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I was in a meeting with my assistant yesterday and while we were waiting for the meeting to start, she was asking me questions about what it’s like to work with certain people at the firm while a client was in the room. I intentionally responded with very benign answers (“Everyone has things that they’re particular about”, etc.).

My question is: Should I preface this with the partner responsible for the client on the off chance that they say something to him about it? I should add that my assistant is moving to California in a week and she is otherwise fantastic at her job. She also works with this client frequently and they adore her. I just don’t want to get in trouble.

Anonymous User wrote: I just don’t want to get in trouble.

I don't understand. Why would you get in trouble because an assistant was asking inappropriate questions in front of a client? It sounds like you did exactly what anybody would do in the situation. If it ever comes up again, you can say that you thought it was inappropriate, but not egregious enough to be worth mentioning.

Anonymous User wrote:I was in a meeting with my assistant yesterday and while we were waiting for the meeting to start, she was asking me questions about what it’s like to work with certain people at the firm while a client was in the room. I intentionally responded with very benign answers (“Everyone has things that they’re particular about”, etc.).

My question is: Should I preface this with the partner responsible for the client on the off chance that they say something to him about it? I should add that my assistant is moving to California in a week and she is otherwise fantastic at her job. She also works with this client frequently and they adore her. I just don’t want to get in trouble.

I don't see what good would come out of bringing it up. Sounds like there's only the possibility of doing harm to your assistant, so I say keep it to yourself.

worklifewhat wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I was in a meeting with my assistant yesterday and while we were waiting for the meeting to start, she was asking me questions about what it’s like to work with certain people at the firm while a client was in the room. I intentionally responded with very benign answers (“Everyone has things that they’re particular about”, etc.).

My question is: Should I preface this with the partner responsible for the client on the off chance that they say something to him about it? I should add that my assistant is moving to California in a week and she is otherwise fantastic at her job. She also works with this client frequently and they adore her. I just don’t want to get in trouble.

I don't see what good would come out of bringing it up. Sounds like there's only the possibility of doing harm to your assistant, so I say keep it to yourself.

I guess I was thinking if the client painted it in broad strokes to the partner (“they were chatting about...”) then I might be implicated.

Anonymous User wrote:

worklifewhat wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I was in a meeting with my assistant yesterday and while we were waiting for the meeting to start, she was asking me questions about what it’s like to work with certain people at the firm while a client was in the room. I intentionally responded with very benign answers (“Everyone has things that they’re particular about”, etc.).

My question is: Should I preface this with the partner responsible for the client on the off chance that they say something to him about it? I should add that my assistant is moving to California in a week and she is otherwise fantastic at her job. She also works with this client frequently and they adore her. I just don’t want to get in trouble.

I don't see what good would come out of bringing it up. Sounds like there's only the possibility of doing harm to your assistant, so I say keep it to yourself.

I guess I was thinking if the client painted it in broad strokes to the partner (“they were chatting about...”) then I might be implicated.

I highly doubt that would happen unless something absolutely outrageous was said. If it happened the way you said it did, there's nothing to bring up. Let it go.

You should have a conversation about this with your assistant and explain (in a non-condescending way) why it's inappropriate to talk about internal firm stuff in front of clients. But no reason to kick this to the partner level.

SFSpartan wrote:You should have a conversation about this with your assistant and explain (in a non-condescending way) why it's inappropriate to talk about internal firm stuff in front of clients. But no reason to kick this to the partner level.

agreed. partner will just get annoyed. he has more important fish to fry. take care of it yourself. don't add tasks to the partner's plate. if you can later, casually bring it up to the partner letting him know you spoke to her.

Go full Mad Men on her.

But seriously, if you didn't want to answer, why didn't you tell her now isn't a good time or that you're with a client?

malibustacy wrote:Go full Mad Men on her.

But seriously, if you didn't want to answer, why didn't you tell her now isn't a good time or that you're with a client?

In hindsight, I should have. But I didn’t, unfortunately, hence the stress.

Anonymous User wrote:

malibustacy wrote:Go full Mad Men on her.

But seriously, if you didn't want to answer, why didn't you tell her now isn't a good time or that you're with a client?

In hindsight, I should have. But I didn’t, unfortunately, hence the stress.

I really wouldn't worry about it. Several layers to pass here. First the client has to care, if he was listening really at all. Second, even if the client found it interesting, he'd have to decide whether he wants to tell someone. Third, he'd have to decide to tell your specific partner. Fourth, the partner would have to care enough to do something about it, even if he got the full details and thought you did something wrong.

That's a lot of steps that have to happen over a trivial issue in a world where people are just trying to get on with their lives. Literally nothing will come of this.

Anonymous User wrote:I was in a meeting with my assistant yesterday and while we were waiting for the meeting to start, she was asking me questions about what it’s like to work with certain people at the firm while a client was in the room. I intentionally responded with very benign answers (“Everyone has things that they’re particular about”, etc.).

My question is: Should I preface this with the partner responsible for the client on the off chance that they say something to him about it? I should add that my assistant is moving to California in a week and she is otherwise fantastic at her job. She also works with this client frequently and they adore her. I just don’t want to get in trouble.

You should have negged the other associates so the client wants you on their work and then asked out the assistant later since she's leaving anyway