No work..should I be worried? Forum

aliens · Post by **aliens** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 8:56 am

I'm an associate in a small firm (about 15 attorneys). I was instructed to only seek out work in my practice group and that, if it was necessary to go outside my group for work, the partners in my group would find it for me. So consistently for the last 4 - 5 months there has been a major lack of work for me. I am talking days where I bill 2 hours and scramble to find that. Despite this, the partners in my group aren't seeking work for me from other groups. The partners in my group aren't super busy, but they aren't dead either. They just aren't giving me work to do. (They do, however, keep our paralegal busy - I'd be happy doing that work if they'd give it to me). Honestly, it makes me miserable. I like to be busy and feel productive. Constantly begging for work is really getting old quickly. Should I be worried? Is this a situation where they are trying to push me out of the firm and just not saying anything? Thoughts?

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 9:24 am

4-5 months is a lot if tis about pushing you out. However, it may be so since they could have you work on anything and simply not bill the client if that was the issue. How are the other associates, if any, doing?

aliens · Post by **aliens** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 9:32 am

There are only 2 other associates who are years ahead of me and in different departments. Both of them generate some of their own work. So I don't see them as comparable to me at all. I agree that 4 - 5 months is a lot of time to waste trying to push me out. However, the main partner I work for will regularly tell me stories about past associates in the firm that stunk but that the firm kept until that associate moved on.

mvp99 · Post by **mvp99** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 9:46 am

aliens wrote:There are only 2 other associates who are years ahead of me and in different departments. Both of them generate some of their own work. So I don't see them as comparable to me at all. I agree that 4 - 5 months is a lot of time to waste trying to push me out. However, the main partner I work for will regularly tell me stories about past associates in the firm that stunk but that the firm kept until that associate moved on.

Well yea maybe they want you to move on, look for something else. Did you take the bolded part as a hint that maybe they want you out?

silenttimer · Post by **silenttimer** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 10:01 am

That sucks OP. I too would be a bit worried. Have you considered being more forward with the partner with whom you primarily work? Perhaps say something along the line of: "I've not been very busy the past few months and I believe that I have skills that may be useful to the other groups. Would you like me to reach out to the other partners directly?"

Good luck! Also, I agree with the other poster that you may want to also start looking for other options.

aliens · Post by **aliens** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 10:04 am

Of course I took that hint, how could I not? I just don't get the idea of telling me stories rather than just having a conversation with me along these lines "We [insert reason for not wanting you here anymore], but we don't want to just terminate/lay you off. We will give you X weeks/months to find something else and resign." As a side note, I am leaving the firm, but hoping that I can hold out until February. I have something bigger in the works for then.

aliens · Post by **aliens** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 10:06 am

silenttimer wrote:That sucks OP. I too would be a bit worried. Have you considered being more forward with the partner with whom you primarily work? Perhaps say something along the line of: "I've not been very busy the past few months and I believe that I have skills that may be useful to the other groups. Would you like me to reach out to the other partners directly?"

Good luck! Also, I agree with the other poster that you may want to also start looking for other options.

Yes, I've asked for work from other groups and/or asked if I could find work from other groups. I'm always told "no, we will pick up soon and we don't want you swamped with work for others that you can't simply abandon." And at this point, it's gone on so long that I just feel defeated and like there is no recovery for me at this firm.

mvp99 · Post by **mvp99** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 10:08 am

TBH I thought maybe you didn't because of the title of this thread. good luck

silenttimer · Post by **silenttimer** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 10:12 am

aliens wrote:Of course I took that hint, how could I not? I just don't get the idea of telling me stories rather than just having a conversation with me along these lines "We [insert reason for not wanting you here anymore], but we don't want to just terminate/lay you off. We will give you X weeks/months to find something else and resign." As a side note, I am leaving the firm, but hoping that I can hold out until February. I have something bigger in the works for then.

If you're on your way out, then I say f it. Enjoy your free time!

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