Partner from my upcoming summer law firm teaching next semester... take the course? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Title is the question. A partner from the law firm that I'll be going to next semester is teaching a pretty interesting (but not too interesting) seminar next semester. Would it help to take the course? If so, do I disclose that I'll be working in the firm next semester?

What do I refer to him by? Prof. or some other title? (He seems pretty old it seems). I recognize this is a stupid question, but socializing was never my forte and I was afraid that taking the course might do more harm than good (esp. if I don't participate actively, given it's a seminar). What are your thoughts?

[2013]

Don’t take the course unless you want to. No one is going to care that you didn’t take a course a partner is teaching.

If you take the course, you refer to him as professor.

Honestly, not trying to be rude, but your post oozes “socially awkward,” so it may not hurt to just avoid taking the course.

[RedPurpleBlue]

Yeah, I'd just avoid the course if you're socially awkward. The partner won't know, and even if the partner knew s/he wouldn't care.

In the off chance that you take the course, the partner should be referred to as professor X unless s/he directs you otherwise. If you're asked about what firm you're going to, feel free to mention that it is the partner's firm. If you go to office hours, it's fine to say it's really great to talk to you more 1:1 I'm really excited to go to your firm next year and then move right on to your questions unless prompted to do otherwise. The fact that you're going to the partner's firm is not something that you should raise your hand to randomly declare, nor do I think it is something to approach the professor about after class. It just comes off as awkward if it's the center piece of the conversation and not on the periphery.

Just my $0.02

[Npret]

Title is the question. A partner from the law firm that I'll be going to next semester is teaching a pretty interesting (but not too interesting) seminar next semester. Would it help to take the course? If so, do I disclose that I'll be working in the firm next semester?

What do I refer to him by? Prof. or some other title? (He seems pretty old it seems). I recognize this is a stupid question, but socializing was never my forte and I was afraid that taking the course might do more harm than good (esp. if I don't participate actively, given it's a seminar). What are your thoughts?

Nothing good will come to you from taking this class. Don’t do it.

[QContinuum]

I agree with all of the above responders. There is some risk but no possibility of gain associated with taking the partner's seminar. If you make no impression on the partner, there is no loss and no gain. If you make a positive impression on the partner, there is no loss but no real gain - at the summer program you'll still be treated just like all of the other summers. If you make a negative impression on the partner, there is no gain and a real risk - you don't want to go into the summer program with a bad judgment already sitting there against you.

I wouldn't specifically avoid the class, but I certainly wouldn't recommend taking when you otherwise wouldn't.

[malibustacy]

Wow, people are amazingly and antisocially risk adverse here.

It sounds like a great way to connect with a partner in a non-work setting before you had a chance to start. Such a person can potentially be a great mentor you can talk with in the future: about the firm, a certain practice group, etc before entering your summer. Most people would be happy to meet a future associate in their class.

If it is a deal related course, it'll help you understand the thinking of your firm on certain issues, what's market, and how your firm's partners think about resolving certain business/legal issues.

Just don't bomb your grades and don't be weird. If you're weird enough to make someone have a really negative impression over one semester anyhow, it's not going to be any better once you're at the firm.

[Yardbird]

In the off chance that you take the course, the partner should be referred to as professor X unless s/he directs you otherwise.

Just a heads up, but the partner may already know you’re thinking about this.

[Npret]

Wow, people are amazingly and antisocially risk adverse here.

It sounds like a great way to connect with a partner in a non-work setting before you had a chance to start. Such a person can potentially be a great mentor you can talk with in the future: about the firm, a certain practice group, etc before entering your summer. Most people would be happy to meet a future associate in their class.

If it is a deal related course, it'll help you understand the thinking of your firm on certain issues, what's market, and how your firm's partners think about resolving certain business/legal issues.

Just don't bomb your grades and don't be weird. If you're weird enough to make someone have a really negative impression over one semester anyhow, it's not going to be any better once you're at the firm.

OP says he’s bad at social interaction. This isn’t a course that interests him. The amount of time a person spends in a class with a professor is different than how closely they may work with this particular partner.

If OP was decently charismatic, and interested in the course it would be worth it. Taking it in the hope of benefiting his career and awkwardly mentioning how he will be at the firm, wondering what to call the professor, aren’t signs OP will get any benefit over just working at the firm and doing great work.

[RedPurpleBlue]

In the off chance that you take the course, the partner should be referred to as professor X unless s/he directs you otherwise.

Just a heads up, but the partner may already know you’re thinking about this.

I needed a good laugh today. Thanks

[OfThriceandTen]

To be slightly contrarian, I don't disagree you may lean towards "no" ultimately, but I definitely disagree with the advice that he won't know or care -- he may definitely take his course and student's interest in it seriously. In my large group at a large firm (our group alone will take 8-10 new associates a year), we have 3-4 partners per year teach at one of the local schools. Those partners all know who is in school at X and Y schools in town and each of them will for sure ask if you have heard of the class, thought of taking it, etc., over the summer if it comes up that you're at the school they teach at. In our small subgroup within the larger practice group, the group leader teaches a seminar on the subgroup specialty, and it will have a minor initial negative impact on a new associate's ability to get work in the group if they went to that school and they haven't taken the course as they are assumed to not have a real interest in it. On the flipside, someone totally bombed their chances in our group before starting by taking and performing poorly in the course. So I guess one of the questions should be whether you will want to work in this partner's group, if it's competitive, long-term, and whether you will perform well.

[r6_philly]

I agree with all of the above responders. There is some risk but no possibility of gain associated with taking the partner's seminar. If you make no impression on the partner, there is no loss and no gain. If you make a positive impression on the partner, there is no loss but no real gain - at the summer program you'll still be treated just like all of the other summers. If you make a negative impression on the partner, there is no gain and a real risk - you don't want to go into the summer program with a bad judgment already sitting there against you.

I wouldn't specifically avoid the class, but I certainly wouldn't recommend taking when you otherwise wouldn't.

100% agree. There is no need to take the risk. Think like a lawyer.

[r6_philly]

Wow, people are amazingly and antisocially risk adverse here.

What do you think the #1 role/function of a lawyer for a client is? Especially for biglaw clients.