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I have no work as an SA

Posted: Fri May 27, 2016 1:35 pm
by Anonymous User
My office mate has had double the work I have had so far, people keep calling her and giving her assignments and I have nothing .

In the last week I have been called for one short assignment and I went begging for another, she has been called for 4 things, big and small, attended court and a depo, none of which she went begging for.

This is not at all a 100% offer firm, so I'm really worried that I just won't have done any work product by the time the SA is over. It's still the first week, but I just think it's odd that people are calling her and not me . I went around asking for assignments but no one seems to have anything for me.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Fri May 27, 2016 1:38 pm
by Anonymous User
If she's a babe and you are not, learn to be a babe. You'll get your assignments.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Fri May 27, 2016 1:41 pm
by rpupkin
OP: This is fine. Don't worry about it.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Fri May 27, 2016 2:38 pm
by nick417
Think of this in a different way, the less work product you have, the less chance you have at blowing an assignment.

Just cruise control. If you have already talked to the assignment person and they know you are looking for work, you should be fine. Talk to your partner mentor or associate mentor too.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Fri May 27, 2016 3:17 pm
by Anonymous User
Anonymous User wrote:My office mate has had double the work I have had so far, people keep calling her and giving her assignments and I have nothing .

In the last week I have been called for one short assignment and I went begging for another, she has been called for 4 things, big and small, attended court and a depo, none of which she went begging for.

This is not at all a 100% offer firm, so I'm really worried that I just won't have done any work product by the time the SA is over. It's still the first week, but I just think it's odd that people are calling her and not me . I went around asking for assignments but no one seems to have anything for me.
Seriously, I would not worry about this. I did pretty much nothing as a SA at a firm that no offers and was fine. The work you do complete, do a good job. That is all you can do. They know you cant control your work flow as a summer.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Fri May 27, 2016 3:36 pm
by Rowinguy2009
nick417 wrote:Think of this in a different way, the less work product you have, the less chance you have at blowing an assignment.

Just cruise control. If you have already talked to the assignment person and they know you are looking for work, you should be fine. Talk to your partner mentor or associate mentor too.
This. Quality is a hundred times more important than quantity. No one will know at your reviews or the hiring meeting whether you were constantly busy, but they will know if you did poor (or great) work.

Make yourself available for work, but when I was a summer (and separately, as an associate) I would often hussle for work, get little immediate response, but then weeks later people would get busy and think of me. At that point I probably already had a full plate, but would of course take the extra assignments because I had asked for them, albeit weeks ago.

Point is - don't freak out and approach a hundred different partners, because eventually that will bite you.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Fri May 27, 2016 6:33 pm
by jbagelboy
Later in the summer when you are completely swamped and she's going on 3 hr lunches and leaving at 445, you'll be like damn I miss that first week. This shit is cyclical.

Or she's just a babe.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Sun May 29, 2016 12:05 pm
by Anonymous User
Anonymous User wrote:If she's a babe and you are not, learn to be a babe. You'll get your assignments.
+1

the above is actually a pro-tip. just assume that every partner and partner-tracked senior associates grew up privileged in All American white conservative family and love that poontang. if u fit that mold you WILL get work. otherwise, you better be good looking.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Sun May 29, 2016 5:33 pm
by 20160810
I would also like to echo the comments about babes being babes and add that if she has big gazongas that could be playing a role here too

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 7:48 am
by Quichelorraine
SBL wrote:I would also like to echo the comments about babes being babes and add that if she has big gazongas that could be playing a role here too
Not to be confused with Gonzaga Law.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 8:26 am
by pancakes3
Bobos are where the work gogoes

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 12:03 pm
by Anonymous User
OP here. No work today so far, would be my second day in a row without any hours logged. Went around begging for work on Friday and got nothing, don't want to do it again today since I feel like that's annoying... So just twiddling my thumbs atm.

Officemate is a babe, of the born a babe die a babe kind. I unfortunately will never be a babe of that level, but I think I look okay in the right light.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 12:09 pm
by Anonymous User
Also, trying to get work around the holidays (e.g. Memorial Day) is a lost cause. You're likely to have more luck now that that's over

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 12:10 pm
by jingosaur
Anonymous User wrote:OP here. No work today so far, would be my second day in a row without any hours logged. Went around begging for work on Friday and got nothing, don't want to do it again today since I feel like that's annoying... So just twiddling my thumbs atm.

Officemate is a babe, of the born a babe die a babe kind. I unfortunately will never be a babe of that level, but I think I look okay in the right light.
So it looks like we found the problem.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 12:18 pm
by ClubberLang
Sounds like you have a legitimate grievance, and that you are doing all you can on your own to fix the problem. This is on the firm. I'd have a sit down with the recruiting coordinator, maybe leave out the piece that your office mate is getting lots of work, but just tell her you need more stuff to do.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 12:27 pm
by pancakes3
on one hand, from a #killallmen perspective this sucks. on the other hand, enjoy it. like Zuck said in the other thread, you're being paid to surf the web.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 12:27 pm
by Anonymous User
jingosaur wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:OP here. No work today so far, would be my second day in a row without any hours logged. Went around begging for work on Friday and got nothing, don't want to do it again today since I feel like that's annoying... So just twiddling my thumbs atm.

