hours young attorneys willingly put into projects. Last summer, for example, an associate left the office just hours before a project's completion because, Hull says, the associate felt he'd put in his share of time.

While that may seem to be an individual as opposed to a generational issue, Hull disagrees. “One of the things you don't see in people in their 20s and 30s to an extent is an immersion in their work: 'I really want to do this. I want to do this like I've never wanted to do anything in my life,'” he says.

When she was applying to firms, Deborah Mason, a second-year associate at Ropes & Gray, considered work-life balance a factor in accepting a position. But soon her desire for balance rapidly shifted in favor of work. She's now accustomed to the long hours associated with life at a New York firm, both in the office and beyond, noting that she commonly gets after-hours e-mails on her BlackBerry that she responds to promptly.

“When I was interviewing for jobs, we joked you were looking for someone you could be in the office with at one in the morning,” she says. “Those of us graduating in my class had realistic expectations that you're going to have late hours.”

William Steinhaus, managing shareholder of Ogletree Deakins' Atlanta office, says that in the early 2000s, associates wanted greater work-life balance. But in recent years, that trend has reversed. He says he now finds associates actually prefer to be incredibly busy.

“Our current associates seem much more focused on working harder and gaining experience,” he says. “Most are very eager to spend additional time in client development activities. I find this group to be successfully meeting our expectations.”

Many firms, Ogletree Deakins included, are re-evaluating their models–not only because the law firm compensation model is facing so much scrutiny but also because of the different work outlook Gen Y associates bring to the office. Ann-Marie Neville, managing director of the associate group at Major, Lindsay & Africa, a placement firm, says that law firms are enacting programs that allow for both flexible schedules and a greater choice in the type of work associates get to do.

“[Millennials] are much more accustomed to being in the driver's seat,” she says. “Parents give kids a lot more say and want them to be who they want to be, so they're accustomed to having greater power in what their day entails–and they expect to have that same control when they graduate from law school.”