Partner leaving Forum

[Anonymous User]

I have been working at a 25ish person firm I previously summered at for just over two months. The partner I have received 75% of my work from is leaving to be the managing partner of a new office for a larger firm. I was wondering how this is likely to impact me / how concerned I should be about not having any work now. Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Actus Reus]

Has the partner indicated that you might be able to go with him/her?

[Anonymous User]

No. Another associate mentioned that no one else was leaving but it's been pretty quiet / strange in the office since the partner left.

[1styearlateral]

Are you friendly with any other partners? Just because 75% of your work came from one partner doesn't mean that the defecting partner had 75% of the firm's business. Ask around and stay busy.

[Anonymous User]

A similar thing happened to me some time ago. I would start buddying up to a new partner as soon as possible.

[Anonymous User]

I have been working at a 25ish person firm I previously summered at for just over two months. The partner I have received 75% of my work from is leaving to be the managing partner of a new office for a larger firm. I was wondering how this is likely to impact me / how concerned I should be about not having any work now. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Like others have said, buddy up to another partner.

I would suggest sending a nice note like "I enjoyed working with you during my summer at X, and found X work fascinating. I appreciated all the work you gave me and having you mentor me (blah blah blah) I'd love to stay in touch and get coffee later down the road etc..." if you're interested in potentially working at the larger firm.

However, tread carefully. I had this somewhat happen in reverse awhile back. I interviewed with a larger firm and knew a former partner of the large firm at a boutique (from previous work). I mentioned him to the larger firm and it appeared there was a little bad blood.

[Anonymous User]

Definitely buddy up with remaining partners.

I had a little bit of a weird experience with one of my jobs, where the partner that I did (literally) all my work with moved to a new firm (with me), and then left on bad terms maybe a year and a half later (without me). I was literally left without any relationships with any other partners, as this guy had been telling every other partner not to give me work so that he could dump all his stuff on me. I made the best first impressions I possibly could, accepted as many projects as I could from as many different possible partners/senior associates as I could, and it turned out okay. As long as you hustle a little bit, people will understand the slight lull period, and you'll end up okay.

[rpupkin]

I have been working at a 25ish person firm I previously summered at for just over two months. The partner I have received 75% of my work from is leaving to be the managing partner of a new office for a larger firm. I was wondering how this is likely to impact me / how concerned I should be about not having any work now. Thanks in advance for any advice.

I actually don't think this is cause for concern. You've been working for two months. The fact that you got 75% of your work from one partner in that time is not significant. If you had been getting 75% of your work from one partner for two years, that would be a different story.

[jarofsoup]

You could set up a time to talk to the partner and ask to go with. Or seek his advice. If he is managing partner he should have significant pull to bring you with.

[rpupkin]

You could set up a time to talk to the partner and ask to go with. Or seek his advice. If he is managing partner he should have significant pull to bring you with.

I think it's a good idea to have lunch with the partner (assuming he has the time), but I think it's rather unlikely that the partner will want to bring the OP with. A partner has to burn capital with his fellow partners when he insists on hiring/bringing-in someone. In general, partners won't want to waste that capital on a stub-year associate. At this point, secretaries and paralegals are more valuable than OP.