Lounge Lawyers Rate your Summer Associate Screw Ups Forum

[09042014]

Make a joke about someone getting no-offered in the summer associate listserv email chain, forgetting that the recruiting staff has access to it; get called up and very gently berated about it by recruiting coordinator.

offer

[crit_racer]

Myself and very important partner walk into bathroom together. He is a big jokester. Asks me how my summer is going. "Good! Everyone is very friendly... well except you, you're kind of a ball buster." I smile. He doesn't.

No offer?

You need to get a better grip of the joke hierarchy.

- Partner is allowed to make joke about you
- You are NOT allowed to make a joke about partner

Sounds like the partner is just the type of guy that can dish it out but can't take it.

Had one of those at a firm where I SA'd. Would dig at me, and it would seem friendly enough, but he would just awkwardly chuckle if I'd dish anything back. This didn't seem like a big deal until we had a social event where he was sitting next to me. The more he drank, the more mean-spirited his barbs became. Instead of backing down, I responded in kind, culminating in a slam dunk joke about his height that left his wife and my wife in stitches. Him? Not so much.

FYI, no offer.

But still, fuck that guy

You're my hero

[Anonymous User]

Drafted a basic motion to dismiss in state court. Used a template found on the shared drive (made a bunch of edits/insertions of course). Partner signed off on it and told me to get it filed. Law clerk filed it. Bounced back because it had the wrong caption (forgot to change the template's caption). Judge extended deadline by 3 days so we changed the caption and got in filed.

[09042014]

Drafted a basic motion to dismiss in state court. Used a template found on the shared drive (made a bunch of edits/insertions of course). Partner signed off on it and told me to get it filed. Law clerk filed it. Bounced back because it had the wrong caption (forgot to change the template's caption). Judge extended deadline by 3 days so we changed the caption and got in filed.

Offered, but thin ice buddy.

[NotMyRealName09]

Drafted a basic motion to dismiss in state court. Used a template found on the shared drive (made a bunch of edits/insertions of course). Partner signed off on it and told me to get it filed. Law clerk filed it. Bounced back because it had the wrong caption (forgot to change the template's caption). Judge extended deadline by 3 days so we changed the caption and got in filed.

Offered, but thin ice buddy.

Rookie Mistake - READ IT THREE TIMES AND DON'T LET THE EYES JUST SKIM THE BOILERPLATE.

[rpupkin]

Drafted a basic motion to dismiss in state court. Used a template found on the shared drive (made a bunch of edits/insertions of course). Partner signed off on it and told me to get it filed. Law clerk filed it. Bounced back because it had the wrong caption (forgot to change the template's caption). Judge extended deadline by 3 days so we changed the caption and got in filed.

Offered, but thin ice buddy.

The strangest part of this story is that the partner didn't make an associate check it first. That, combined with the fact that the filing was in state court, suggests to me that the SA is working at a relatively small firm. And small firms are generally more willing to no-offer SAs. So, yeah, thin ice.

[Anonymous User]

Drafted a basic motion to dismiss in state court. Used a template found on the shared drive (made a bunch of edits/insertions of course). Partner signed off on it and told me to get it filed. Law clerk filed it. Bounced back because it had the wrong caption (forgot to change the template's caption). Judge extended deadline by 3 days so we changed the caption and got in filed.

Don't assistants prepare stuff like that? I mean, get the caption and signature lines and service stamp and all of that on there, so you just have to type in the legal points? Honest question -- I've never done biglaw.

[Anonymous User]

Original poster who screwed up motion to dismiss here.

1. It is a mid-sized national firm (~90 attorneys in this office) in a large non-NYC market. Pay is slightly below market.

2. It was a suit filed against a bank, our client, which is how we found ourselves is state court.

3. Usually associates check stuff like that but it was pretty routine so partner just looked at it himself to get it out quickly.

4. I have an assistant/secretary but don't use her much.

5. I am a 1L (other SAs here are 2Ls) so I am not even 100% sure I'd accept an offer if made--all depends on OCI, I suppose.

