Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for? Forum
Forum rules
Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are revealing sensitive employment related information about a firm, job, etc. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned.
Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are revealing sensitive employment related information about a firm, job, etc. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned.
-
- Posts: 1650
- Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:42 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
It’s interesting that the vast majority of partners named here are in transactional.
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
I’m guessing the vast majority of attorneys on here are transactional, as that is the major bent of biglaw these days.Hutz_and_Goodman wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:10 amIt’s interesting that the vast majority of partners named here are in transactional.
IMO, anything you could describe on the transactional side pales in comparison to what you see from litigators. Biglaw litigators are a rare breed of people
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
Bump, interested in hearing about Shearman NY and/or DC attorneys.
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
that's actually... pretty hilarious lolAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:59 amOn the topic of STB M&A, there is an email that got passed around my firm for a while from one of their PE partners who, in response to a disagreement about whether a particular term was “market,” wrote about a 2 page long email of his resume and career highlights to demonstrate that he should be the arbiter of what was market.
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
name and shame babyAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 9:09 amthat's actually... pretty hilarious lolAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:59 amOn the topic of STB M&A, there is an email that got passed around my firm for a while from one of their PE partners who, in response to a disagreement about whether a particular term was “market,” wrote about a 2 page long email of his resume and career highlights to demonstrate that he should be the arbiter of what was market.
Want to continue reading?
Register now to search topics and post comments!
Absolutely FREE!
Already a member? Login
- lolwutpar
- Posts: 240
- Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2020 4:13 pm
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
Partner Palpatine: I am what's market!Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:59 amOn the topic of STB M&A, there is an email that got passed around my firm for a while from one of their PE partners who, in response to a disagreement about whether a particular term was “market,” wrote about a 2 page long email of his resume and career highlights to demonstrate that he should be the arbiter of what was market.
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
Different anon from above but also Latham NY. I will note that some of my favorite people at the firm are in the banking group. It’s just the nature of the work and constant fire drills that burn people out quickly. That said, if you’re decently competent and if you stick around you’re pretty much guaranteed to make at least counsel from what I’ve seen.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Mar 22, 2021 11:24 pmWhat makes it a toxic culture, if not composed of bad people?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Mar 22, 2021 10:16 pmThe banking group generally, not because they're bad people, but because it's the most toxic culture you could imagine. They just absolutely burn through people.
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
Original anon here. All true. The people are nice to hang out with socially, and they genuinely try to make up for the work with social events, and it does look like most of the folks who stuck it out from my time there have made partner or counsel. But, in my experience, a Friday night happy hour doesn't make it worth it when there are regular all nighters and the bulk of your work is on nights and weekends.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 12:34 pmDifferent anon from above but also Latham NY. I will note that some of my favorite people at the firm are in the banking group. It’s just the nature of the work and constant fire drills that burn people out quickly. That said, if you’re decently competent and if you stick around you’re pretty much guaranteed to make at least counsel from what I’ve seen.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Mar 22, 2021 11:24 pmWhat makes it a toxic culture, if not composed of bad people?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Mar 22, 2021 10:16 pmThe banking group generally, not because they're bad people, but because it's the most toxic culture you could imagine. They just absolutely burn through people.
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
I was thinking the opposite, as a lit associate from a firm that is often considered to be one of the most aggressive. Compared to lots of deal work, litigation rarely has major fire drills.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:14 amIMO, anything you could describe on the transactional side pales in comparison to what you see from litigators. Biglaw litigators are a rare breed of people
There are surely partners who are especially awful to work for - insisting on standing Sunday team calls for no reason, sitting on draft letters/briefs for days and then turning around comments on incredibly short time frames, roping associates into massive doc review projects with no benefit at all to the participants, and so forth - but fortunately, most of biglaw lit is on more relaxed schedules. That's one of the perks in my opinion compared to transactional work. It's the trade-off we litigators made to get worse exit options.
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
relative lack of comments on DC is intriguing...Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Mar 15, 2021 10:51 amOn a hellish matter with a hellish partner at my V10 and it's driving me up the wall. Commiserate with me.
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
Anyone have insight regarding STB satellites?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sat Mar 20, 2021 7:10 pmSTB m&a - Sebastián tiller, Ben Schaye, Mike holick, marni Lerner, William Allen. The culture and group is generally horrific.
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
Lol one of the Skadden partners mentioned ITT works with a senior associate who is basically a carbon copy of her. Really recommend avoiding those deals.12YrsAnAssociate wrote: ↑Tue Mar 23, 2021 3:28 pmLet's get a list of terrible senior and mid-level associates then! (/s)Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Mar 23, 2021 12:47 pm
for incoming juniors, keep in mind that while the partner will set the tone of the deal and holds the buck for all staffing related issues, most of your experience depends on the quality of the seniors/mid-levels you work with, as you will interact with them on the daily
Register now!
Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.
It's still FREE!
