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I my law firm due to it and now I’m happy where I work at. Take the step and look. If you don’t get the appreciation you deserve than go ahead and find a home that will appreciate your work and inputs.
You should be shown nothing but appreciation. Now that I have a few more years experience and paralegals helping, I’m so thankful that they make my job go more smoothly and especially when they catch any errors. Paralegals can literally save our law licenses and careers. If an attorney doesn’t treat you or others with dignity and respect or displays a lack of manners, social graces, or professionalism, that reflects poorly on them as people, sadly. Sorry you’ve been through this and I hope things get better! Attorneys with manners and social skills are out there
But they are gems and not easy to find. I'd look at people who don't come from "elite" backgrounds and actually have meaningful work experience prior to law school or were first generation since those people have a better grasp on how the real world operates and likely did a legal support role before becoming a lawyer so they know and appreciate the rigor of those jobs. Often, the paralegals know more than the lawyers do in various realms.
You need to find a new employer. While this definitely still happens, there are plenty of places where it doesn’t happen and isn’t tolerated. Sorry you’re going through that
Same; seems to be impossible to find
Find a partner you can discuss this with!! My associates generally work the most with paralegals on transactional matters and if I found out they were being mean (whether due to their lack of planning, poor communication or otherwise), I’d make sure it came up in their review - it’s a fireable offense in my eyes.
Sorry you feel that way, but when you notice OP actively contradicting themself, its hard not to point out.
At my last firm, we were appreciated and respected. At my most recent firm, it was like being in an abusive relationship. It was so bad there were days I'd sit there and shake all day and everytime that email chime cane in, my heart would start racing. Completely unhealthy.
It was amazing. I onmy left because I moved out of state and they couldn't do remote 😔
As an attorney, I cannot stand lawyers who treat paralegals poorly and I specifically make sure those people are not on my teams.
I would honestly recommend that you never work with those attorneys and if that is not an option, look for a new place to work, because you do not deserve that.
I bet a million dollars part of that is the result of none of these attorneys doing that job before ever setting foot in a law school. It should be mandatory to work in a legal support role for at least 6 months as part of the training to become a lawyer. Ticking support staff off will not make them want to work with urgency or do anything for you. I also think it's the result of hiring only from T1 schools and the top ranked people vs. looking at students who had other careers beforehand or came from nothing and actually worked in lower level jobs so they know how to treat people with basic respect and what will or won't get positive results.
All professions have bad eggs. All professions have senior employees who look down on lower level employees and treat them as less than. It's not an attorney thing. It's a mankind thing. Don't group all lawyers together like this.
From my experience, it's 80-85% of lawyers acting like this. Ask me how I know.
As an attorney who has worked with many paralegals, I can tell you I am very sorry for what you have been through! This is not OK!
I am in Big Law and unfortunately I see that the abuser can keep abusing as long as they bring in $$. The attitude is don’t complain. I have been tempted to leave many times because of this one Partner and his abusive ways and disrespect. I work extremely hard and don’t deserve it. One day I had enough and let him know he was stressing me out. That worked and now I’m so much happier that the abuser rarely gives me work. I now work with other attorneys in the firm that appreciate my work, while the abuser abuses someone else. I tolerated it for too many tortured years. Don‘t do that. It chips away at your mental health and is not worth it.
I’m sorry you are going through this. I left the law firm life for in-house because of this issue. I even went to the ER at one point for heart palpitations and high blood pressure coz of a monster attorney. I’d rather do in-house work than be treated poorly again by these types of attorneys.
I feel this to my soul. My last attorney and I clicked wonderfully for 6 years! But due to things outside our control (an associate attorney similar to your monster boss) I no longer work with her. It breaks my heart some days and my current one is absolutely horrible - everyday is filled with patronizing and unprofessional comments, and me trying to scramble and bandaid over multiple mess ups he makes. I used to work for one of the best in the state, yet my current one treats me like I am an idiot who knows nothing. Of course he never will acknowledge or admit that I have saved his butt so many times. That’s why I am actively keeping my eyes and ears open for a better place again - where I am actually respected and treated like a human being.
