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Network and bring your own work into the firm. If you rise through the ranks you will eventually be expected to do that anyway.
If you have low workflow this is the perfect time to join professional groups, reach out to your peers from school and reconnect, join a club, etc.
Even something as low key as a book club or painting club may land you at the same table as someone who knows someone who needs whatever work you do.
Keep a detailed list of the people/businesses you bring into the firm as well as a list of the relevant people you become acquainted with who could be potential avenues for future rainmaking referrals.
If your billable hours come up as an issue, open up your list and say “I am concerned about that, too. I reached out to the firm asking for more work but there wasn’t enough work given to me to meet my billing requirement. I did all of the work given to me and received the following feedback...but I also used my downtime to reach out to the community and build relationships that are relevant to the firm. The following people came to the firm because of me...”
Then, site the day you first met them or the time period where you established your relationship with them so you can show the firm your efforts drove them in rather than you finding them after they were already clients/referral sources.
Also, study up on a new area of law or go deep into studying what you currently work on. Become the guru who knows everything about it. Start reaching out to companies that host CLEs and offer to present on the topic you handle.
These things will eventually drive business to the firm or to you specifically.
You may one day find you have built your own brand, independent of the firm’s brand. If you find yourself there, then you no longer have to reach your hand out for work from others. Lateral somewhere else with your book of business or go work for yourself.
If you worked for a small firm there would be no time to wait for work to come in. If work isn’t coming in there is a real risk the firm will buckle because there aren’t hundreds of departments that can cover for one department when it has a lean time.
If you weren’t busy you would be expected to hit the pavement drumming up work. Pretend you work for a small firm. Find out where your prospective ideal client hangs out and go there. Bringing work in is incredibly satisfying. Helping people you know is even more rewarding.
AA 2: I suppose that’s probably the way it is in large firms. That’s not the way it works in small firms.
I have this same problem. Getting work is like pulling teeth. Sociopath/wealthy partners at my firm hoard work and we have nonequity partners doing junior work because they’re so greedy. Management knows and tells me this is out of my control. Pay is decent but I’m willing to take a pay cut for a better experience.
Rising Star
These are strange times right now. Think long and hard about leaving for another job right now especially if you’re getting paid well and your firm isn’t laying off or cutting. Keep bringing the lack of work to their attention and show that you’re consistently billing and looking for any work available. The firm needs to address work flow issues and partners like this. Unfortunately it is not easy to reign in those wealthy sociopaths because they are the ones who have
The books of businesses and the books are the lifeblood of their firm. Most folks in the legal world don’t get rich by being nice and looking out for others, unfortunately.
Are we the same? Following this thread because I’m feeling the same way and would like to know myself. I did get a tip from someone here on FB that said to make it abundantly clear to partners, practice head that you are concerned your hours are low.
I would raise the issue to every partner in your practice group in writing. I am projected to bill x hours this month based on my low work load, comprised of the following assignments: ....
I am willing and able to take on more work and wanted to make my availability known to you, should you need any help.
You can also try reaching out to partners that send out conflict check emails and see if they need any help with case work up.
If I have job security, its tolerable and it at least pay me enough for 2 square meals a day and a roof over my head, I’d be just fine if all I had to tolerate was looking like a poor performer.
I'm in the same position. At a V50 and might bill 20 hours this month. I'm a second year and a new parent, so I'm not missing out on a huge bonus, and the extra time with my kid is actually worth the lost bonus to me, but it's still disconcerting to be so far of the mark.
Plan don’t react. Get in touch with me sooner rather than later!
Have struggled to even get scraps of billable work since I started. The head of the practice group has never given me a single assignment. At our meetings each week I communicate my availability and willingness to help and get nothing. The work I have done has received praise. I am at the point where I have one partner who gives me work. Although the work I receive is not enough to sustain me throughout the week, month etc.
Rising Star
What year are you?
Rising Star
That’s a bit unusual. I feel like mid levels are pretty loaded up most of the time. I know transactional can be slow or a bit more cyclical, but I feel like most good litigation firms have been really steady for years (at least in big markets)
Either way, if it’s been going on all year ( and not just post covid), maybe things are just choppy or slow in the department for now. It happens. But you do need to bill. Gravitate towards folks in the firm who are busy and offer to take on whatever they need help with - Even if it’s something mind numbing like doc review. But also just keep hounding superiors in your department. When you get something - nail it hard. Perfect work product/quick turnaround. Any matter you’re on, don’t leave a single billable .1 left in the file and make sure you are ahead of the game in every respect on every case.
I agree that you should indicate in writing that you would like additional assignments and that the assignments right now will not get you to the billables you’re capable of. That way, they can’t use your low billables against you.
Exactly. As always, create a record for yourself.
This was the case for me for a while, and I ended up reaching out to people in other offices for work. It took a while though
Chief
Yeah, I'd leave.
Yes probably if it was a long-term problem (like a year or so)
Chief
OP, there are a lot of red flags, including chair of dept not working with you. Were you hired over chair’s objection? How will you progress without chair’s performance reviews? We may not have enough info, but I am not sure why you want invest all the effort of building an independent practice in this firm. If you are going to do that, at least be in a firm that treats you like they want you. (Again, maybe we don’t have all info and you know you are loved. Having received good reviews on past work isn’t the same as saying they want you.)
Sounds like we’re at the same firm. I don’t know why they keep hiring, is it an image thing to keep up with the joneses? Or are they hiring in anticipation of work that’s not materializing?
You should look for a new job. If the firm hired without enough work to support your salary, the firm is not managed well.