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Yes. Manufactured “emergencies” all the time. It was a nightmare. She had other issues too, but it was the second worst job I’ve ever had. She was also controlling, wouldn’t allow anyone but a partner to speak with a client without running the answer past her first (double billing) no matter how basic the question, only partners could bring in business - all this, despite the fact that as Sr. Counsel. I had more experience than she did, and was by far the better attorney. And not just in my own estimation; it was generally acknowledged.
13 years ago I moved to a firm with none of those restrictions, where I’m the only practitioner in my area. Best thing I ever did.
I’m in BigLaw and this is a massive problem. See comments below.
Chief
I think every lawyer does at some point. In hindsight I can appreciate that experience as an example of what kind of partner to not become.
Yes. Junior perfectionist partner i work with is a nervous nelly. If something comes in we need to do, it is now a 24/7 thing until it gets done. Check ins at 10pm. Check ins at 9am. Both the team but also with the client. "I am going to send the client an email tonight with some thoughts to buy us time until tomorrow morning to send more research" like my guy they do not care about a circuit split on one of the factors for a motion to seal they just care it gets done but of course, there is always some reason he has why this otherwise mundane brief is more complicated than it usually is because of *uNiQuE* special snowflake fact X about his client. But his client pays for all of these excessive hours so maybe he's doing the right thing? It would be a great gig if I weren't absolutely slammed and had other urgent things to do
It's terrible. When I'm through it I am pleased with the cushion of hours I built up but being in the middle of it is not fun and I try to avoid
I unfortunately know this experience too well. The partner is the kind of person who doesnt negotiate to get the best deal for the client, but rather is negotiating to prove he is the smartest person in the room. Sometimes this works in a clients favor and gets them a better deal on paper, but far more often it just leads to extra hours and lots of delays for the sake of issues that dont matter much practically and are irrelevant to the client. He is always talking down opposing counsel passive aggressively (and sometimes less passively) - nobody is as smart as he is.
As a senior working for him, the nitpicking applies the same way - you are constantly knee-capped, with no real room to take ownership of deals and constant questioning of your ability.
When I was a younger associate the seriousness of this didnt register as much, because I really wasnt experienced enough to know what I didn't know. But as a senior it hits really hard because you are experienced enough to actually know what you're doing, and see things go very differently with other partners on the same kinds of deals, while also getting direct feedback from clients and members of other groups you work with that totally contradicts what this partner says. It feels stifling and insulting to be treated like you dont know things you know, especially when you understand you do some things better than the partner themselves.
And if it is the case, as it was with me, that this person has a prominent enough position within your group to shape promotion and hiring? Now it is dangerous - the things you need to do to rise up (ex: take ownership of deals) are harder to do working for them, and they write reviews that can kill you even when they make no sense.
What is worse about this particular person is that they are totally self aware - they regularly note how they cant get out of the way sometimes, micromanage too much, nitpick too much, etc. But they still won't change the behavior, and won't stop punching down on others despite knowing how messed up they are. That to me is where the behavior crossed the line from "ok this guy is a bit of a dick" to "this might be an actual, stone cold sociopath".
Hopeful to be able to leave this firm shortly, having learned very well from the worst people imaginable how NOT to conduct myself as a senior lawyer and (hopefully, one day) partner.
Omg. This. Well said.
Yes. I think some of it is performative as partners like this need to constantly prove that they are smart and add value. I hate this personality so much. Luckily not everyone is like this.
Yes. I resigned over it.
Yes, and some junior lawyers too. I had a half hour conversation about whether to use a semi- colon or a comma. He asked me. I told him. He then argues both sides and dithered for 30 min. I steadfastly said the same thing and tried to get off the phone. So inefficient and was my 6th grade english course content. I have bigger fish to fry.
Yes. One of the best deal lawyers I know, but her deals took forever to close because she would take the long way around the road on everything. That means higher fees, hogging the associates’ time which upset other partners, upsetting the parties. I’m not saying she was meant to rush but things others could close in 9-12 months would take her the better part of 2 years.
Yes, but you should ask if this partner brings good money to the firm. If clients trust them and keep coming back and that generates work for you and others, try to view it as a positive or neutral thing.
At the end of the day, it’s a business, and if making mountains out of molehills makes money, then that’s just fine.
Lord heavens, yes! Find others to work with if it's continuous with a partner. Sometimes it's the client demanding insane deadlines but sometimes it's the partner who needs to feel important. Eventually, you'll discover which is which.
That’s “nearly” every BigLaw partner. It’s a function of one of two things: (1) they’ve wrapped their identity up in being a “BigLaw Attorney” (look at me I’m so smart/sophisticated!), or (2) their absolutely absurd billable rate (and they know its absurd.)
Of course. And they are the biggest biller at the firm. Because of inefficiency imo