What Would You Do? (Lateral Hire Ghosted by Partner) Forum

[Anonymous User]

Curious thoughts on here about my current situation.

By way of background, I am leaving biglaw for a regional firm. After giving notice to my biglaw firm, I contacted one of the partners with whom I spoke at my new firm to chat about what is coming down the pipe, but more than anything, to reassure myself I am making a good decision. Partner didn't answer when I called at the time we agreed, and never called back or emailed. A few days later I kindly tried to set up another time. This partner apologized, said he had a fire drill come up and proposed another time, but then didn't respond when I called at that time and hasn't emailed or called back.

Am I being overly neurotic in being concerned about this? I am hoping that this move will be a longterm thing, and my prior interactions during the recruiting phase, including with this partner, were positive. But I am put off by this interaction and wondering if this is an indication of how I will be treated at new firm (i.e., with total disregard). As terrible as my biglaw firm is, I am pretty confident no partner would do this, and I have personally taken calls from kids from my law school w/ questions during OCI during days where I bill 15 hours.

How would you react? I felt good about this move before, but now I am thinking seriously about pulling the plug on it and asking for my old job back.

[nixy]

I’m not remotely an expert, but I don’t think the behavior of one partner is worth pulling the plug on a new job. All you know is that one partner is crappy at responding to emails/calls on non-urgent matters. It’s obviously rude, but in a vacuum it doesn’t tell you much. If this is the only red flag I wouldn’t put much weight on it. If it confirms other concerns you had throughout the process that’s different.

[Iowahawk]

Sounds overly neurotic to me tbh. It sounds like they’re not really ghosting you, they’re just slammed and you’re not a priority.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks all - helpful responses. I guess I am concerned because I would think they are putting their best face forward right now, and if this is what it is like while they are putting best face forward, what is it like after I am working there.

Again, concern comes from the fact that I am hoping this is a permanent gig, rather than just another stop on the road (if it was the latter, I wouldn't care), so being overly careful and admittedly a little neurotic.

[nixy]

I mean, you’ve accepted their offer already, it’s not actually when they need to put their best face forward. That’s when you haven’t yet accepted and they’re courting you.

In any case, if you want to drill down: how many partners are there? How likely are you to work extensively with this one? How close to retirement are they? How central are they to “center of power” at the firm (how influential are they)? If there are 3 partners and this one is going to be around for a long time and everyone defers to them and they do all the kinds of work you want to specialize in, that’s very different from if there are 40 partners and this one is likely to retire in 5 years and isn’t very influential or prominent in your practice areas.

Anyway, even in a long term gig you’re not going to like/be liked by everyone, that’s just not how things work.

Also you could try reaching out to other partners and see what happens and if it reassures you.

[Iowahawk]

Also note that it this regional firm is in a smaller market, literally every lawyer in the practice area at significant firms will know each other, and backing out could impede your ability to move to another firm there in the future. For better or for worse in regional markets firms are extreme repeat players and everyone knows everyone. Of course, you would come up with a face-saving cover like that it just wasn’t the right time for your family or something, but I would hesitate to piss off a firm you otherwise presumably like over something that may not be a big deal.

[Elston Gunn]

I’ve definitely worked with partners whom I could see doing this, but were nonetheless perfectly fine to work with. Some people just have insane email boxes and are deeply disorganized. It’s not a fun quality in a boss, obviously, but it’s not something that would make me reconsider a job.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks all - I really appreciate this. I won't blow up the job over this (I wouldn't even consider it normally, I am just being overly-critical since I am looking for my "last" job).