Which partners at your firms are notoriously terrible to work for? Forum

[Anonymous User]

are the above screamers?

Not a partner but there is a Weil senior associate who handles employment and securities/white collar matters who is absolutely terrible to work for according to...literally everyone who has been staffed on a matter with her

[Anonymous User]

Shearman? Hear there’s a few sociopaths so prefer to know this ahead of time…

Gillian Moldowan, exec comp partner is a plague. Avoid.

Jonathan (JD) DeSantis, a cap markets partner, is also a plague. What a dickhead. He was the reason why I left Shearman years ago.

[Anonymous User]

Gavin Westerman
Mariel Cruz

Weil M&A. Stay away.

Can you share more? My limited experience with them so far has been pretty pleasant.

[Anonymous User]

Bump. Any intel on any of Skadden NY's lit folks?

[Anonymous User]

are the above screamers?

Not a partner but there is a Weil senior associate who handles employment and securities/white collar matters who is absolutely terrible to work for according to...literally everyone who has been staffed on a matter with her

I have heard of this person. Apparently almost every white collar associate has left because of her.

[Anonymous User]

Gavin Westerman
Mariel Cruz

Weil M&A. Stay away.

Can you share more? My limited experience with them so far has been pretty pleasant.

I used to work at Weil (not in M&A, but with M&A) and I’m surprised to see both of these names, particularly Mariel. But maybe it’s worse if you work directly for them

[Anonymous User]

are the above screamers?

Not a partner but there is a Weil senior associate who handles employment and securities/white collar matters who is absolutely terrible to work for according to...literally everyone who has been staffed on a matter with her

I have heard of this person. Apparently almost every white collar associate has left because of her.

Can we get a name

[Anonymous User]

Gavin Westerman
Mariel Cruz

Weil M&A. Stay away.

Can you share more? My limited experience with them so far has been pretty pleasant.

I used to work at Weil (not in M&A, but with M&A) and I’m surprised to see both of these names, particularly Mariel. But maybe it’s worse if you work directly for them

It is. I've seen both of them put on surface level charisma and charm towards summers, so it's not surprising that people in here that aren't in M&A have good impressions of them. But they are absolutely terrible to work for directly. Both of them have yelled at associates on large conference calls including the other side. Both of them make up fake deadlines and kill your weekends as a form of penalty if you make tiny mistakes. Multiple people have cited them specifically (especially Mariel, actually) as their reasons for leaving. Gavin has berated a few associates after handing in their notice periods and goes out of his way to make your notice period hell.

They're collectively the "distressed M&A" experts in the group, which is a colossally shitty practice, but they really make it so much worse by being awful people on top of it.

[BrowsingTLS]

It is. I've seen both of them put on surface level charisma and charm towards summers, so it's not surprising that people in here that aren't in M&A have good impressions of them. But they are absolutely terrible to work for directly. Both of them have yelled at associates on large conference calls including the other side. Both of them make up fake deadlines and kill your weekends as a form of penalty if you make tiny mistakes. Multiple people have cited them specifically (especially Mariel, actually) as their reasons for leaving. Gavin has berated a few associates after handing in their notice periods and goes out of his way to make your notice period hell.

They're collectively the "distressed M&A" experts in the group, which is a colossally shitty practice, but they really make it so much worse by being awful people on top of it.

Imagine caring during your notice period. lol.

Pay me my bi-monthly salary one last time and fuck off.

By the way, nice to finally see more posts with specific information about specific partners. It does not help reading vague posts like "I'm at a V30 firm and a partner in corporate is mean." Say who. Help us avoid the hell.

[Anonymous User]

are the above screamers?

Not a partner but there is a Weil senior associate who handles employment and securities/white collar matters who is absolutely terrible to work for according to...literally everyone who has been staffed on a matter with her

I have heard of this person. Apparently almost every white collar associate has left because of her.

Can we get a name

initials RK

[Anonymous User]

Kirkland Chicago's litigation group. Who should I avoid?

Yates French and Barry Fields are both incredibly difficult to work for.

I have heard that Martin Roth and Katie Jakola are also difficult to work for, but have no first-hand experience as to those two.

[s7e35k914]

are the above screamers?

Not a partner but there is a Weil senior associate who handles employment and securities/white collar matters who is absolutely terrible to work for according to...literally everyone who has been staffed on a matter with her

I have heard of this person. Apparently almost every white collar associate has left because of her.

Can we get a name

initials RK

can you PM

[Anonymous User]

Shearman? Hear there’s a few sociopaths so prefer to know this ahead of time…

Gillian Moldowan, exec comp partner is a plague. Avoid.

Jonathan (JD) DeSantis, a cap markets partner, is also a plague. What a dickhead. He was the reason why I left Shearman years ago.

He interviewed me. Seemed like an intense dude but never worked with him.

I do have good things to say about Ilir (cap markets head) and Nona (chill dude, very smart).

[Anonymous User]

Gavin Westerman
Mariel Cruz

Weil M&A. Stay away.

Can you share more? My limited experience with them so far has been pretty pleasant.

I used to work at Weil (not in M&A, but with M&A) and I’m surprised to see both of these names, particularly Mariel. But maybe it’s worse if you work directly for them

It is. I've seen both of them put on surface level charisma and charm towards summers, so it's not surprising that people in here that aren't in M&A have good impressions of them. But they are absolutely terrible to work for directly. Both of them have yelled at associates on large conference calls including the other side. Both of them make up fake deadlines and kill your weekends as a form of penalty if you make tiny mistakes. Multiple people have cited them specifically (especially Mariel, actually) as their reasons for leaving. Gavin has berated a few associates after handing in their notice periods and goes out of his way to make your notice period hell.

