Are biased performance reviews common? Like if a partner likes your class level peer more than you and is overly critical on you to make them look better comparatively.

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There is no rigor or sensible process to most Biglaw Performance Reviews.

It’s not developed to be a fair process, nor is it fair in practice.

likesmart

Agreed. This becomes clear as you get more senior.

I had a senior associate flame me in my review and say I wasn’t up to class level when I did my best quality work for her and she came back over email always saying my work quality was great. I suspect it’s because the partner she worked with very often did not like me and thought I wasn’t a good associate.

So much of review stuff is performative BS. It’s rarely merit based and mostly political.

likehelpful

Agreed!

I don’t think this is quite right. If a partner likes my peer better then it probably means they are better (at least in the eyes of that partner)

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Yeah OP my point was more that the buddy associate is perceived as better by the partner because the partner gets along with them (so they’re bringing something to the table that you’re not).

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99% of the time, we like people better when they are better (according to our criteria — cynicism aside, they usually are valid).

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Totally fair. I saw an equal number of associates complaining about accurate bad reviews than unfair ones. Many people just seem totally oblivious to their poor work habits.

yeah it’s very common but that’s why you have to try and find partners that like you or bill a ton of hours. I like to bill a ton of hours because at the end of the day if you bill 2400+, you really have to be screwing up to be shown the door until you are senior.

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Honestly, I doubt partners have the energy to do some thing like that when they can just give the person they like a good review. Frankly, if you got a bad review, it kind of doesn’t matter why, your move should be to look to lateral

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