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Thank you everyone for your input... i had to delete because I was afraid that the post was too identifying. I will take everyone’s advice and start polishing my resume.

I can’t honestly answer regarding whether those are signs that you’re being pushed out but I can say that I wouldn’t want to keep working there based on that behavior honestly. Do you like the people you work with and the work you currently do? If not, I would suggest looking for a new firm. Even assuming you like the people and work, I just wouldn’t work with people like that longer than I needed to tbh.

TLDR: OP sounds like the firm is toxic so get out while you can.

Flarmanarnar wrote:I can’t honestly answer regarding whether those are signs that you’re being pushed out but I can say that I wouldn’t want to keep working there based on that behavior honestly. Do you like the people you work with and the work you currently do? If not, I would suggest looking for a new firm. Even assuming you like the people and work, I just wouldn’t work with people like that longer than I needed to tbh.

TLDR: OP sounds like the firm is toxic so get out while you can.

OP here -- what about these makes it sound like it's toxic? No one has been particularly mean to me...

Agree with other response. These are bad signs and do point to an exit imo, but why would you want to continue here? The partner's passive aggressive bs on the "easiest assignment" is the kinda stuff that makes you go home and polish up your resume that night.

You should start applying regardless. This isn’t somewhere you wanna stay. Sounds like you’re not getting anything substantive and people aren’t nice...and that’s best case. Worst case, yeah—there will be a push out talk, and how much better would you feel if you already have interviews lined up?

Seems like a no brainer to me.

Sorry OP, I may have misunderstood your post(?) but, based on the way they treat you, the culture seems toxic. To be told in front of a group of people that you have the easiest assignment, and overhearing other people saying your work needs to be checked by others who are basically your same year is not a good sign (sorry).

Eh--you could be fine. Some of it could be billing efficiency. The 2nd year could have been treated that way too. I know there's often jokes on hear about what a junior associate can contribute, but the 2nd year's extra year is helpful.

Edited to add that can't hurt to be prepared to leave.

That whole making you repeat back the instructions in front of everyone is really shitty. Have you thought about talking to the second-year and getting their thoughts?

UnfrozenCaveman wrote:Eh--you could be fine. Some of it could be billing efficiency. The 2nd year could have been treated that way too. I know there's often jokes on hear about what a junior associate can contribute, but the 2nd year's extra year is helpful.

Edited to add that can't hurt to be prepared to leave.

So the second year actually started later than I did, because he/she joined after a clerkship. And regarding other first years, it's really hard to compare because everyone is on different cases.

Also, okay, I understand now what aspect about this situation is toxic -- the partner publicly talking down to me... I just thought this was par for the course because I am the most junior person.

Yea All Right wrote:That whole making you repeat back the instructions in front of everyone is really shitty. Have you thought about talking to the second-year and getting their thoughts?

I did talk to the second year, and his/her thought was that I was getting the worst assignment but he/she couldn't tell if it was because I was the most junior person or if it's something problematic.

OP, I agree with everyone else. Also wanted to ask, are you only on one case? That seems odd to me, and it might be helpful to have a second team to work with that might treat you differently and give you better work.

First off, don't feel too bad about yourself. Particularly in smaller offices and with smaller firms, it's not unheard of for firms to start pushing people out as early as their second year (and occasionally even their first). This happened to a significant chunk of juniors at my first biglaw firm. Even though the economy has been decent for the last 5-7 years or so, individual practice groups and firms have seen their fortunes rise and fall. This is doubly true in litigation, where it seems you are. Not super common, but it happens.

That said, the #1 sign someone is getting pushed out is their hours. At least as a junior, if you're still getting work (like 1900+ billable hours pace) you're probably fine. Based on your post, though, I'd be concerned that an incoming junior takes your spot or that the gruntwork begins being shifted away from you. It sounds like your reputation with the team is not great. Trust their actions, not words: everyone tends to get good feedback until all of the sudden they don't. HR sending you to recruitment events just means the decision hasn't been formalized yet.

It seems like you're in the unfortunate position of being on a small team with a superstar right near you sucking all of the oxygen out of the room. Not much you can do except try your best and try to maneuver onto a different team.