> US corporate working culture is rather different to here. Here, if you don't take 4+ weeks holiday, your manager will have a word with you for working too much. Complaining about being back at work after a holiday is expected. At the end of the day, you log off and go home, and you don't think about work again until the next morning except in exceptional cases. Everyone knows and accepts that work is work, not the point of your life. 3PM Friday drinks is still a part of the culture in many companies, as is knocking off early on a nice day and going to the pub.

This is a classic view in London's legal industry. In truth, solicitors in London work as hard as New York corporate lawyers and earn 25%-33% of the pay. Yes, they do tend to take more vacation days and don't have to pay for health insurance, but the health insurance component is made up for taxes and otherwise vacation days are about the only difference.