Is anyone else noticing associates taking their foot off the gas with this whole thing. I’m struggling to try to explain firm economics to them. I’ve lived through several slow downs and they always made me work harder when I was an associate but seems like this one is different. I don’t know if it is wfh or what but wondering how to get them to reengage.

They don't get it. Their sense of entitlement is staggering.

We tentatively reduced associate base pay by 15% earlier this year. A low performer complained to me. I suggested that the only choices were to cut base pay across the board or cut 15% of the associates. He said he preferred that we hold salaries and cut associates. I asked if he was concerned that his may be viewed at being in the bottom 15%. He appeared shocked. They be became fragile, asking how to build political support. When I told him political support likely is of dubious value because the real goal is full utilization. I thought he might cry. Sad.

Ask them how they are doing and then listen. They may be so worried they are all going to get cut soon that they are feeling defeated and that is making them unproductive because: why try resist the inevitable?

They don’t know how firm profits work because they have probably never been privy to that. This is the perfect time to drill down to everyone the cost of the work.

Break down the department into revenue in, cost out to show them how hard it is to maintain status quo when there is a slump. Will they see you make money? Sure. You know what, though? They probably do have enough acumen to understand there are reasons you are paid what you are paid (if you are even being paid right now). That, then, gives them an idea of what they might make someday (again, assuming you are even taking pay now). If you aren’t taking pay now, that might be the motivation they need: to see those above them are sacrificing it all to allow them to have food on the table. That may help breed loyalty now and in the future. It also breeds fiscal responsibility because they realize that new office chair they want has an impact on the bottom line. So, then they can start to ask themselves “will this comfort make me more productive such that I will bring in more money because of this?”

If they can get that then you have an entire wave of associates who will rise through your ranks knowing why it is important to get out there and know people because every connection is the potential to bring in new business.

I work for a small firm. I used to have more information about gross and net profit than I do now because we have grown from a two attorney firm with support staff to more of an organization. I want to know what is going on. If we aren’t breaking even, let me know because maybe I can help. Maybe I can take a pay cut. Maybe I can take a pay cut now with an equity agreement. Or, maybe I can think of a marketing strategy we haven’t used before.

They are probably burned out. Let them think about the money for a minute rather than the law and see who rises up. You need business leaders as much as you need people who can do legal work. You may have a shooting star who can do both. Why wait to tap their strength and energy until they are many years into the system and tired already and plotting their own eventual out?

Some attorneys work. Some attorneys make rain. Find out if you have any who can do both.

Let’s be honest here: we’re all less productive. There’s something very tiring about this invisible threat, being stuck at home, not seeking loved ones, wondering how long it will last, etc.

Yes. I get the feeling they think we want them to bill because of our own profits and while that’s partially true, it’s also their job security.

One thing that I’ve been trying to do (not necessarily succeeding) is to instill a sense of ownership in our work. And to answer the original question, yes, I’ve noticed it.

There is a lot going on right now. I have been productive but I can't even think right now. I really needed this weekend off.

I had an associate that I needed to speak to about billing earlier in the pandemic. I offered complete support in ways that I was able to. Because of my supportive and rational approach she was able to increase her billing by 18% the next month. Be kind and concrete and it might work.

Are these associates declining work or is it just not magically appearing for them to do? I struggle with the notion that associates should be jammed up about production if they are not being provided work from partners. Also, I spent some time in house. Law firms do not have the best people management skills. Sometimes you are getting out of associates what you put in.

I suggest you point out that the firm is a business, not the associate relief act. Be blunt. Those just out of college don’t have a real view of the world. Remind them if they are not generating revenue, the firm doesn’t need them.

Are you holding regular meetings/conferences of any kind with them? With everyone working remotely it’s hard to keep folks on the same page. A weekly conference call or zoom meeting to discuss cases, tasks, goals, billing, etc can build some accountability and keep people focused.

I think we are all a bit burned out. Our Managing Partner just said at the end of our partners’ meeting, via WebEx, that we should all make a point to take a day off and not think about work.

It may be generational; it may be the uniqueness of this particular slow down (world wide pandemic that has everyone concerned) but if you’re in high end personal injury litigation and appeals, as I am; the shut down will inevitably cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars in cases we were unable to generate for a two month period; and there really isn’t anything any associate (or partner) can really do to make up for it (even if we somehow increased our number of new cases intakes over the next few months; it could be argued we would have experienced that increase regardless); so, from our position; as a virtually strictly contingency fee firm; we are just having to live with it. But I agree that when I was an associate (briefly for 18 months before becoming a founding partner of my current firm) I know I worked at least 90 hours a week; and that was without a “slowdown.” So I agree that, at the very least; associates need to step up and help us at least catch up with motion practice; pretrials; memos; and client communications; which have piled up over the shutdown. The fact they are fishing for raises in such an economic hard time in exchange for this increase in effort befuddles me. The work ethic is clearly not the same as it was 14 years ago when I was an associate.

Adrenaline got us through the first month or so. Frequent communication and encouragement carried us through the second month. However, over the past 2-3 weeks, fatigue has manifested itself in several ways. No question, productivity has taken a hit. In our call yesterday, i asked what I can do to help everyone. One person answered that since I cannot control access the things that he looks forward to and make his life enjoyable - going to the gym before work, watching baseball when he gets home, going out to dinner with his family and going to church on sunday- there’s not much I can do. I talked about focusing on what we can control and finding enjoyment from other activities. However, the bottom line is that we are professionals and must grind our way through.

Yep. Got to do a lot of hustle to stay secure through the downturn.

I want to pull a scene from Bull Durham and jus start yelling at them.. “You guys! You lolligag your way around the office. You lolligag your work assignment deadlines. You lolligag on getting back to clients. You know what that makes you? Lolligaggers!”

Yes and it is disappointing. I remind them that we have a responsibility to our clients who are also going through uncharted times and need our counsel. The work we do is ultimately to benefit another—the client, to whom we owe a fiduciary duty. We have the privilege of representing others and with that comes the responsibility to sometimes put aside whatever we are feeling or bothering us to get the work done.

Yes, I have noticed it. Some of it is a decline in new work, but it’s happening even on cases that haven’t slowed down.

How about early Monday morning Microsoft team meetings?

From what I have seen, it is just usual tendencies exacerbated. Those who work hard have continued to, and have generally tried to do even more. Those who don’t have not been. There have been a small number of cases in which circumstances dictated a high performer slowing down a bit, but it has been quite rare. I have been absolutely crushed since March but much of that was in work that predated the crisis and has kept going. The medium and longer terms are less clear.

No. In fact I see the opposite because of concern about the firm’s future. I think this depends on firm culture and not a lack of work ethic. Perhaps your client base is not as threatened financially as our clients many of which are suffering badly and laying off workers.