It’s now how it works once you get more senior. You have clients with questions and they need responses. Bad news here I guess but vacations become much less free from work interruption once you aren’t a junior. When I was a junior I checked email once every other day to make sure nothing was burning. That’s no longer an option not based on anything with my colleagues, but because clients have pressing stuff and I need to at least play traffic cop on it.
My favorite partner takes at least a full two weeks off a year and is completely unplugged the whole time. Not common (actually v v uncommon) but possible. Just wanted to share as a counter to the other comments.
My guy, I can react however I want. The expectation at my firm is 1000% not to still be plugged in/ responsive. It's going to depend on the culture from place to place. Just because you're okay with this doesn't mean that it's not okay to reject this...
This is kind of my attitude. Im not gonna like SIT AT A DESK in marseille or be working the phone at a Michelin restaurant but if i have my phone out anyway and am reading push notification texts i can read push notification emails too (in skim) and shoot out short polite replies where really needed.
Unfortunately, that’s just not how law firms operate. The best colleagues will do their best to cover for you and not bother you. The lesser colleagues will just email you. Sometimes you may be the only one that knows and so it’s just more efficient to reach out to you. Sorry that it’s like this and I wish as much as anyone that it wasn’t, but it’s just how it is. The only thing that I can control is to try to be a good colleague and cover where possible and hope that people reciprocate.
It’s now how it works once you get more senior. You have clients with questions and they need responses. Bad news here I guess but vacations become much less free from work interruption once you aren’t a junior. When I was a junior I checked email once every other day to make sure nothing was burning. That’s no longer an option not based on anything with my colleagues, but because clients have pressing stuff and I need to at least play traffic cop on it.
Mentor
That is why you're a fool to stay in BL past year 5.
My favorite partner takes at least a full two weeks off a year and is completely unplugged the whole time. Not common (actually v v uncommon) but possible. Just wanted to share as a counter to the other comments.
Mentor
How wholesome (no sarcasm - that just made me smile here).
Mentor
Are people asking in advance if they can bother you on vacation??? That's wild dude
Mentor
"idk that it's ok to react viscerally"
My guy, I can react however I want. The expectation at my firm is 1000% not to still be plugged in/ responsive. It's going to depend on the culture from place to place. Just because you're okay with this doesn't mean that it's not okay to reject this...
Mentor
If you lead on matters that really is not an option unless you do a complete handover and warn clients in advance.
And again: if tou check whatsapp three times an hour while working you might have the courtesy to check your email once a while when on holiday.
Subject Expert
This is kind of my attitude. Im not gonna like SIT AT A DESK in marseille or be working the phone at a Michelin restaurant but if i have my phone out anyway and am reading push notification texts i can read push notification emails too (in skim) and shoot out short polite replies where really needed.
Unfortunately, that’s just not how law firms operate. The best colleagues will do their best to cover for you and not bother you. The lesser colleagues will just email you. Sometimes you may be the only one that knows and so it’s just more efficient to reach out to you. Sorry that it’s like this and I wish as much as anyone that it wasn’t, but it’s just how it is. The only thing that I can control is to try to be a good colleague and cover where possible and hope that people reciprocate.
Mentor
That's not how *your* firms operate lol I have never worked on vacation...