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Don’t worry about it. It’s healthy to have some boundaries.
Pro
It makes me sad that this is even a thing. If a partner is working nights or weekends, they really shouldn't assume everyone else is also working. Was this a document that only you had? Why couldn't he get it himself?
Very, very valid point. Thank you.
If it was that urgent he could have called you. Don’t stress about this and def recognize that what ever you are feeling right now is NOT the correct response. You don’t have to be available 100% of the time. If there’s a real emergency, you will know.
Okay thank you!
Send note you will pull now and fell asleep early last night so you just saw email. Can’t fault you for falling asleep (I hope).
I literally immediately sent him all the documents and am working on it now lol. I usually would be available but I just wasn’t (because I was tired) so what you said is mostly true.
It was after hours, you had no prior warning that the documents might be required and you didn’t see the email, it’s all good. If the sky was going to cave in last night without the documents, the partner would have found another way to get hold of them. Your boundaries are valid and reasonable.
Thank you for validating me because I was confused as to whether I should’ve been available not knowing that it was urgent or that the matter even existed.
I’m not big law and our principal is computer literate. I feel like if it’s that urgent, partner should pull docs themselves. I work to live— not the other way around.
Pro
If this is really needed after 8:00 pm—even in big law, unless you’re on a project everyone knows is time sensitive, this isn’t a reasonable ask. If this person really needed these docs immediately, he or she should have called you.
I’m glad everyone is being supportive - they are all absolutely correct. You did not do anything wrong and the partner can get those documents themself if they really need them. I want to add one thing - before I got a work phone, I also turned off notifications for emails on my phone. It was too much stress seeing them come in, even if I knew I didn’t need to respond. Now that I have a work phone, I keep it in another room when I’m not working or there’s nothing urgent going on. I have emails silenced but the ringer is on - if somebody really needs me, they’ll call. This has done wonders for my mental health/boundaries.
Relevant to this post
I also have a partner who does not respect time boundaries. I will frequently get phone calls from him at 630A with a voicemail and follow up email to call him as soon as I get the message. I’ve also been called at 1230A on Sunday morning, 1045P Sunday night, and regularly M-F between 8&10P. It’s frustrating and annoying, but it’s unreasonable to be available 100% of the time. As long as your firm understands that, you should be fine. Your relationship with this one partner may suffer but so long as your relationship with your firm doesn’t, you can work through it.
I worked for this type of psychopath for one year. Within weeks of getting there I was looking at job boards to leave.
It’s ok if you didn’t see the email. However, if you have an office phone the notifications should be turned on during work hours.
A4 this partner didn’t call me on my work or cell so clearly it wasn’t that urgent
Be sure the people you work with know you don’t have email on phone, assuming that isn’t the norm at your firm