I'm a junior associate. A couple people have left my small firm and I'm now the lone associate at our main office. I've now been told I am "temporary senior associate or permanent or partner whatever that results in." Please send help. I'm just a baby attorney still.

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Time to go

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I started here a few months ago so leaving isn't an options. Especially since I've jumped and was hoping and felt this would be a long term firm. It's very scary since this it uncharted territory and not what I expected would happen when I accepted the offer. I think I will talk with the managing partner to see what is now expected of me and what my new responsibilities will be

Talk track could look something like this:

1. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn faster. It is important that my work is valued, so I'd like to discuss expectations around how I am rewarded, whether my billable rate will reflect this accelerated expertise, etc.

2. I understand your goals to ramp up more capacity sooner and can stretch to help meet that. Please also understand my goals for my employment: support in learning and upskilling that comes through more than a trial by fire, and some outer boundary of how far I am stretched. No formal training/resources and no additional capacity coming = not a sustainable working arrangement for me. These are investments the firm can make and they are what would need to be true for a big step up in responsibility and capability to be possible.

Generally, use the word "sustainable" to quietly project the circumstances in which you, like others before you, would be walking out the door.

And ask for the comp/reward piece first.

If none of the above is actually true, or anything you could sign up for, that's totally fine -- it's time for you to start looking for another job. Get as much relevant experience as you can to pad your resume and get active in looking for the next thing.

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Thank you this is helpful! I am concerned about not getting a raise with the increases responsibilities. And I now wonder whether I will be billing as an associate or senior associate, which again affects pay. I will ask about this

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Yeah in some respects, as a baby attorney- this could be a good opportunity to learn and make yourself valuable to the team. I would try to reach out to those departing associates and see why they left. If they left because of low pay, unrealistic expectations and/or lack of personal development/mentorship- run- you’ll just be the next associate that they burnout and force out. You can develop into a fully functional attorney in a law firm without being completely exploited. You’ll have to make that judgment call yourself though.

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People typically stay here long term and the firm is very reputable. They left to go in house so I don't think it was a pay issue and billing isn't unreasonable. I def will talk to them to see what I can find out

Ask for a mf raise immediately

Once I see what my new responsibilities are I will. If I will indeed be doing senior associate things then yes will 100% ask

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