New associate fuck up thread (and tips for slacking) Forum

[JusticeChuckleNutz]

Damn, man. Reading through this thread reminded me of how great TLS used to be before everybody bailed. Bums me out. As a first-year, this was fun to read through

[JusticeSquee]

Damn, man. Reading through this thread reminded me of how great TLS used to be before everybody bailed. Bums me out. As a first-year, this was fun to read through

Real talk though, where did everyone go?

[JusticeSquee]

One tip for sending something to a client when your senior hasn't reviewed - just say so. "See attached subject to XYZ's review. He should have any additional comments to you shortly, but I wanted to get this in front of you in the interest of time."

Some partners still won't like that, but at least you cover yourself somewhat.

I don't get why you would even do this. Associates, THE PARTNER IS YOUR CLIENT. When the client asks you to do something, politely respond (cc'ing partner) and tell them you're looking into it. You weirdos that crave "client contact" deserve all the shit you get in situations like this.

[Anonymous User]

This thread is incredible. Thank you everyone.

My most embarrassing screw up happened about 6 months into my first year. Partner asked a (well-respected) paralegal to prepare subpoenas for plaintiff's previous employers based on his tax records that we had. Because the guy was a freelancer, he had about 30 employers. Paralegal combined all the subpoenas into one enormous PDF for my review. These are boilerplate, routine subpoenas that our paralegals would do every day, so I figured I didn't really need to review them. Also, I was new and this paralegal had about 30 years of experience, so I just glossed over them and told her they were good to go.

A week later, we get an email from our client's GC with a subpoena attached. He said something to the effect of, "I'm confused. Why is plaintiff's counsel subpoenaing us? Doesn't he already have these records?" The partner immediately emails me with the subject line "DID WE SUBPOENA OUR OWN CLIENT???" and nothing in the body. I look at the subpoena the GC forwarded and, yep, we subpoenaed our own client. Turns out the paralegal just prepared a subpoena for every employer and the one to our client was the last one, so I didn't see it.

Miraculously, the GC didn't understand it was a subpoena from us. The partner responded with something vague like, "We'll talk to OC," and that was that. Never heard from our client about it again.

[Best]

One tip for sending something to a client when your senior hasn't reviewed - just say so. "See attached subject to XYZ's review. He should have any additional comments to you shortly, but I wanted to get this in front of you in the interest of time."

Some partners still won't like that, but at least you cover yourself somewhat.

I don't get why you would even do this. Associates, THE PARTNER IS YOUR CLIENT. When the client asks you to do something, politely respond (cc'ing partner) and tell them you're looking into it. You weirdos that crave "client contact" deserve all the shit you get in situations like this.

It's not about craving client contact. It's about partners wondering why I can't handle simple social interactions. They're busy. I know several partners across two firms that would be furious at me if I continued to dodge a client while the partner was out of pocket handling an emergency that I otherwise wasn't aware about.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

One tip for sending something to a client when your senior hasn't reviewed - just say so. "See attached subject to XYZ's review. He should have any additional comments to you shortly, but I wanted to get this in front of you in the interest of time."

Some partners still won't like that, but at least you cover yourself somewhat.

I don't get why you would even do this. Associates, THE PARTNER IS YOUR CLIENT. When the client asks you to do something, politely respond (cc'ing partner) and tell them you're looking into it. You weirdos that crave "client contact" deserve all the shit you get in situations like this.

It's not about craving client contact. It's about partners wondering why I can't handle simple social interactions. They're busy. I know several partners across two firms that would be furious at me if I continued to dodge a client while the partner was out of pocket handling an emergency that I otherwise wasn't aware about.

Depends on the partner, but most wouldn’t want a first year doing shit directly with the client with no oversight or review. When you’re a bit more senior obviously it’s different.

[jackshunger]

One tip for sending something to a client when your senior hasn't reviewed - just say so. "See attached subject to XYZ's review. He should have any additional comments to you shortly, but I wanted to get this in front of you in the interest of time."

Some partners still won't like that, but at least you cover yourself somewhat.

I don't get why you would even do this. Associates, THE PARTNER IS YOUR CLIENT. When the client asks you to do something, politely respond (cc'ing partner) and tell them you're looking into it. You weirdos that crave "client contact" deserve all the shit you get in situations like this.

It's not about craving client contact. It's about partners wondering why I can't handle simple social interactions. They're busy. I know several partners across two firms that would be furious at me if I continued to dodge a client while the partner was out of pocket handling an emergency that I otherwise wasn't aware about.

Depends on the partner, but most wouldn’t want a first year doing shit directly with the client with no oversight or review. When you’re a bit more senior obviously it’s different.

Currently a 1L, but worked as a consultant for 4 years in similar situations. If its real hectic, there's no mid-level on the case, the partner has been incommunicado, and the client just needs to see something, you can do this, but you need to caveat the hell out of that work product and cc the partner. I'd probably roll by the partner's office before doing something like this too, but whether that would fly depends on the firm I'd imagine.

[JusticeSquee]

One tip for sending something to a client when your senior hasn't reviewed - just say so. "See attached subject to XYZ's review. He should have any additional comments to you shortly, but I wanted to get this in front of you in the interest of time."

Some partners still won't like that, but at least you cover yourself somewhat.

I don't get why you would even do this. Associates, THE PARTNER IS YOUR CLIENT. When the client asks you to do something, politely respond (cc'ing partner) and tell them you're looking into it. You weirdos that crave "client contact" deserve all the shit you get in situations like this.

It's not about craving client contact. It's about partners wondering why I can't handle simple social interactions. They're busy. I know several partners across two firms that would be furious at me if I continued to dodge a client while the partner was out of pocket handling an emergency that I otherwise wasn't aware about.