6. I learned my lesson.

[09042014]

Drafted a basic motion to dismiss in state court. Used a template found on the shared drive (made a bunch of edits/insertions of course). Partner signed off on it and told me to get it filed. Law clerk filed it. Bounced back because it had the wrong caption (forgot to change the template's caption). Judge extended deadline by 3 days so we changed the caption and got in filed.

Don't assistants prepare stuff like that? I mean, get the caption and signature lines and service stamp and all of that on there, so you just have to type in the legal points? Honest question -- I've never done biglaw.

Depends, but often juniors don't use assistants or paralegals cause they fuck up more than they get right.

[run26.2]

Drafted a basic motion to dismiss in state court. Used a template found on the shared drive (made a bunch of edits/insertions of course). Partner signed off on it and told me to get it filed. Law clerk filed it. Bounced back because it had the wrong caption (forgot to change the template's caption). Judge extended deadline by 3 days so we changed the caption and got in filed.

Don't assistants prepare stuff like that? I mean, get the caption and signature lines and service stamp and all of that on there, so you just have to type in the legal points? Honest question -- I've never done biglaw.

Depends, but often juniors don't use assistants or paralegals cause they fuck up more than they get right.

Many firms have document production departments that will generate templates for you, which you can use as an alternative to your secretary or paralegal. Making use of these other resources can play a role in career advancement.

[brotherdarkness]

.

[NotMyRealName09]

I'll say that for my first year or two of practice, I did all document formatting myself - no one teaches you how to delegate, and I figure I should first practice making soup before I try telling others how to make it for me. Doing it myself has taught me what common things get overlooked, so when I now delegate I know to look at things like the caption and - an important one - the signature block to make sure we've changed the part that says "Attorneys for X" to "Attorneys for THIS CLIENT".

[NYSprague]

Drafted a basic motion to dismiss in state court. Used a template found on the shared drive (made a bunch of edits/insertions of course). Partner signed off on it and told me to get it filed. Law clerk filed it. Bounced back because it had the wrong caption (forgot to change the template's caption). Judge extended deadline by 3 days so we changed the caption and got in filed.

Offered, but thin ice buddy.

Made partner and firm look bad...this one is close.

[run26.2]

We have those document production departments but have been warned that they, like the secretaries, often make mistakes.

This is true. But in some instances, checking what they've done is faster than creating the doc yourself, e.g. pleading paper with line numbers on the side, etc.

[20160810]

Drafted a basic motion to dismiss in state court. Used a template found on the shared drive (made a bunch of edits/insertions of course). Partner signed off on it and told me to get it filed. Law clerk filed it. Bounced back because it had the wrong caption (forgot to change the template's caption). Judge extended deadline by 3 days so we changed the caption and got in filed.

Offered, but thin ice buddy.

The strangest part of this story is that the partner didn't make an associate check it first. That, combined with the fact that the filing was in state court, suggests to me that the SA is working at a relatively small firm. And small firms are generally more willing to no-offer SAs. So, yeah, thin ice.

I thought all these things. (1.) That was an incredibly bone-headed move. (2.) What the hell is a firm doing having summers prepare and file a motion to dismiss?

[20160810]

Original poster who screwed up motion to dismiss here.

1. It is a mid-sized national firm (~90 attorneys in this office) in a large non-NYC market. Pay is slightly below market.

2. It was a suit filed against a bank, our client, which is how we found ourselves is state court.

3. Usually associates check stuff like that but it was pretty routine so partner just looked at it himself to get it out quickly.

4. I have an assistant/secretary but don't use her much.

5. I am a 1L (other SAs here are 2Ls) so I am not even 100% sure I'd accept an offer if made--all depends on OCI, I suppose.

6. I learned my lesson.

I am betting dollars to donuts that this was a mortgage lit pro se complaint filed by some crank who thought MERS stole his note, nobody can foreclose, and he gets a free house.

I am honestly boggled that they had a 1L summer associate handle that though.

[Anonymous User]

Original poster who screwed up motion to dismiss here.

1. It is a mid-sized national firm (~90 attorneys in this office) in a large non-NYC market. Pay is slightly below market.

