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Keep doing what you’re doing, and try to find a way to make yourself invaluable to at least one partner. Start small—look at a partners calendar and figure out what they may need and ask if you can take the lead on it. That kind of attention to detail will eventually make you invaluable. But, if that doesn’t work and in 4-6 months you’re still feeling this way, it may be time to look elsewhere.
Being proactive is a positive sign. You don’t say what practice area you’re in, but that may have something to do with it. I am in a practice area that the various moratoriums are causing there to be very few cases filed. Fewer cases means less work. and that inevitably flows from partners to associates. It may have nothing to do with you and everything to do with the current economics of the practice area. If that is the case, then your practice group and your firm management should already be aware of the issues. I know we are simply waiting for the deluge of cases that will be coming according to the data and our clients when the moratoriums are lifted.
That being said, however, you also have a couple of options. Look around the firm and see what practice areas are busy. Think about approaching those partners for work. Continue to reach out to whoever your department chair is about work. Also think about taking this opportunity to write articles or take CLEs either in your practice area or in an area you’re interested into deepen your knowledge.
This way, you can show the firm that you were using your time wisely even with the downturn in hours. It can be frustrating, and I fully understand and appreciate that, but take the opportunity to turn that frustration into something useful for your future self.
So I have a different piece of advice - identify all matters you could possibly be staffed on and approach people with specific offers to help on those cases, something along the lines of “x is due on y but I note that it is pending, I have bandwidth and can tackle this and turn it around by z” please let me know if I this sounds ok.
It’s ballsy but I’d be ballsy if I was not getting fed work
I think the most important thing to realize is that every single interaction and assignment you have with these senior partners is your opportunity to start becoming the person they want to go to when they need help - but it takes a long time to develop that relationship so don’t get discouraged .
Short term, you can also try to reach out to the senior associates, jr partners or anyone else more senior to you who could use your assistance. When I first started no senior partner knew who I was or gave me work. But the senior associates always had work that I could help out with.
I guess it depends on your firm dynamics, how cases are staffed, and your relationship with the go-to associate. But, I frequently beg colleagues to take some of my caseload. I think it would be delightful if someone emailed me indicating they had bandwidth to jump on a case with me. Then you can take over a case and make yourself indispensable. If not, and depending on your year/etc., bail. The legal market has been decent in the job market arena. Good luck!