New associate banter Forum

[Anonymous User]

Feeling blah. I work in a boutique niche firm, making close to market, but really cant stand the practice area - its not what i wanted to do just fell into it when i missed the biglaw boat. Find myself looking online already. Its such a niche area that i feel i will be stuck in it forever. :/

[romothesavior]

Are all you happy people generally? I'm having difficulty faking interest in talking to all these people who come by my office. I'm usually quite social, but I don't feel I have anything in common with the people at my firm and this "fake it till you make it" is starting to tax me mentally. How do you guys interact with so many people on a daily basis? I realize this makes me sound aspie, but I don't care.

I'm not a spurger and I like the people I work for, so interacting with them is fine.

[NotMyRealName09]

Are all you happy people generally? I'm having difficulty faking interest in talking to all these people who come by my office. I'm usually quite social, but I don't feel I have anything in common with the people at my firm and this "fake it till you make it" is starting to tax me mentally. How do you guys interact with so many people on a daily basis? I realize this makes me sound aspie, but I don't care.

Just remember - they feel the same way about you. You're all stuck there, so just make the best of it. I'm not a naturally outgoing guy, but I've made myself become one over time for the simple reason that it is easier to disengage a conversation when you started it.

[romothesavior]

Young associates spend 90%+ of their day in their office doing stuff by themselves. That's too much social interaction for some people?

[phonepro]

Did any of y'all make some sort of excel spreadsheet or something to keep track of projects? If so, willing to share for a sample format, etc. ?

[rad lulz]

Did any of y'all make some sort of excel spreadsheet or something to keep track of projects? If so, willing to share for a sample format, etc. ?

Yeah

Column for due date, column for what the project is, column for who it's for

I'm not "on" a lot of cases so this works for me

If I'm "on" a case rather than having just discrete projects for something, I'll just put the matter name as a place holder

[Big Shrimpin]

Young associates spend 90%+ of their day in their office doing stuff by themselves. That's too much social interaction for some people?

This never ceases to amaze me. I crave human interaction all day. Eating lunch by myself makes me want to /self.

[stayway]

god damn it. every time a state releases their bar results I get a panic attack. can't concentrate at work right now.

[snowpeach06]

Just got an e-mail from my CDO that said "I heard you got a job". How the hell did my CDO know? Then I had to fill out the NALP survey, so I guess i'm helping the stats.

[DwightSchruteFarms]

This is prob a stupid question, but as a new associate, are we supposed to taken on assignments from more senior associates...maybe associates who have been at the firm for 3-4 years. Or does that set a bad precedent of inferiority and subordination?

[IAFG]

This is prob a stupid question, but as a new associate, are we supposed to taken on assignments from more senior associates...maybe associates who have been at the firm for 3-4 years. Or does that set a bad precedent of inferiority and subordination?

There is no bad source of billables, IMO.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Young associates spend 90%+ of their day in their office doing stuff by themselves. That's too much social interaction for some people?

This never ceases to amaze me. I crave human interaction all day. Eating lunch by myself makes me want to /self.

I think if you're in a new job and it's a big place and you spend the first few days getting introduced to new people all the time and you don't know anyone well enough to have normal conversations and you don't really know what you're doing, it can be overwhelming to start. I think people get over it. (Also, introvert extrovert blah blah blah.)

[phonepro]

This is prob a stupid question, but as a new associate, are we supposed to taken on assignments from more senior associates...maybe associates who have been at the firm for 3-4 years. Or does that set a bad precedent of inferiority and subordination?

umm what? do you think we are only to take work from partners? at least where i work, senior associates are always assigning tasks to junior associates.

[DwightSchruteFarms]

This is prob a stupid question, but as a new associate, are we supposed to taken on assignments from more senior associates...maybe associates who have been at the firm for 3-4 years. Or does that set a bad precedent of inferiority and subordination?

umm what? do you think we are only to take work from partners? at least where i work, senior associates are always assigning tasks to junior associates.

Alright, chillax bonerpro. I was just asking.

[IAFG]

I have done nothing all day except stress about the bar.

[stayway]

I have done nothing all day except stress about the bar.

+1. scared.

[09042014]

Glad I got results before my start date.

[Big Shrimpin]

Young associates spend 90%+ of their day in their office doing stuff by themselves. That's too much social interaction for some people?

This never ceases to amaze me. I crave human interaction all day. Eating lunch by myself makes me want to /self.

I think if you're in a new job and it's a big place and you spend the first few days getting introduced to new people all the time and you don't know anyone well enough to have normal conversations and you don't really know what you're doing, it can be overwhelming to start. I think people get over it. (Also, introvert extrovert blah blah blah.)

Oh totally get what you're saying. I'm obliquely complaining about being busy all the time.

[IAFG]

I have done nothing all day except stress about the bar.

+1. scared.

Tomorrow is going to be the exact same.

[dixiecupdrinking]

This is prob a stupid question, but as a new associate, are we supposed to taken on assignments from more senior associates...maybe associates who have been at the firm for 3-4 years. Or does that set a bad precedent of inferiority and subordination?

umm what? do you think we are only to take work from partners? at least where i work, senior associates are always assigning tasks to junior associates.

Alright, chillax bonerpro. I was just asking.

I think that a) it depends on how things work at your firm but b) it's also probably not a great idea to start off by telling people "no because I don't think you're sufficiently senior." So.

[dixiecupdrinking]

Is it crazy to be shy about taking advantage of Seamless, cars home, etc.? Been working enough to qualify, but feel like the stuff I'm doing isn't important or complicated enough yet to justify it and I'm just being inefficient. And I don't want to call attention to it.

I guess I'm still not used to the notion that these firms really don't bat an eye about picking up $50-60 tabs (between food and cab fare) on a regular basis for people just staying late. It will probably fade with time.

[thesealocust]

Is it crazy to be shy about taking advantage of Seamless, cars home, etc.? Been working enough to qualify, but feel like the stuff I'm doing isn't important or complicated enough yet to justify it and I'm just being inefficient. And I don't want to call attention to it.

I guess I'm still not used to the notion that these firms really don't bat an eye about picking up $50-60 tabs (between food and cab fare) on a regular basis for people just staying late. It will probably fade with time.

Seamless, cars, etc. are psychological warfare the firm is waging with you. It's designed to make you say "fuck it" and work an extra hour or two or four.

Pro-tip: If your dinner + car cost the firm $100, that means you have to bill roughly 15-20 extra minutes to cover it and any time after is revenue. Stop thinking like a normal human being and start thinking like a corporate law firm gunning for 7-figure revenue per lawyer.

[dixiecupdrinking]

Is it crazy to be shy about taking advantage of Seamless, cars home, etc.? Been working enough to qualify, but feel like the stuff I'm doing isn't important or complicated enough yet to justify it and I'm just being inefficient. And I don't want to call attention to it.

I guess I'm still not used to the notion that these firms really don't bat an eye about picking up $50-60 tabs (between food and cab fare) on a regular basis for people just staying late. It will probably fade with time.

Seamless, cars, etc. are psychological warfare the firm is waging with you. It's designed to make you say "fuck it" and work an extra hour or two or four.

Pro-tip: If your dinner + car cost the firm $100, that means you have to bill roughly 15-20 extra minutes to cover it and any time after is revenue. Stop thinking like a normal human being and start thinking like a corporate law firm gunning for 7-figure revenue per lawyer.

Thanks, I feel both better and worse, a sensation that seems common to the process of learning more about working in a law firm.

[thesealocust]

Pro-tip: Feelings can't swim in whiskey.

[beach_terror]

Hit my goal of billing ~200 hours for my first full month, feels good... an emptyish good, but good.