Maybe it's too late now but I think when you're saving an attorney's butt or when you catch something no one else has it has to be put in writing somewhere. And maybe blind copy yourself and make sure you get it print.
Then you have your backup.
But some don't even think that far never think it's going to happen again and then it goes ongoing.
It is really a shame.
Just know you're the last attorney you work for will definitely give you a good recommendation.
You could always explain why you're leaving and most HR or folks you interview will understand.
Many of my ex direct supervisors are on my reference sheet.
My reference sheet is full actually at least eight names.
One of my best ones, was when I took off the legal field for a short time. I was his executive assistant and bookkeeper and helped out with a lot of legal situations when I had to work with his attorney. I never did bookkeeping before but I learned so quickly and now I have a new skill. He also made an extra 30,000 a year while I was there, because of the fees associated with pets and other etc on the leases that I pushed him to do. I was trustworthy and still am. Even though I left, so I could make more money and have benefits, we left on good terms.
Having a background as being at litigation paralegal or a legal secretary is a benefit to all. Although most of my background is personal injury I did a lot of defense litigation as well. When I ventured into family law, that was easy.
I wish you all the luck.
Completely unacceptable and I’m sorry this still happens. Most of us wouldn’t survive without you guys and even if we could, there is still no reason to be abusive
I worked in sm all firms, sole practioners. I only had this happen once, and that was when he brought in an associate. That man attempted to take over everything. The day he messed with me, and started interfering with my work, my boss, the sole practitioner stepped right in and called the associate out. Needless to say, associate left firm very shortly after that. So not all paralegals/office managers are treated badly. You need to get that attorney who appreciates you.
Sorry to tell you that there's always one. Doesn't matter how big or small the firm, gender or years in practice. My experience is that solo practitioners tend to be the worst whereas big firms and the higher their position and salary is often an indicator. Some just can't take the ego hit of having a subordinate that corrects their ish. Instead of being a team you suddenly become their enemy. Unfortunately there will always be some firms with the invisible dividing line between "us and them" and we will be kept in our place. If you're lucky you'll find your unicorn. When they're good they're great and you'll want to stay with them forever. I don't mean to make blanket generalizations. I've been doing this job for 22 years and that's been my experience. I've had yellers, throwers, name callers, drunks, addicts and sabotagers. It takes all kinds to make the world go around, but they can find someone else to take their misery out on because its not gonna be me. I've paid enough dues for 2 lifetimes.
This makes me feel so sad! What to do then? Don't work in the legal field?
You don't have to take it, they are always hiring paralegals, stand up and be firm
Those lawyers probably take it out on others as well — associates, staff, etc. It’s not a good work environment and you don’t need that in your life. Highly encourage you to lateral.
They are a menace to the profession and reinforce why people like me wouldn't pee on them if they were on fire. They also reinforce society's general contempt of lawyers.
Yes, I just had this happen recently at a job as a paralegal. My boss was very condescending, unfriendly and passive aggressive - the worst person I’ve ever known.
After I spoke to her partner about the situation, she completely agreed with me and encouraged me to look for another job because her partner “wasn’t going to change” and “she basically needs to hire a robot who has no feelings.”
oh wow! but they rather lose good staff? I don't get it?
please can you guide me how can I get my paralegal role?
Yes, most lawyers are aholes. But not all. Also, once those meanies start yelling at you and mistreating you, you speak up. I know you don’t want to lose your job but at the same time why stay if it will be like this everyday? When you start feeling that pit in your stomach feeling every time you see this person, it’s not worth it. Speak up for yourself. Draw the line. Make them aware they can’t cross it. Also, CYA and report them to HR. It’s interesting how some lawyers don’t realize you can sue them. 😭😭😭 This is also a test for your firm. If they do nothing and take this person’s side, it’s time to get out.
I have definitely experienced this, but it is mainly with female attorneys. They have a chip on their shoulder, especially if you are a highly educated and experienced woman, they feel threatened. Once you are their target, you can't get out from under it.
Rising Star
Oh well two of you?! Then it must be true of ALL female attorneys around the world then. With only one of you, I thought no way. But two of you... must be.