Anyone ever get their head bit off by a partner and got cut off from their work, but ended up better off for it? Tell me your story. I need it.

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When I was a 6th year I had a partner tell me I was an idiot, shouldn’t be at the firm, and should be looking elsewhere for a job. 15+ years later I’m still here and that partner is gone. Life works out for the best.

likeuplifting

PGC, it’s been awhile, but it had something to do with my team sending a filing to this partner’s assistant for the partner’s review (the partner was in another office, had very little role on the case, and this was a minor filing that had been signed off on by the client and the day to day partner so this was more a courtesy than something anyone thought was required), and the assistant put it on the partner’s desk instead of handing it to them directly. The partner didn’t see the paper on their desk until just before the filing was due and had a bit of a tizzy that we didn’t make sure it was physically in the partner’s hand. The partner was a bit of an egomaniac, and I gave a bit of an irreverent response (basically not to worry that I would make sure they were tracked down thousands of miles away to ensure they had looked at their desk over a one week period), and the rest of the convo ensued. Maybe I have thicker skin but it didn’t really bother me much.

A10, I like the counsel role. Not so much litigating anymore.

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Worked for a difficult partner at BigLaw; came to blows a few times. Eventually left the firm and about 6 years later he came to me looking for a job at my firm. I declined. One of the highlights of my career. Petty, I know, but I still get a kick out of telling that story every time.

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Ok not literal blows just all out yelling matches.

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When I was an associate, I got laid off in a speciality area at a big firm. The partner in charge was an ass. He didn’t even bother to say anything to me when I got laid off. He has the HR person do it. I saw him later at a conference (again, small speciality area). He shook my hand and said “ no hard feelings, right?” I looked him straight in the eyes and said, “I had a lot of hard feelings. But then I found my current position that is a hundred times better and happens to also pay me about $75,000 better. So I guess my hard feelings are starting to go away”. Petty I know. But it was one of the best moments of my life. Lol.

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I currently work for a partner who degrades me every single day. Everything I write, he tells me it sucks and that I make mistakes that all “young lawyers make.” Hell then give me his revisions and it’s my draft with a few changed words here and there. He brings donuts into my office to show me and then tells me I shouldn’t eat any. Tells me to workout, says I don’t know shit, says I’m combative whenever I try and defend myself. Most recently he asked me to write an email to the managing partner stating that I was worried I wouldn’t get all my work done (because he doesn’t want me doing anyone’s work but his). When I told him I wouldn’t write that because I didn’t feel that way and I was comfortable with my workload, he told me to sit down, shut up and do as I’m told. I still wouldn’t write the email and he stormed out of my office. We tolerate each other but I can’t believe this is my life every day.

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Wtf is wrong with you P&GC1???

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There’s a partner I’m working for now. We despise each other’s work styles. I want nothing more than to get kicked off all his cases.

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I was told I was no longer a good fit for the firm and asked what I would do next. I advised I would open my own firm since this is what I know and I love doing what I do.

There was a minor freak out 1) that I had already anticipated this and 2) when the realization hit that I would immediately become a competitor - which I thought was ridiculous since I was planning on opening a true solo firm that likely would make no dent in their new client retention. If I was such a terrible attorney, what were they worried about?

After I left, several of my prior clients sought me out. I had not tried to take any clients with me and apparently the old firm was refusing to tell clients how to get in touch with me (even though they assured me a joint letter advising clients of my departure had gone out to all clients I had interacted with).

The clients that found me were like cheerleaders giving me the details on how the firm had tried to keep them from locating me and encouraging me to keep doing great work on my own. It was oddly sweet to have that level of encouragement from my clients and to see them so excited to see me going out on my own. I never felt like I had that type of experience working for someone else.

The day after my last day at the firm I launched my firm’s website and had my first session with a new group of professional referral sources and it was the most satisfying feeling of my professional life - up to that point. I never once woke up in a cold sweat wondering if I was doing the right thing after I was out the door. My motto is “be the true you because clients want the real deal.” So far, it’s working.

likeuplifting

I got in a knock down screaming match in an elevator with a partner/mentor of mine years ago (when I was 29) over the meaning of a security under securities law versus under the bankruptcy code. I wouldn’t back down and and basically told her to take me off the case and fire me. Other lawyers in the elevator were appalled at this, and the screaming continued in the lobby and out into the street. Both of us, screaming at each other. It was embarrassing. It looked as if I was having a fight with my grandmother. Later that evening I got an email with her saying we needed to clear the air, and everything was fine. 6 months later, she came into my office and said “remember that conversation we had about the definition of a security?” Me: “yeah, I kind of remember that.” Her: “let’s make your argument, put it in the brief.” At the end of the day, in another case, she was proven right and a judge didn’t agree with my position—But I made my argument and stood up for it, but god was that an embarrassing elevator ride.

likefunnysmart

Win win. She’s retired now, but I was the only person who ever yelled back at her. She’s a brilliant lawyer, but a bully, and the only way to stand up to a bully is to fight back times 10–after that we had a mutual respect thing. Worked for me a at least.

