Screamer partner Forum

[Anonymous User]

2nd year corporate associate at a secondary market in a V50. I lateraled from a V100 in a major market to the current firm at the one year mark chasing prestige (and market pay), only to get stuck with a partner who is a screamer. Because of the firm’s weird assignment system I have to work most of my time with this partner at least for the next year or two. Wonder if anyone has been in this situation. I’m thinking of lateraling out again and go back to the major market I was in (SO lives there so have a good personal reason) but am afraid that I’ll be viewed as a job hopper. Should I stick it out a few more months? I am really feeling depressed everyday at work because there’s nothing I can do about the screaming. I feel powerless and harassed because many comments are personally insulting. Also, when I lateraled the current firm asked for references from my previous firm, so I’m worried how that would work out with this screamer. Need the TLS wisdom to survive yet another day of screaming!

[Bananabatman]

So sorry you're going through that, that's really unacceptable. Is there no way for you to work with another partner? All of my friends at firms with formal work assignment systems have found ways to work around them.

If you can't, then get out of that situation. I have plenty of friends that have lateraled twice within a relatively short amount of time. If you're concerned about references, just put down a fellow associate you work with.

[Anonymous User]

So sorry you're going through that, that's really unacceptable. Is there no way for you to work with another partner? All of my friends at firms with formal work assignment systems have found ways to work around them.

If you can't, then get out of that situation. I have plenty of friends that have lateraled twice within a relatively short amount of time. If you're concerned about references, just put down a fellow associate you work with.

Thanks for the message. The corporate group is relatively small due to being in a secondary market, so I cannot work for other partners and there is only one counsel between me and the partner that I do not work with (maybe because everyone escaped from the screaming.....). So I really don’t know what to do with my reference.....

Do you think I should use a recruiter?

[Anonymous User]

2nd year corporate associate at a secondary market in a V50. I lateraled from a V100 in a major market to the current firm at the one year mark chasing prestige (and market pay), only to get stuck with a partner who is a screamer. Because of the firm’s weird assignment system I have to work most of my time with this partner at least for the next year or two. Wonder if anyone has been in this situation. I’m thinking of lateraling out again and go back to the major market I was in (SO lives there so have a good personal reason) but am afraid that I’ll be viewed as a job hopper. Should I stick it out a few more months? I am really feeling depressed everyday at work because there’s nothing I can do about the screaming. I feel powerless and harassed because many comments are personally insulting. Also, when I lateraled the current firm asked for references from my previous firm, so I’m worried how that would work out with this screamer. Need the TLS wisdom to survive yet another day of screaming!

It's not a secret some partners are impossible to work for. I lateralled twice in my four years and one of my coworkers lateraled twice in her first three. It's the same story: first lateral was for prestige/money/ change practice groups, second lateral to fix the mistake of going to the first. I stayed a year at my second, and got only half-hearted question regarding why I wanted to lateral. (The partner told me later he didn't care; it's just one of his default questions.) I also know people who lasted 3-9 months at their second firms. Get a senior associate to give you a recommendation, and don't bother with firms who expect you to work seamlessly with every single partner and faults associates for refusing to put up with abuse.

[Guchster]

So sorry you're going through that, that's really unacceptable. Is there no way for you to work with another partner? All of my friends at firms with formal work assignment systems have found ways to work around them.

If you can't, then get out of that situation. I have plenty of friends that have lateraled twice within a relatively short amount of time. If you're concerned about references, just put down a fellow associate you work with.

Thanks for the message. The corporate group is relatively small due to being in a secondary market, so I cannot work for other partners and there is only one counsel between me and the partner that I do not work with (maybe because everyone escaped from the screaming.....). So I really don’t know what to do with my reference.....

Do you think I should use a recruiter?

Have you spoken with someone in HR about this? It may be helpful to start setting aside emails and writing down dates/times of conversations where you feel you are being mistreated. If you're afraid of HR escalating this, you can approach the conversation by bringing the emails/record of conversations and asking them to help you assess your options first. I had a friend at a V10 in a similar situation who was able to work through a mediation plan between her and the abusive partner that was brokered/mediated by HR.

She eventually lateraled after a couple of months, which I think you should seriously think about, but it at least made her last few months more tolerable and she didn't feel so isolated/powerless.

I wouldn't stress too much about the hopper thing. Sure, it's not ideal, but after you think about what you want your next move to be (i.e., another V50, different market or law firm size, junior in house positions, etc.), you can think through how to strategically leverage your experience and frame what's happening to you in a way that minimizes collateral damage. People have lateralled from much crazier employment backgrounds.

I just want you to understand that you have options here, you don't have to tolerate being mistreated (esp. when your mistreatment benefits your abuser in $$ and workload), and many have gone down escape routes (and I imagine you aren't the first associate going through this while with this partner).

[Anonymous User]

Don’t worry about the optics about making a switch again. If you feel this new firm is a tough situation with no benefit, then make a move. Don’t tell your co-workers or anyone else (including family, friends, or recruiters) about the screamer or any recruiter. If you have told others, begin to minimize the number of people who know your dissatisfaction. This will help sell your narrative during the lateral process.

There are plenty of firms with better cultures than the current firm you are at. Take pride in the fact that you’re able to work with any type of personality (including this screamer partner). Having a SO in another city is also a compelling reason for why you want to make the switch again so soon.