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I took a job at a law firm to work remotely during the school year. I was very excited about the work (and am loving the work) but unfortunately I do not think I have the time to do the job.

The job description said that the job would be an estimated 10 hours a week (at max). This is my first week at the job and I have already worked 20 hours. The attorney dumped over a couple thousands of pages of filings, depositions transcripts, documents, etc. and asked me to summarize everything. I am not even halfway through everything he gave me and he just sent me another big research project that will take me at least another 5 hours and in that email said he wants to talk Monday about another case.

If this was a summer job/full-time job, I would not complain about it at all--I love the work and I like working with the attorney. The problem is that this is during the school year and I was not expecting that I would be kept this busy.

I just feel bad quitting after only one week! How should I tell the attorney this? I am concerned that he will think me flaky especially since he asked if I would have the time to do the job. I told him yes (of course on the assumption that the job was 10 hours a week not 20 hours).

How should I tell him this?

I would just be straightforward and honest and let him know that you can devote 10 hours as agreed to but 20 hours is too much with all your other commitments.

Before you quit, how about having a conversation with the attorney about your expectations?

Instead of quitting, refuse assignments that take you over, say, twelve hours for the week (or however long you feel comfortable with). It's important to set boundaries, and you need to learn how.

It's too late for this current batch because you've accepted the assignments, so just suck it up and do them (consider it a learning experience). The next time the attorney tries to give you something, remind him that you signed up for a job requiring ten hours a week "max" and that you will be available next week.

Or, instead of being a passive aggressive little bitch, have a candid conversation and set expectations.

Thanks to everyone for your posts. I appreciate it. I talked to the attorney and was able to come up with a good exit plan. At the end of the day, we both just had different expectations as to the job requirements and I am glad we were able to work it out.

I know that tone is hard to communicate over a message board and so, Danger Zone, I apologize if you really thought I was being a "passive aggressive little bitch." That was the farthest thing from my mind and I was asking on this board so that I could get an honest perspective from others who may have had similar experiences.

Again, understanding that tone is hard to judge over a message board, those sorts of comments really perpetrate the stereotype of law students as judgmental jerks. I will strive to communicate my feelings better in the future but I would also wish others showed respect and did not automatically assume the worst of each other.

Anonymous User wrote:Thanks to everyone for your posts. I appreciate it. I talked to the attorney and was able to come up with a good exit plan. At the end of the day, we both just had different expectations as to the job requirements and I am glad we were able to work it out.

I know that tone is hard to communicate over a message board and so, Danger Zone, I apologize if you really thought I was being a "passive aggressive little bitch." That was the farthest thing from my mind and I was asking on this board so that I could get an honest perspective from others who may have had similar experiences.

Again, understanding that tone is hard to judge over a message board, those sorts of comments really perpetrate the stereotype of law students as judgmental jerks. I will strive to communicate my feelings better in the future but I would also wish others showed respect and did not automatically assume the worst of each other.

Pretty sure he was responding to BigRob, BigDog. I would say "reading comprehension" but would hate to sound like a judgmental jerk.

Yep was talking about BigRob's comment. You done good.

Danger Zone wrote:Yep was talking about BigRob's comment. You done good.

haha ok! Thanks still for the advice!