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Will firms ask me for reference from my current employer, after they give me an offer?

One thing I'm worried about is I missed a lot of work to look for a job and I'm sure it affected how i look toward my boss.
My bigger worry is the partner here is vindictive. I work for a very small firm and I know for a fact that she will hold it against me if I leave. She has been known to take things very personally. If someone rejects her offer, or refuses something, or whatever, she will take it very personally.

For example, she'll rave about a client and say she wants the client really bad. But if the client rejects her, she'll start talking sh*t about the client.
Same thing happened to one of our potential hires.

I'm worried since she told me she does not want me to leave and that if I leave, it will make her practice very hard for her. I'm almost 100% sure she might sabotage me if I do leave and use her as a reference.

1. Do firms ask for a reference from current employers?
2. What are my options?

Anonymous User wrote: 1. Do firms ask for a reference from current employers?
2. What are my options?

1. Some do, it varies by firm.
2. Most ask whether or not they can contact your references. Some firms also give you an offer before contacting your references. At least with my firm, the decision to hire is made prior to contacting your references, especially if you're a lateral.

My understanding is that most BigLaw firms (with a few notable exceptions) do not. From what I've heard, asking for references apparently fell out of favor as a general practice after a few too many lawsuits arose. Rejected candidates alleged that inaccurate (negative) references cost them job offers; on the flip side, firms alleged that inaccurate (positive) references induced them to hire underperforming employees.