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How true is it?
Buckle up, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride
Rising Star
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Will Feb bar exams be converted to online?
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What would you flag to the partner? They decided to staff your team already. Be a team player and figure out how to make the dynamics work. Don’t manufacture problems that don’t exist and try to solve any that do exist without elevating them.
^this. I’m not a partner but as a fifth year when I have more than one junior (admittedly very rare), I let them figure it out. It’s more obvious than you think when one/both don’t wanna work together or when you have people who are chill and make it work.
Why is this an issue. You are just peers then. I get staffed on matters with people my class year all the time.
Just huddle up and split work streams so there’s no hint of a dynamic that one is delegating to the other. Let the senior associate know this is how you are splitting tasks. Make this a collaboration rather than a hierarchy.
Enthusiast
This is actual helpful advice. Thank you!
Mentor
If you can’t work with someone at the same stage as you, that’s a you problem.
Subject Expert
Depends on the person. Are they a team player? Or a gunner?
At my previous firm, this literally never happened, precisely because of the difficulties you’ve probably also thought. At my new firm, I’ve had this happen a few times. Really forced me to leave my ego at the door and just accept work from someone who is my equal. But it also means you shouldn’t be squeamish about assigning work to the other midlevel. Especially if there is no junior on the team, you don’t want to be forced to do all the grunt work (unless you want the hours).
Mentor
Immediately reply “will do” to all workstreams and ice them out. One off the seniors on all task so they don’t know what’s going on. If they ask you anything feign ignorance. Nip them in their bud and snuff out their candle. Above all, never share anything with them that could be of value. Before you know it it’ll be like they were never staffed on the matter in the first place.
Obviously..
I’m a senior associate and I’ve had deals where I’ve had two fifth years and two second years staffed because of a couple facilities running at once. Everyone had their own work streams and just sent all of it to me for review but the fifth years were completely fine and there was no issue as they just focused on their own tasks. Nothing to flag to a partner.
Is it that big of an issue? At some point, class year is just a number. Experience and expertise vary and just do what you want with the matter. If you’re hung up about it, try and get off the deal.
This is weird.