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Was a newly minted midlevel when I had a falling out with a partner over office politics. She cut me off, so I went to a rainmaker in a different office who wasn’t “user-friendly” (her words). Turns out the rainmaker is an awesome guy; he just had no patience for shit work or shit business development. Four years later the first partner asked me not to transfer offices because she needed to pretend my performance had something to do with her. Transferred anyway.

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Partner who was a notorious asshole chewed me out when I told him I couldn’t turn to something immediately because I had another priority deadline. Assistant heard me crying and alerted other partners, who helped me stop working on everything with him immediately. Other associates started refusing to work with him, and he was complaining to leadership about having no support. They knew the bed he had made and were unsympathetic. Fast forward to him attempting to abscond in the middle of the night by faxing in his resignation. Guess he forgot faxes get emailed these days and management found out immediately and circumvented his attempts to poach clients. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!

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I almost punched a partner once. It is hard to describe how hard it is to deal with this person. I didn’t do it and sucked things up. The guy became the key to me getting equity partnership years later. Would not have happened without this person backing me and otherwise pulling some strings. It was more than worth it not to do what was highly tempting at the time.

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Yeah, gonna need that story please.

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I had it happen recently. Worked with an absolutely insane partner on a motion to dismiss (which is unfortunately still pending) who yelled at me for every minor error or delay. The worst was when she told me one day she needed “whatever draft I had” that day, several weeks before it was do, then screamed at me for 15 minutes because it wasn’t a final draft. Was very clear by the end that she did not like me or my work. But I haven’t gotten any other cases from her and my stress has decreased significantly, it was a huge improvement. Plus she - like any other partner who behaves like this - has the reputation of being hard to work with, so I’m not all that worried it will impact my reputation in a significant way.

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Following because I need it too…

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I was hired for a specific niche practice area. We got along at first. After a few years though, it was just universally agreed that old age was turning him forgetful and mean. He asked me to draft a claim for a client, start to finish. It's like thirty hours. I did it. Turns out, he never asked the client if they wanted to file a claim. They didn't. So all of that was written off. Then he started answering my emails with pointless questions that usually I had already answered. The result was the client's were not happy. And he tried to throw me under the bus. He stopped giving me work in this niche area. But everyone else at this small firm liked me. So I had plenty of work and developed a new and really valuable practice.

The niche area work has dried up almost completely. And I'm swamped.

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I can tell so many of these from over 17 years. Pick the ending you would like to hear and I will tell you an experience that matches. 😄. Seriously, try me. Choose your own adventure.

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I will say that getting away from this type of toxicity ASAP is never a bad idea. But I’ve had it work out to stay through years of grief and I’ve also moved on fairly quickly. I have always been better off no matter how it ends. Currently very happy.

Not a screamer, but still relevant - I had a partner tell me he didn’t like my work and didn’t want to work with me. It was odd because all my other feedback had been great. I ended up moving to a new role (only somewhat relatedly), which I like 1000% more, and that partner has remained a good mentor and sent me work 🤷🏻‍♂️

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This sounds healthy overall, depending on the tone. Definitely better than the passive/abrasive comments that go on for years until a boiling point is reached.

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Spent 5 months at a small Pltffs firm where lone partner was verbally abusive on a daily basis. Very quickly decamped to a defense firm which had a similar opinion of old boss than I did, got offer right away. Turned out to be a better fit than any other place I've been in terms of lifestyle and how I like to practice. Would never have found this firm had I not been desperate to get out of a terrible situation.

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My "dedicated" partner made me draft/file/argue suits and motions for TROs, and the subsequent appeal, against stylists who left his hairdresser's shop to work elsewhere. I told him it was a loser and we'd be laughed out of court. This was at the height of the Great Recession in state that rarely enforces non-competes. He was despondent when we lost (both times), and when I reminded him I had told him exactly what would happen, took me off the firm's IP work (that I was explicitly hired to do) as retribution. He gave all the IP work to a first-year/former clerk who was hired only after she threatened the firm with a hostile work environment complaint. When I got an offer to go in-house, the partner begged me for business on my way out the door. Newp.

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Not a partner but got chewed out bu a marginally more senior associate when I was very junior. No longer remember the details but very clearly remember said associate saying “you will do X whether you like it or not”. In email. The associate left relatively soon. I moved to another jurisdiction for family reasons and it’s a much better fit for us. Firm is still there and from what I hear still sucks.

In fear for my current position, came to the firm as a second year having never argued a motion and it has been 6 months. Senior partner is a Sophisticated trial lawyer with limited patience for young lawyers. Other partner in my office is friendly with a similar life background but again limited patience for a young lawyer. Any thoughts about what to look for after working at a firm for six months, commoditized ID work and writing motions/reports, meeting billable, but still feeling like your work product is to junior to market yourself as a mid-level associate?

You should make a separate post about this.

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