Related Posts
Bowl Leader
Please tell me it's worth it.
Bowl Leader
Additional Posts in Law
Pro
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
That was just a preview…
Sign Up to see all discussions
Sign Up to see all discussions
- Discover what it’s like to work at companies from real professionals
- Get candid advice from people in your field in a safe space
- Chat and network with other professionals in your field
Sign up in seconds to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
"" is an unusual email domain. If correct, please proceed to the next step
Messaging rates may apply
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
Share
Embed this post
Copy and paste embed code on your site
Preview
Download the
Fishbowl app
Scan your QR code to download
Fishbowl app on your mobile
Sign up for free to view this conversation on Fishbowl
Sign up for free to continue using Fishbowl
Messaging rates may apply
Ugh - I went through this when I was a junior associate. I left big law to go in-house and now I am back in big law and have made it my mission to ensure that no one who works under me feels like they can't ask me questions, ask for help, speak up, etc. This job is hard enough without having to walk on eggshells lest the people you work for discover you are human.
I also try to make myself available. What I do not like (or gets under my skin) is when I assign a task to a junior and tell the junior to please reach out to me with any questions or concerns and I check in several times and am told everything is going well and then the draft given go me is not on point. I then I have to scramble to redo it. *sigh*
If this is the environment you're currently practicing in, it sounds like it may be time to think about a change. Candidly, I don't think I've ever worked with a partner who didn't look favorably on asking for guidance or clarity. When people get busy, it's hard to focus on providing more elaborate instructions, suggested precedents to work from, etc. when delegating. But asking questions when you're not sure only results in better work product, saves the partner from having to redo it and/or write off a lot of your time, and shows initiative/interest.
In my experience, the old guard has the mindset of "i learned this way, so can you" or "you're a licensed attorney, you have the training to be able to figure things out for yourself. I shouldn't have to spoonfeed you this information."
I think they forget that different generations learned in different ways and they don't see the need to adapt to a younger generation.
As a partner my reaction to questions depended on the kind of question and how it was asked. If you came to me and said “I am done with X and Y and think I should now do Z and here’s my plan for that,” I would listen to the plan, make any needed adjustments, and say “Thanks. Please check in when …”. That exchanges shows me that the associate is proactive and thinking like a lawyer for the client rather than thinking like my assistant.
If instead the associate said “what do I do next?” I would think “what isn’t he at least trying to solve problems?” Depending on the associate’s experience I would either say “how about thinking though options and coming back with a recommendation?” (For a more senior person) or “let’s figure that out together” (for a junior person).
My reaction would also depend on whether the question was something the associate should be able to figure out (eg the page limit for a reply brief) or something more complex, such as a genuine strategic or tactical question. And even then I strongly preferred seeing evidence that the associate had through about the issue before bringing it to me.
Lastly, I loathe repeated interruptions the same day, because they break my concentration and interfere with my productivity. So it wasn’t a good idea to pop your head into my office five or six times in an afternoon.
Very fair perspective, presented respectfully. May I give a little more context for my answer?
Partners may be asking you to use your judgment. They may not have the time to do the thinking for you given how spread thin successful partners tend to be. I bet that there's another associate in the group who is able to complete the work without perfect instructions. Maybe buddy up with that person about what the partner is looking for. Also, the more you work with a partner, the better you should be able to anticipate what they need.
I often feel the same way but I stopped worrying about how my requests for clarification are perceived and I make them anyway, only I phrase them as confirmations rather than questions. Example: “To confirm, for this opposition you want me to argue X legal theory and include a request for X in our countermotion.”
f
This is a great question. It’s reasonable to expect to receive guidance when you’re new to something. One thing that helped me when I was at a firm was knowing my worth and knowing that it was ok to not know things sometimes even if a partner tried to make me feel like an idiot for what I didn’t yet understand. Missing the mark sometimes is part of growth and the attitudes of those partners etc are more reflective of their stress than they are of your abilities. Take care of yourself and keep growing!