My firm has all this publicity about supporting attorneys of color and diversity, but in my office I am completely ignored for work and have trouble billing enough time as a result. I’m the only black associate. What do I do?

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does your firm have a diversity committee? maybe reach out to them or the Black affinity group for work. I was having trouble getting work for awhile too and then i found a partner that gave me a ton.

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i haven’t actually relied on the affinity group. That may be a good idea.

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When you say you’re ignored, have you reached out for work and people were unresponsive? Or have you been waiting for people to come to you with work and no one has?

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Been there. Can you leave?

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How is work distributed? When I was at a firm I became very close to the people who distributed work (firm had a centralized work management system) and would take whatever she gave me until I got in her good graces. It meant taking on work before some holidays, but those partners and senior associates were very grateful and would then give me more work outside of the system.

If you can’t find a partner to give you work, try the busy midlevel or senior associates. Ask them for advice or to help with literally anything. Senior associates a lot of times are the ones requesting junior help and deciding who to bring into matters.

Leave. But this is the essence of corporate america.

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