Anonymous User wrote:[Anonymous because I'm pretty sure I'm going to summer at this firm..]
How does office politics influence your work? I'm going to assume that--like most Chicago firms--your firm does not employ a rotation system. When you were coming up the ranks, did having to find your own work and manage/find relationships add another layer of stress or did it help? A part of me is beginning to think life might just be easier to just have my work and partners assigned to me.
For me it was very easy because that's my personality. I never liked being spoon-fed work and really liked the idea of going to get it. I tried a little of everything at first and mostly went to other senior associates in the beginning to get work and also see what partners were cool and which ones should be avoided. I can see it being VERY stressful if this is not your thing. And yes, it plays a huge role in what group you are ultimately pushed into and if your life is going to be miserable. One group here in particular cannot keep associates because of a few partners and the grueling demands. My group is real cool and I knew from pretty much the first assignment I took from my mentor that I was going to latch on and ride the coattails.