Already a member? Login
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
I wonder if that kind of behavior makes it harder or easier to make partner. Like, I'm sure partners are aware of the senior's reputation (and the reputation of the partner mentioned ITT) for being aggressively hardcore. Maybe certain partners view that as a plus and others (more normal ones) see that as a negative?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 12:44 amLol one of the Skadden partners mentioned ITT works with a senior associate who is basically a carbon copy of her. Really recommend avoiding those deals.12YrsAnAssociate wrote: ↑Tue Mar 23, 2021 3:28 pmLet's get a list of terrible senior and mid-level associates then! (/s)Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Mar 23, 2021 12:47 pm
for incoming juniors, keep in mind that while the partner will set the tone of the deal and holds the buck for all staffing related issues, most of your experience depends on the quality of the seniors/mid-levels you work with, as you will interact with them on the daily
- JCougar
- Posts: 3216
- Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 8:47 pm
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
Probably doesn't matter as long as the client is happy.
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
even if they feel bad for the associates that suffer, I promise you they care more about the business and money the assholes bring inAnonymous User wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 9:06 amI wonder if that kind of behavior makes it harder or easier to make partner. Like, I'm sure partners are aware of the senior's reputation (and the reputation of the partner mentioned ITT) for being aggressively hardcore. Maybe certain partners view that as a plus and others (more normal ones) see that as a negative?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 12:44 amLol one of the Skadden partners mentioned ITT works with a senior associate who is basically a carbon copy of her. Really recommend avoiding those deals.12YrsAnAssociate wrote: ↑Tue Mar 23, 2021 3:28 pmLet's get a list of terrible senior and mid-level associates then! (/s)Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Mar 23, 2021 12:47 pm
for incoming juniors, keep in mind that while the partner will set the tone of the deal and holds the buck for all staffing related issues, most of your experience depends on the quality of the seniors/mid-levels you work with, as you will interact with them on the daily
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
Partner at a V100. What I have observed, at my firm and those of close friends, is that assholes get a fairly long leash if they are bringing in a ton of business. That leash gets considerably shorter if they are not. And if you are a big enough asshole, you can get the boot even if you have a big book of business--particularly if your behavior creates litigation risk or if it generates ill will among your partners (e.g., stealing origination credit, siloing work, etc.).
Get unlimited access to all forums and topics
Register now!
I'm pretty sure I told you it's FREE...
Already a member? Login
- Monochromatic Oeuvre
- Posts: 2481
- Joined: Fri May 10, 2013 9:40 pm
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
I mentioned earlier about asshole partners getting told by HR they're specifically the reason that someone left. Even if you have a decent-sized book of business, that can have a real financial impact. Midlevels are $100k+ to replace all-in and that's not insignificant if you make five or six leave in a year. Obviously a drop in the bucket for a rainmaker, but most assholes aren't.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 5:57 pmPartner at a V100. What I have observed, at my firm and those of close friends, is that assholes get a fairly long leash if they are bringing in a ton of business. That leash gets considerably shorter if they are not. And if you are a big enough asshole, you can get the boot even if you have a big book of business--particularly if your behavior creates litigation risk or if it generates ill will among your partners (e.g., stealing origination credit, siloing work, etc.).
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
It’s good to know that there is some limit to the tyrannical behavior even for the firms. What are some signs from the associate’s perspective that a particular partner (with known behavioral problems but with a book of business) is being booted out the door? I imagine the message is never gonna be delivered straightforwardly to the associate rank for obvious reasons.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 5:57 pmPartner at a V100. What I have observed, at my firm and those of close friends, is that assholes get a fairly long leash if they are bringing in a ton of business. That leash gets considerably shorter if they are not. And if you are a big enough asshole, you can get the boot even if you have a big book of business--particularly if your behavior creates litigation risk or if it generates ill will among your partners (e.g., stealing origination credit, siloing work, etc.).
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
Ken Young at Dechert (Philadelphia). Total bully.
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
Any thoughts on terrible reputations in the LA market?
Communicate now with those who not only know what a legal education is, but can offer you worthy advice and commentary as you complete the three most educational, yet challenging years of your law related post graduate life.
Register now, it's still FREE!
Already a member? Login
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
The worst partners tend to be whichever ones I get staffed with against my will.
-
- Posts: 221
- Joined: Thu May 21, 2020 3:03 pm
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
Related to this comment, I was at a firm that recruited mid-levels very heavily for a specific group. Why was that group always hiring mid-levels? The two partners that headed it were nuts, and no one lasted more than a year or two in it.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sat Mar 27, 2021 7:11 pmThe worst partners tend to be whichever ones I get staffed with against my will.
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
I worked for a group where this was the case as well. The people who stuck it out almost always at least made non-equity partner. But, is it worth looking back on your late twenties and early thirties as a time of misery and sorrow? Working for a tyrant and having ruined your personal life and relationships really wears on you. Plus, it's not like you can't earn a great income somewhere else with your skillset and credentials.12YrsAnAssociate wrote: ↑Sat Mar 27, 2021 10:35 pmRelated to this comment, I was at a firm that recruited mid-levels very heavily for a specific group. Why was that group always hiring mid-levels? The two partners that headed it were nuts, and no one lasted more than a year or two in it.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sat Mar 27, 2021 7:11 pmThe worst partners tend to be whichever ones I get staffed with against my will.
-
- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for?
I've been across from him on a deal. That really sucks because the associates on that team are fucking great, hope they don't have to deal with him much (he seems fairly hands off from my perspective).
Seriously? What are you waiting for?
Now there's a charge.
Just kidding ... it's still FREE!
Already a member? Login