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Coach
I’m afraid you’re going to have to suck it up. Even if every other partner thinks that problematic partner is a pain in the ass, no one will look kindly on what you’re trying to do. Chalk it up to paying your dues and pray for an early settlement.
It’s possible but it’s tricky. People cycle in and out of cases all the time. So that itself should be a hold up, especially if this case will be going for years. You need to have one or two more important partners that you are doing work play interference.
Here is how this goes: you get busy on a case or cases with an important partner and do really good work for that other partner. (Hopefully you have already done this or can easily do this.) Then have a discussion with important partner where you say you’d like to be more involved in his cases, but this other problematic matter is occupying too much of your time.
Similarly, once you’re off this partner’s case, you need to be otherwise busy enough to be able to turn down work from this partner.
Wait, is that not normal? In all my cases I'm the only associate on my patent(s)...
Subject Expert
OP, junior partners are often tough to work with. They are young, haven’t yet learned to delegate effectively, often micromanage, and sometimes are too prone to throw juniors under the bus. But just like you’re learning, he’s learning. Being a partner is about 25x more complicated than being an associate and it takes awhile to get the hang of it.
All of that said, what specifically does this person do that bums you out? And how long is this case going to last?
Long enough that other associates have been quitting while working for him and he hasn't changed. He made partner before I joined so at least 2 or 3 years, but since he isn't in my office I'm not actually sure.
Mentor
OP, you’re going to need to finish up this case and then get busy and avoid him/her in the future. Or leave firms. But there’s loonies everywhere. Good luck.
I've seen associates manage to quit cases, sometimes fairly smoothly and sometimes with them ending up quitting the firm or damaging their reputation. Based on what you said about this partner, there is probably no way to quit the case quietly without fallout, so you should start looking into the lateral market in case it doesn't go well.
Fwiw, I am trying to get myself pulled off a horrible case on which I am the 6th associate in 3 years (and it's typically been staffed with 1-2 associates at a time). I am prepared to leave the firm if it really goes sideways. It's gotten that bad. I think you do have to be prepared to bet your job if you make that ask because it can go poorly.
Based on what you've said about this partner and about how you don't yet have a solid mentor or champion to smooth the path to taking you off this guy's cases, I'm afraid to say you probably need to lateral.