The SA sucking up is absolutely ridiculous... Forum

[Anonymous User]

When I was an SA, one of the other SAs would listen in on my conversations with people, and when I would ask a question, she would butt in and answer it to show she was smart. However, she never actually answered the question I asked. She either didn't hear the question or she was dumb.

Also, we would agree "I'll take this one, you take the next one" for projects, and we would follow those agreements, unless the email came out really early or really late. If that happened, she'd send an email back within seconds accepting the project even if it was my turn to show that she's the type of person that's by her blackberry at all hours.

The firm showed us, they no-offered us both.


Edit (this has nothing to do with kissing ass, but I thought it was amusing): she also took ridiculous notes. If we were in a meeting and someone told a joke, she would take notes on the joke. WTF?

[Anonymous User]

A SA at my firm gives a thank you card (yes, an actual card, not merely an email) to each attorney that takes her out to lunch.

[Anonymous User]

A SA at my firm gives a thank you card (yes, an actual card, not merely an email) to each attorney that takes her out to lunch.

Does anyone talk to her about this? If I were the attorney and someone did this, I'd pll her aside the first day and tell her to chill the fuck out.

[RVP11]

OP: where are you summering?

No one at my firm is like this.

[Aqualibrium]

A SA at my firm gives a thank you card (yes, an actual card, not merely an email) to each attorney that takes her out to lunch.

Someone I worked with gave a thank you card to every single person she came into contact with at the firm that summer. Over 100 thank you cards for summers, associates, partners, staff, etc... it was more than a little over the top IMO.

[Anonymous User]

A SA at my firm gives a thank you card (yes, an actual card, not merely an email) to each attorney that takes her out to lunch.

Someone I worked with gave a thank you card to every single person she came into contact with at the firm that summer. Over 100 thank you cards for summers, associates, partners, staff, etc... it was more than a little over the top IMO.

And no one told her to stop? Did she get an offer?

Did she sit there and write them in front of the person, because that would be great.

I feel weird writing thank you notes at all. I think they're ridiculous.

[thesealocust]

OP: where are you summering?

No one at my firm is like this.

Yeah, haven't really noticed this behavior where I am either. People seem to want to do good work to avoid no-offer-carnage, but I haven't noticed a sycophantic attitude from basically anyone. As a group, we're even fairly reluctant to ask questions at presentations and the like (refreshingly anti-gunner).

[Borhas]

lawyers are nothing more than servants, this is the proper way for servants to behave

[Anonymous User]

Not to mention the schmoozing that goes on, even to someone who is just a 3rd year and have no power whatsoever.

The "schmoozing" at my firm this summer has all been the ordinary courteous type.

But I wanted to address this "3rd year" thing. I'm sure it varies firm to firm but I worked on several projects where I was supervised by 3rd year associates. They reported back how things went working with me and the hiring partners referred to their feedback in my midsummer review. I'm sure the end of summer review will be the same kind of thing too.

Most of my interaction over the summer was with junior associates and the hiring partners obviously listened to them about us.

[Renzo]

A SA at my firm gives a thank you card (yes, an actual card, not merely an email) to each attorney that takes her out to lunch.

Someone I worked with gave a thank you card to every single person she came into contact with at the firm that summer. Over 100 thank you cards for summers, associates, partners, staff, etc... it was more than a little over the top IMO.

This is absurd, but only because someone should actually do something for you before you thank them. I wouldn't send a written thank you to every person who took me to lunch, but it's not as strange as some of you seem to think. Letitia Baldrige would approve.

[Anonymous User]

I'm a biglaw mid-level.

At my firm, one of the summers buys actual gifts ($50 or so each) for partners who he or she works with. Gift cards, etc. The awkwardness is surreal.

[Anonymous User]

I'm a biglaw mid-level.

At my firm, one of the summers buys actual gifts ($50 or so each) for partners who he or she works with. Gift cards, etc. The awkwardness is surreal.

On the other hand, I'd try to give the guy work and hint at gifts that I want. E.g., "have you tried the Duckhorn Merlot? It's great and it's only $50!!!!"

[Renzo]

I'm a biglaw mid-level.

At my firm, one of the summers buys actual gifts ($50 or so each) for partners who he or she works with. Gift cards, etc. The awkwardness is surreal.

Now we're getting some hardcore awkward brown-noseing stories.

[NotMyRealName09]

Some of these are unbelievable. If the thank you notes and gift cards stories are true, I would love to be a fly on the wall when the recipients gossip about how incredibly inappropriate that is.

SA's forget. You are being interviewed the whole time, and part of what they are analyzing is whether you would embarrass them in front of a client. Inappropriate social graces can make clients go elsewhere.

[Nogameisfair]

Some of these are unbelievable. If the thank you notes and gift cards stories are true, I would love to be a fly on the wall when the recipients gossip about how incredibly inappropriate that is.

SA's forget. You are being interviewed the whole time, and part of what they are analyzing is whether you would embarrass them in front of a client. Inappropriate social graces can make clients go elsewhere.

Well... realistically they know that most of you will never have significant client interaction. They hire awkward associates for a reason: to stick them in an office and review documents for 12 hours a day with no cost to society.

[HamDel]

Hard to think of specific instances, but does anyone else have an office FULL of girls doing that stupid fake ultra high pitched voice always saying "ohhh sooo good to see you!" or "ohh thanks SOO MUCH!! that was so helpful!!" even when they saw someone yesterday or when the thing they are thanking someone for is like passing a stapler across a desk? It drives me fucking crazy and I don't know why people do that. I've watched a bunch of female associates backstab the crap out of each other all summer, all the while doing that stupid high pitched fake nice thing every time they see each other. The world of women is horrifying.