2. It was a suit filed against a bank, our client, which is how we found ourselves is state court.

3. Usually associates check stuff like that but it was pretty routine so partner just looked at it himself to get it out quickly.

4. I have an assistant/secretary but don't use her much.

5. I am a 1L (other SAs here are 2Ls) so I am not even 100% sure I'd accept an offer if made--all depends on OCI, I suppose.

6. I learned my lesson.

I am betting dollars to donuts that this was a mortgage lit pro se complaint filed by some crank who thought MERS stole his note, nobody can foreclose, and he gets a free house.

I am honestly boggled that they had a 1L summer associate handle that though.

Nah, it wasn't that. I can PM you what the complaint was about if you're truly interested.

Seems to be OK here now. The same partner gave me a large research assignment. Also, I talked about it with one of the associates I am close with and he said it was nothing to worry about--that he has made similar bone-headed mistakes in the past.

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

One of the associates at my firm gave me an assignment on the UK law as applied to US clients. I was researching it the whole day and was not able to give an answer to some of the questions this associate asked me after I submitted the draft. This associate does not really have a background in the UK law, so I did not really have anyone to ask about how to approach this particular UK law. When, after researching the topic for hours and hours, I asked this associate my questions, he/she appeared to be really frustrated and irritated by me. Still no answer though. All my other assignments have been good so far. And all other associates were pretty pleased with my work product. Offer or no offer? How can I redeem myself?

[09042014]

One of the associates at my firm gave me an assignment on the UK law as applied to US clients. I was researching it the whole day and was not able to give an answer to some of the questions this associate asked me after I submitted the draft. This associate does not really have a background in the UK law, so I did not really have anyone to ask about how to approach this particular UK law. When, after researching the topic for hours and hours, I asked this associate my questions, he/she appeared to be really frustrated and irritated by me. Still no answer though. All my other assignments have been good so far. And all other associates were pretty pleased with my work product. Offer or no offer? How can I redeem myself?

offer

[Anonymous User]

Got called out (in private) by the assignment coordinator (non-attorney) that they saw me asleep in my office. I was up super late the night before finishing work and accidentally dozed off at my computer.

I'm scared shitless now. Is it a given that they will tell the hiring partners or whomever that they saw? Large market paying firm but give occasional no offers. Any way to redeem myself?

[run26.2]

Got called out (in private) by the assignment coordinator (non-attorney) that they saw me asleep in my office. I was up super late the night before finishing work and accidentally dozed off at my computer.

I'm scared shitless now. Is it a given that they will tell the hiring partners or whomever that they saw? Large market paying firm but give occasional no offers. Any way to redeem myself?

Offer. Sounds like the warning should be enough to keep you from dozing off again.

[El Pollito]

Got called out (in private) by the assignment coordinator (non-attorney) that they saw me asleep in my office. I was up super late the night before finishing work and accidentally dozed off at my computer.

I'm scared shitless now. Is it a given that they will tell the hiring partners or whomever that they saw? Large market paying firm but give occasional no offers. Any way to redeem myself?

How'd the conversation go?

[Anonymous User]

Got called out (in private) by the assignment coordinator (non-attorney) that they saw me asleep in my office. I was up super late the night before finishing work and accidentally dozed off at my computer.

I'm scared shitless now. Is it a given that they will tell the hiring partners or whomever that they saw? Large market paying firm but give occasional no offers. Any way to redeem myself?

How'd the conversation go?

I went to chat with him about something unrelated, and he said he stopped by my office earlier and saw me asleep. And warned me that a partner or anyone else could have walked by and also seen me. No lecture, but not an attorney, but still an important person in the office so I have no idea whether they would and how much say they would have in hiring...

Praying run26.2 is right...I certainly am scared straight now...

[smallfirmassociate]

Damn, if a partner in my office saw me sleeping at my desk, he'd suggest that I go home and get some rest, take the day off. We are human, after all? I know someone will say, "Well when you need work done you can't be sleeping blah blah..." but then the real problem is the work not getting done, not the sleeping. Unless your work is affected, I think that'd be a bullshit reason for a no-offer, assuming that you weren't sleeping off a hangover or something unprofessional.