Officemate is a babe, of the born a babe die a babe kind. I unfortunately will never be a babe of that level, but I think I look okay in the right light.
So it looks like we found the problem.
I can't tell if you guys are serious about firms favoring babes. Please advise.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 1:45 pm
by 20160810
Anonymous User wrote:OP here. No work today so far, would be my second day in a row without any hours logged. Went around begging for work on Friday and got nothing, don't want to do it again today since I feel like that's annoying... So just twiddling my thumbs atm.

Officemate is a babe, of the born a babe die a babe kind. I unfortunately will never be a babe of that level, but I think I look okay in the right light.
I mean, there are options.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 1:51 pm
by rpupkin
ClubberLang wrote:Sounds like you have a legitimate grievance, and that you are doing all you can on your own to fix the problem. This is on the firm. I'd have a sit down with the recruiting coordinator, maybe leave out the piece that your office mate is getting lots of work, but just tell her you need more stuff to do.
Wait a couple more days before doing this. And if/when you need to do this, don't approach it as a formal "sit down."

This is a good situation for you. If you start treating it like "a legitimate grievance," folks will think you're weird. Just chill.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 1:56 pm
by 20160810
rpupkin wrote:
ClubberLang wrote:Sounds like you have a legitimate grievance, and that you are doing all you can on your own to fix the problem. This is on the firm. I'd have a sit down with the recruiting coordinator, maybe leave out the piece that your office mate is getting lots of work, but just tell her you need more stuff to do.
Wait a couple more days before doing this. And if/when you need to do this, don't approach it as a formal "sit down."

This is a good situation for you. If you start treating it like "a legitimate grievance," folks will think you're weird. Just chill.
Yeah this is all correct.

OP, partners are just old versions of mouth-breathing law school males. They are giving your officemate work because they want an excuse to talk to her and oogle her bobos. That isn't changing and nailing your 95 Theses of Needing More Memo Projects to the HR manager's office door isn't going to be a step in the right direction. Rule Number One is don't complain, ever, for any reason.

What you need to do instead is turn up the gas on your socializing. Do not eat lunch alone. Do not eat lunch in your office. Find groups of people to eat with and go every day. This is not money spent at this juncture in your career; it is money invested. After work, you should be going to happy hour with other associates. Don't mention to them that you're getting smoked in the work department; just hang out with them and have a few cold ones. When you become friends with people, two things are going to happen: (1) You will be on their minds when they need something done, and (2) They will be more reluctant to no-offer you.

Also please post pics of office mate so we can do an objective evaluation here.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 1:58 pm
by 1styearlateral
Anonymous User wrote:I can't tell if you guys are serious about firms favoring babes. Please advise.
Yeah, unfortunately that's just the way the business world, and life in general, works. I mean, if you're a 30 to 40-year-old male, who do you think you'd rather have the most facetime with, the cutie or the dog face (not saying you're dog-faced)?

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 2:00 pm
by 20160810
Anonymous User wrote:
jingosaur wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:OP here. No work today so far, would be my second day in a row without any hours logged. Went around begging for work on Friday and got nothing, don't want to do it again today since I feel like that's annoying... So just twiddling my thumbs atm.

Officemate is a babe, of the born a babe die a babe kind. I unfortunately will never be a babe of that level, but I think I look okay in the right light.
So it looks like we found the problem.
I can't tell if you guys are serious about firms favoring babes. Please advise.
Image

Image

You tell me whose office is going to get the most drop-bys.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 2:01 pm
by 1styearlateral
SBL wrote:What you need to do instead is turn up the gas on your socializing. Do not eat lunch alone. Do not eat lunch in your office. Find groups of people to eat with and go every day. This is not money spent at this juncture in your career; it is money invested. After work, you should be going to happy hour with other associates. Don't mention to them that you're getting smoked in the work department; just hang out with them and have a few cold ones. When you become friends with people, two things are going to happen: (1) You will be on their minds when they need something done, and (2) They will be more reluctant to no-offer you.
+1
SBL wrote:Also please post pics of office mate so we can do an objective evaluation here.
+3... for science.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 3:19 pm
by Anonymous User
to OP - There may be some truth to this but these guys are largely just being dicks. At my biglaw shop I think people would go out of their way to make it clear that what you are concerned about wasn't happening. It may be worse at smaller firms where staffing isn't as closely monitored.

Re: I have no work as an SA

Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 3:31 pm
by ClubberLang
rpupkin wrote:
ClubberLang wrote:Sounds like you have a legitimate grievance, and that you are doing all you can on your own to fix the problem. This is on the firm. I'd have a sit down with the recruiting coordinator, maybe leave out the piece that your office mate is getting lots of work, but just tell her you need more stuff to do.
Wait a couple more days before doing this. And if/when you need to do this, don't approach it as a formal "sit down."

This is a good situation for you. If you start treating it like "a legitimate grievance," folks will think you're weird. Just chill.
How is this a good situation? OP is bored to tears, not learning, and not making connections by working with others. If OP is in a big class, yeah, she can probably cruise to an offer but there's more to a summer than getting an offer. I think you're weird for saying this is a good situation.