Related Posts
Conversation Starter
More Posts
What are y’all doing with the $600 Checks?!
Bowl Leader
Bowl Leader
Additional Posts in Big Law
Coach
Coach
Coach
Subject Expert
Have any GT offices other than NY matched?
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
Reading your summary of the conversation it definitely looks like the associate is in the wrong. However, I would ask if this is a pattern you’ve seen or something new. If the former then probably just a bad employee/needs to be told how things work. If the latter, my guess is that the associate is probably extremely burnt out and has given up on caring about their reputation. In this case, they still need to be spoken to but someone should also check in on their hours and see if there is an issue.
Juniors have been very overworked during the pandemic boom in a way that is different than more senior folks since their work is often more isolating (i.e. hours of diligence vs hours of conference calls) and people reach their breaking points.
-An overworked junior
Whoa I didn’t know that
I’ve noticed this a lot lately and it’s *wild* to me. The attitude is real. This does not apply to all juniors! There are many who are excellent and my go-to junior is an exceptional second year who I also consider a friend.
That being said….there’s something in the water with the first and second year class (at least at my firm).
Coach
A11 it was a Thursday? I don’t know where saturday came from
Not to pat myself on the back, but I never get rude emails from junior associates, so you probably should do some self evaluation first. Even if they’re wrong, your style may be playing a part.
A19, ha, thanks. Actually, just a junior partner who is probably as fed up with this system as many of you are.
what did they say OP? I try to be very polite in my emails but what if this person didn't know they were being rude? Would be helpful to get a sense of what was said- i'm hoping they didn't mean it!
We are paid to be subordinates. This is a military style hierarchy. The entire team is counting on us all being Yes men. And when you cannot obey, it can never be because you do not want to. It can only be because you are unable to. Period. That fool is playing with fire and should be mercilessly burned. I am curious if OP is a female? To be so merciful…is not a trait I experience from males, very often.
If you actually want an answer, many of us are so tired and overworked and burned out that the facade of being happy and eager is wearing out. We might be on the verge of a meltdown and a rude email is the result. Or maybe they were in the middle of another (or 5) high stress, tight deadlines which made their response snippy when you wanted to add another or ask for a process check. Idk, being rude obviously isn’t ok, but some of us are in a spot where we would welcome being fired sometimes, so this is where we end up.
I totally get this and it’s a position all of us have been in the past year. But the issue isn’t even that - the ask did not come from me and is not time sensitive. My email was polite and I actually just asked about bandwidth, do you have any questions etc. The issue is that rudeness and not knowing how to frame emails in a tone appropriate manner once or twice can be written away. But after that, it just makes the person difficult to work with. I’ll be forced to have a conversation with them which will obviously not great or report this, which I honestly don’t want to do.
Coach
Until big law firms learn how to manage workflow better and stop valuing, above all else, “unencumbered” associates who can rack up insane hours because they are not controlling workflow, we are going to keep having to deal with rude, burnt out people and sociopaths on our teams. :-( I’m sorry you’re dealing with this OP :-(
Mentor
Saw the details of your interaction above. Unless I had reason to think they’re especially stressed or something, I’d raise this garbage to the partner. I always try to watch out for my juniors and always have their backs but I’m not going to let them be assholes to me, especially if its impacting our work.
It probably has something to do with how you assign work
Your original post says "I'm so tired of junior associates today." Plural.
Coach
If it is obviously rude then call them to check on them. Show you care. See what is bothering them. If it is snippy then maybe they are copying style from elsewhere. I work with a partner that responds to client emails with simple “Yes” and “No” which can be considered snippy but I know he means well. Another partner keeps asking me to soften emails so they are worded nicely and non-pushy. What I’m trying to say is don’t take it personally. Maybe the associate means well. And check in on them. Signed a second year who deals with this on the daily.
THAT is leadership.
Ah - beautiful. The ole generalization of all junior associates because you had one bad experience.
You know what they say…
I still can't figure out what the fox says, sooo....
I don’t think you should generalize against all junior associates….there are a lot of unpleasant, if not more senior associates.
Did you ask why they couldn’t do it?