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Crossmedia, any opinions?
When will the salary be credited in Optum.
Cardano on the way back up, thank God 😮💨
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When you say colleagues, do you mean your law school friends? If so, they're probably making less money being a partner at a small regional firm. Besides I'm sure your experience getting to biglaw will help you down the road. Need not be so impatient.
I mean colleagues and some friends from law school. And they are being promoted at big law firms not regional firms. I appreciate that my path has its benefits and that jealousy isn’t a good look - but we’re all competitive on some level and the competitive side of me is frustrated.
I understand where you’re coming from, that has to suck. It still seems like a good position to be in though all things considered. I would like to know how you broke into biglaw to begin with given your background. I’d like to do something similar if possible.
I’m happy to share offline how I got here. It was a journey. I am very thankful for the position I am in but every now and again I suppose even the most thankful and pious among us is going to feel jealous of others. I think better to be honest and ok with that feeling than to try and squelch it.
I had a whole career in public service for 10 years before going to Big law. I got 4 yrs service credit. Managed to get another one tacked on for doing a good job and will be up for partner in a few more years. I have friends who made partner at big law firms 5+ years ago. We all have a different path and bring something different to the table. Keep up the hard work and do a good job and the rewards will come. 💪
Mentor
Good news: all of it other than the jealousy, which, while I get it, is counterproductive, is great for you. You are lucky to be at a great firm doing what you love! Not lucky in the sense of not deserving it, but because tons of people capable of succeeding in biglaw don’t get the chance, IMO, and even many of those who do are unable to do the work they love at a good firm or otherwise find themselves in bad situations. It doesn’t seem like that when we are in biglaw and dealing with some of these folks, but a lot of that is because of the lousy work, experience, and training they are getting, and who is providing them all these things. (There also are a lot of people who could never hack it in biglaw, to keep it real here.)
Also, being honest, the time to be a gunner and really competitive is during those crucial years in law school and shortly after, if you are someone who is going to compare what you are doing to others who, due to fortune, competence, or both, got into biglaw early and wound up in situations in which they could get promoted. If the alternative path was due to poor grades, being at a bad law school, or not doing well in interviews, especially, well, being real, that wasn’t consistent with being a (successful) competitive person if your goal was to do better than all of your classmates, and your path since then has reflected it. Be glad (again, not in the sense you don’t deserve it, but really, be grateful and happy you have it now) to be in biglaw at a great firm doing what you love. That is pretty elusive.
Finally, I will say that while I would have said this was BS when I was younger, it really does help to avoid comparisons and not to get too worried when someone has it better, at least from the outside, or is doing something some small group of people would find more impressive. Not only does this serve as a thief of joy, but it doesn’t help and often is based on incomplete information. Finally, much broader topic, but there always is “more” or “better” that you can let drive you insane if you aren’t careful. Even as an equity partner, there are all kinds of things at my firm and externally that would bug me if I let them, including a lot of things that are unfair. You would be amazed. I focus on doing what is right for my family and me, not what would temporarily assuage the competitor or jealous person in me. It never would end or be satisfied if I let it.
Mentor
Yeah, definitely. But to that, I would say it is no different from not giving a crap about traveling in college but now being jealous of the person who studied abroad and learned French, or whatever other thing you could imagine that reflects prior life choices and preferences at the time. I get being jealous but I do not think it is helpful or, honestly, all that logical, especially for someone who made it to a great situation.
Coach
I’m in the exact same boat. Doesn’t bother me at all though — i just look at it as extra time to build a book of business so I can go straight to equity.
Coach
🤣 yes associates are compensated very well. If you can handle the ego portion of not having partner next to your name, we’re actually in a pretty sweet position. Plus, in the event of an economic downturn (which might be starting?), associates are much less likely to get the axe than income partners without a book (IMO)
Yes, same here. I came out of law school in a tough market in 2010 and had a journey to get to Biglaw. Took basically 4 year class cut (not that it mattered since it was more money than my previous role). However I was able to negotiate a class year bump due to my performance and retention issues last year. At the end of the day it all was worth it.
Mentor
Run your own race. Outperform at the class year you're placed in. It will pay dividends.
Subject Expert
I can relate, lol. I know it’s pointless but I can’t help but be jealous of people in my class year (and soon people below my class year ;_;) making partner before me. Especially since my firm seems happy with me (and I like it here and don’t want to leave) but is not indicating that I’m making partner anytime soon…
The worst is when people forget I’m the same class year as some junior partners and are like “oh can you do this deal with junior partner x” and I’m fighting all the eye twitches as I try and politely say no.
Mentor
Has your firm communicated what they expect for you to be partnership track? If not, have the conversation!
Coach
You have to remember that even within the same class of law students, there’s a huge diversity of experience. While there are K-12s, there are also a lot of older, non traditional students. Some people are career changers, some were in the military... Everyone had a different path to get here so don’t feel bad. I had a colleague who was a deep career changer in their mid-40s who ended up in big law. People their age group at the firm are all equity partners while they are a junior associate. You can’t think of your current situation from a place of lack — you’re here too and should be proud of yourself. You will get there eventually! Don’t feel bad for having a later start.
Are you upset because your law school peers were able to get better jobs than you despite the low ranking?