The SA sucking up is absolutely ridiculous... Forum

[Anonymous User]

Seriously, for the life of me I have never seen so sucking up as I have at my summer associate job . A Lexis training program ends and I hear 14 collective "thank you so much's!" directed at the librarian. During the program, people each ask 5-6 ridiculous questions each, just to show they are paying attention.

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

What are some ridiculous examples of summers sucking up at your firms?

[sharklasers]

Is it sucking up when you're just really, really happy you have a job? That's kind of how I felt during my summer.

[badlydrawn]

They sound courteous.

[Grizz]

They sound courteous.

This. Also maybe they are bad at Lexis. I'm horrible at Lexis.

[094320]

..

[Renzo]

Seriously, for the life of me I have never seen so sucking up as I have at my summer associate job . A Lexis training program ends and I hear 14 collective "thank you so much's!" directed at the librarian. During the program, people each ask 5-6 ridiculous questions each, just to show they are paying attention.

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

What are some ridiculous examples of summers sucking up at your firms?

The bad news is that no matter where you go, and what field you work in, for the next 30 years people like that will be getting noticed ahead of you.

[Aqualibrium]

They sound courteous.

I actually agree with OP. Yes you should always strive to be tactful, polite, and courteous, but summers take it to a whole different level. I've worked as a summer at 4 law firms now, and at each one there are people who go out of their way to ask stupid questions, to thank someone profusely for the most inane and insignificant things, to generally kiss ass in an attempt to make people believe they are pleasant to be around. It really is quite annoying.

Be yourself, realize that the lawyers and staff you work with are regular people with regular lives, and treat them with the respect you expect to be treated with. Trust me it works...

[keg411]

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

You'd be surprised... juniors have way more power than you would think. Especially if they are in your practice group and you are doing work for them.

[missinglink]

They sound courteous.

This. Also maybe they are bad at Lexis. I'm horrible at Lexis.

This a thousand times.

I had the good fortune, or perhaps bad fortune, of being introduced to WestlawNext during my second week of law school.

If I'm stuck using Lexis, I'd be up the creek.

[imchuckbass58]

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

You'd be surprised... juniors have way more power than you would think. Especially if they are in your practice group and you are doing work for them.

Yeah. These juniors will be midlevels when you arrive, and will thus (1) be managing you directly, and (2) will have a good deal of say over junior staffing decisions.

Not to mention that by the time it actually matters (i.e., by your third or fourth year), a few of these juniors will be either senior associates or partners, and therefore in a much better position to help you, whether your plan is to lateral out or make partner.

[elmagic]

Remember, 90% of the people that post on TLS are just like those people you describe and unlikely to see anything wrong with the behavior you describe.

[Renzo]

Remember, 90% of the people that post on TLS are just like those people you describe and unlikely to see anything wrong with the behavior you describe, because it's the kind of behavior that got them into the best law schools and the fanciest law firms.

[elmagic]

ok buddy

[moopness]

Remember, 90% of the people that post on TLS are just like those people you describe and unlikely to see anything wrong with the behavior you describe, because it's the kind of behavior that got them into the best law schools and the fanciest law firms.

Who knew sucking up helped with grades and the LSAT? And they said there were no shortcuts. HA!

[Renzo]

Remember, 90% of the people that post on TLS are just like those people you describe and unlikely to see anything wrong with the behavior you describe, because it's the kind of behavior that got them into the best law schools and the fanciest law firms.

Who knew sucking up helped with grades and the LSAT? And they said there were no shortcuts. HA!

If you don't think sucking up helps with grades, you didn't go to the same kind of school that I did. Not to mention whit it does for one's ability to get letters of recommendation.

[elmagic]

Remember, 90% of the people that post on TLS are just like those people you describe and unlikely to see anything wrong with the behavior you describe, because it's the kind of behavior that got them into the best law schools and the fanciest law firms.

Who knew sucking up helped with grades and the LSAT? And they said there were no shortcuts. HA!

If you don't think sucking up helps with grades, you didn't go to the same kind of school that I did. Not to mention whit it does for one's ability to get letters of recommendation.

What kind of school did you go to where there isn't blind grading?? I mean, networking and talking to people is definitely the way to get through in life, but the kind of brown nosing we see these days goes far beyond that.

[Renzo]

What kind of school did you go to where there isn't blind grading?? I mean, networking and talking to people is definitely the way to get through in life, but the kind of brown nosing we see these days goes far beyond that.

A well-known state school. Never took a blind-graded test in my life until law school. And so far in this thread, the worst example of sucking up has been acting interested in a training and saying thank you afterwards. I've definitely seen worse brown-nosing than that work.

[elmagic]

What kind of school did you go to where there isn't blind grading?? I mean, networking and talking to people is definitely the way to get through in life, but the kind of brown nosing we see these days goes far beyond that.

A well-known state school. Never took a blind-graded test in my life until law school. And so far in this thread, the worst example of sucking up has been acting interested in a training and saying thank you afterwards. I've definitely seen worse brown-nosing than that work.

Oops thought you meant law school grades haha

[Renzo]

At a party an SA told this partner how great his lecture was and he was like, "Oh, so you're a suck up!" I thoroughly lost my shit.

See, now that's sucking up. I have a hard time seeing him giving the same response to someone who acted interested, asked a question, and said thanks.

[dresden doll]

At a party an SA told this partner how great his lecture was and he was like, "Oh, so you're a suck up!" I thoroughly lost my shit.

What did the SA say in response?

[d34d9823]

What kind of school did you go to where there isn't blind grading?? I mean, networking and talking to people is definitely the way to get through in life, but the kind of brown nosing we see these days goes far beyond that.

I got 3 or 4 Bs changed to As in college by going into the professor's office after the final and cashing in the good will I had built up over the semester. If you don't understand that life is more about perception than reality ... you should reach that understanding.

[dailygrind]

What kind of school did you go to where there isn't blind grading?? I mean, networking and talking to people is definitely the way to get through in life, but the kind of brown nosing we see these days goes far beyond that.

I got 3 or 4 Bs changed to As in college by going into the professor's office after the final and cashing in the good will I had built up over the semester. If you don't understand that life is more about perception than reality ... you should reach that understanding.

Fairly certain that there were several classes in UG where I deserved a B but got an A because they saw my name at the top of the test and read my test with more lenient eyes. Also fairly certain that this effect cut the other way a few times...

[dresden doll]

At a party an SA told this partner how great his lecture was and he was like, "Oh, so you're a suck up!" I thoroughly lost my shit.

What did the SA say in response?

Awkward laughter.

I'd have liked to have witnessed that.

[NotMyRealName09]

I've seen suckups in my life, and I honestly don't think it gets them very far. People see it from a mile away. Asskisses are douchebags, and it reeks of insincerity and shallowness. If someone is going to bullshit me to my face, do me the favor of not insulting my intelligence by acting like I don't see through your crap.

[wiseowl]

Suckups suck.

On the other hand, saying thank you after someone does something for you =/= sucking up. Furthermore, you have officially reached the age where the "too cool for school" attitude is no longer attractive. No one's a special flower, and you're at the bottom of the totem pole. If someone does something for you, it's not over the top to be appreciative. This could perhaps be extended broadly to the whole "you have a biglaw job" something.

There's no need to brown nose, but not being gracious = you getting talked about behind your back.