What do your colleagues over in Big Law do when they’re not feewing so good? Log on, buddy…

We all know about Facebook. But what we don’t know is that the ranks of young Big Law associates have taken to the site, religiously logging status updates without a second thought like a hooker showing leg. Reports the NYObserver (via NYMag):

“Big Law associates love using the status update feature, especially to complain to other lawyers about their miserable lot. It may also be that these lawyers, whose days are divided into six-minute increments which must be accounted for, yearn to give any status update that is more alluring than, say, ‘reviewing lease agreements.’”

The tidal wave hit sometime this summer, according to NYO. Anyone care to corroborate?One London firm — Allen & Overy (892 members) — tried to ban the site, but failed.

One blogger tallied the representation of Big Lawies on Facebook. Either the surge must have happened before June, or perhaps the publicity had the opposite effect as the numbers for the top 10 firms went down, if anything. The figures below are as of June and (as of Sept)

- Skadden, Arps 379 Members (now 389)
- Baker & McKenzie 728 Members (still 728)
- Jones Day 286 Members (274)
- Latham & Watkins 291 Members (319)
- Sidely Austin 199 Members (now 125)
- Mayer Browne No Network
- White & Case 370 Members (now 400)
- Weil, Gotschal No Network
- Shearman & Sterling 225 members (168)
- Kirkland & Ellis 192 Members (194)

Meanwhile, though it’s hardly a fair comparison due to the sheer number of people who work at banks, the bulge bracketeers are hardly shy when it comes to poking, either.

- Goldman Sachs - over 3,200 members
- JPMorgan - over 5,000
- Morgan Stanley - 4,600+