Depends on the partner, but most wouldn’t want a first year doing shit directly with the client with no oversight or review. When you’re a bit more senior obviously it’s different.

Currently a 1L, but worked as a consultant for 4 years in similar situations. If its real hectic, there's no mid-level on the case, the partner has been incommunicado, and the client just needs to see something, you can do this, but you need to caveat the hell out of that work product and cc the partner. I'd probably roll by the partner's office before doing something like this too, but whether that would fly depends on the firm I'd imagine.

Right, there are very few instances where a junior associate should be working directly with a client without running it by the partner first.

[LBJ's Hair]

One tip for sending something to a client when your senior hasn't reviewed - just say so. "See attached subject to XYZ's review. He should have any additional comments to you shortly, but I wanted to get this in front of you in the interest of time."

Some partners still won't like that, but at least you cover yourself somewhat.

I don't get why you would even do this. Associates, THE PARTNER IS YOUR CLIENT. When the client asks you to do something, politely respond (cc'ing partner) and tell them you're looking into it. You weirdos that crave "client contact" deserve all the shit you get in situations like this.

It's not about craving client contact. It's about partners wondering why I can't handle simple social interactions. They're busy. I know several partners across two firms that would be furious at me if I continued to dodge a client while the partner was out of pocket handling an emergency that I otherwise wasn't aware about.

Depends on the partner, but most wouldn’t want a first year doing shit directly with the client with no oversight or review. When you’re a bit more senior obviously it’s different.

Currently a 1L, but worked as a consultant for 4 years in similar situations. If its real hectic, there's no mid-level on the case, the partner has been incommunicado, and the client just needs to see something, you can do this, but you need to caveat the hell out of that work product and cc the partner. I'd probably roll by the partner's office before doing something like this too, but whether that would fly depends on the firm I'd imagine.

hard to imagine a scenario in which a heavily-caveated, not-partner-approved email with the junior's take is better than calling/emailing/standing outside partner's office and forcing the client to wait.

you're not really helping the client (they don't want *your* opinion), and you're making the partner like she's out to lunch lol

[jackshunger]

One tip for sending something to a client when your senior hasn't reviewed - just say so. "See attached subject to XYZ's review. He should have any additional comments to you shortly, but I wanted to get this in front of you in the interest of time."

Some partners still won't like that, but at least you cover yourself somewhat.

I don't get why you would even do this. Associates, THE PARTNER IS YOUR CLIENT. When the client asks you to do something, politely respond (cc'ing partner) and tell them you're looking into it. You weirdos that crave "client contact" deserve all the shit you get in situations like this.

It's not about craving client contact. It's about partners wondering why I can't handle simple social interactions. They're busy. I know several partners across two firms that would be furious at me if I continued to dodge a client while the partner was out of pocket handling an emergency that I otherwise wasn't aware about.

Depends on the partner, but most wouldn’t want a first year doing shit directly with the client with no oversight or review. When you’re a bit more senior obviously it’s different.

Currently a 1L, but worked as a consultant for 4 years in similar situations. If its real hectic, there's no mid-level on the case, the partner has been incommunicado, and the client just needs to see something, you can do this, but you need to caveat the hell out of that work product and cc the partner. I'd probably roll by the partner's office before doing something like this too, but whether that would fly depends on the firm I'd imagine.

hard to imagine a scenario in which a heavily-caveated, not-partner-approved email with the junior's take is better than calling/emailing/standing outside partner's office and forcing the client to wait.

you're not really helping the client (they don't want *your* opinion), and you're making the partner like she's out to lunch lol

Sometime's the partner is out to lunch or just completely gone (I had an officer once that fell asleep at their house while they were supposed to be reviewing work product we were frantically sending them at 6AM/due at 7AM to a huge name - we just had to send it and cover for them). More likely is that the client has a meeting with other interested parties and just needs to give them an update/prelim results.

[LBJ's Hair]

One tip for sending something to a client when your senior hasn't reviewed - just say so. "See attached subject to XYZ's review. He should have any additional comments to you shortly, but I wanted to get this in front of you in the interest of time."

Some partners still won't like that, but at least you cover yourself somewhat.

I don't get why you would even do this. Associates, THE PARTNER IS YOUR CLIENT. When the client asks you to do something, politely respond (cc'ing partner) and tell them you're looking into it. You weirdos that crave "client contact" deserve all the shit you get in situations like this.

It's not about craving client contact. It's about partners wondering why I can't handle simple social interactions. They're busy. I know several partners across two firms that would be furious at me if I continued to dodge a client while the partner was out of pocket handling an emergency that I otherwise wasn't aware about.

Depends on the partner, but most wouldn’t want a first year doing shit directly with the client with no oversight or review. When you’re a bit more senior obviously it’s different.

Currently a 1L, but worked as a consultant for 4 years in similar situations. If its real hectic, there's no mid-level on the case, the partner has been incommunicado, and the client just needs to see something, you can do this, but you need to caveat the hell out of that work product and cc the partner. I'd probably roll by the partner's office before doing something like this too, but whether that would fly depends on the firm I'd imagine.

hard to imagine a scenario in which a heavily-caveated, not-partner-approved email with the junior's take is better than calling/emailing/standing outside partner's office and forcing the client to wait.

you're not really helping the client (they don't want *your* opinion), and you're making the partner like she's out to lunch lol

Sometime's the partner is out to lunch or just completely gone (I had an officer once that fell asleep at their house while they were supposed to be reviewing work product we were frantically sending them at 6AM/due at 7AM to a huge name - we just had to send it and cover for them). More likely is that the client has a meeting with other interested parties and just needs to give them an update/prelim results.

yeah I don't really have an opinion on how things work at Deloitte or whatever