They're collectively the "distressed M&A" experts in the group, which is a colossally shitty practice, but they really make it so much worse by being awful people on top of it.

Anyone who says that Gavin Westerman and Mariel Cruz are "pleasant" to work for either has not worked for/with them for more than two weeks and/or is likely Gavin/Mariel using burner accounts to submit positive posts about themselves "anonymously."

Gavin is just a rude human being. He has no soft-skills and does not know how to deal with others. Part of me thinks that he believes he is doing nothing wrong because he is just in his own world. But he is literally terrible. He is curt, abrasive, and arrogant AF. He berates Associates to their faces, behind their backs, to the other side, via reply-alls, etc. As I said, the man knows no bounds and I truly think he was either dropped on his head as a child or raised to believe that Distressed M&A is second only the United States' nuclear codes in terms of importance to the world order.

Whereas Gavin generally sucks, Mariel, on the other hand, is just a terrible human being, to the core. She is vicious and is the poster child for the old adage "If they eyes don't match the smile, RUN." She creates fake deadlines, fake work, and does not care if you are dying...if you are on her deal, she owns you. Senior Management has had multiple talks with her, but Weil being Weil, they instead decided to make her Partner. Her wrath has only increased since: on one nightmarish deal alone, four Associates quit. Just think about that for a second: Four individuals decided to choose unemployment over working with her. She will call you, email you, leave harassing voicemails, the entire gamut. She does not care if family is visiting, you are observing religious obligations, you are getting married, she will hunt you down 24/7 if she needs you. I can't even count on two hands the number of Associates who have left, citing her as the exclusive reason. She has sent Associates to the emergency room by inducing panic attacks: literally telling Associates when they are "allowed" to sleep. 95% of the work you do for her never sees the light of day because...guess what? It was never needed: nobody asked for, the client didn't know it existed, only Mariel's psychosis demanded its production. And if the above hasn't convinced you, former PARTNERS, who have since left Weil, still speak of the damage she has been causing for the better part of 7+ years. Her reputation is the stuff of folklore at 767 Fifth Avenue. As mentioned by another poster, any "smile" or "courtesy" she puts forth, is entirely an act and a complete farce - this woman is unhinged and could be in BigLaw's All-Time Worst Rankings.

And for anyone who wants to know, I have worked at Weil for 6 years, in M&A, and unfortunately, on many of their Distressed Deals. Trust me when I say this, every Associate in our group dreads that staffing call. I have had Summer Associates interested in M&A doing second-round feelers (aka, they have not even yet started working at Weil) ask me about these two and how to avoid any potential work for them.

And if anyone from Weil Management reads this - stop letting this two interview individuals and interact with potential hires. "Thx"

[blair.waldorf]

Damn. If she is really that bad I’m surprised Weil hasn’t gotten rid of her.

[Anonymous User]

Gavin Westerman
Mariel Cruz

Weil M&A. Stay away.

Can you share more? My limited experience with them so far has been pretty pleasant.

I used to work at Weil (not in M&A, but with M&A) and I’m surprised to see both of these names, particularly Mariel. But maybe it’s worse if you work directly for them

It is. I've seen both of them put on surface level charisma and charm towards summers, so it's not surprising that people in here that aren't in M&A have good impressions of them. But they are absolutely terrible to work for directly. Both of them have yelled at associates on large conference calls including the other side. Both of them make up fake deadlines and kill your weekends as a form of penalty if you make tiny mistakes. Multiple people have cited them specifically (especially Mariel, actually) as their reasons for leaving. Gavin has berated a few associates after handing in their notice periods and goes out of his way to make your notice period hell.

They're collectively the "distressed M&A" experts in the group, which is a colossally shitty practice, but they really make it so much worse by being awful people on top of it.

Anyone who says that Gavin Westerman and Mariel Cruz are "pleasant" to work for either has not worked for/with them for more than two weeks and/or is likely Gavin/Mariel using burner accounts to submit positive posts about themselves "anonymously."

Gavin is just a rude human being. He has no soft-skills and does not know how to deal with others. Part of me thinks that he believes he is doing nothing wrong because he is just in his own world. But he is literally terrible. He is curt, abrasive, and arrogant AF. He berates Associates to their faces, behind their backs, to the other side, via reply-alls, etc. As I said, the man knows no bounds and I truly think he was either dropped on his head as a child or raised to believe that Distressed M&A is second only the United States' nuclear codes in terms of importance to the world order.

Whereas Gavin generally sucks, Mariel, on the other hand, is just a terrible human being, to the core. She is vicious and is the poster child for the old adage "If they eyes don't match the smile, RUN." She creates fake deadlines, fake work, and does not care if you are dying...if you are on her deal, she owns you. Senior Management has had multiple talks with her, but Weil being Weil, they instead decided to make her Partner. Her wrath has only increased since: on one nightmarish deal alone, four Associates quit. Just think about that for a second: Four individuals decided to choose unemployment over working with her. She will call you, email you, leave harassing voicemails, the entire gamut. She does not care if family is visiting, you are observing religious obligations, you are getting married, she will hunt you down 24/7 if she needs you. I can't even count on two hands the number of Associates who have left, citing her as the exclusive reason. She has sent Associates to the emergency room by inducing panic attacks: literally telling Associates when they are "allowed" to sleep. 95% of the work you do for her never sees the light of day because...guess what? It was never needed: nobody asked for, the client didn't know it existed, only Mariel's psychosis demanded its production. And if the above hasn't convinced you, former PARTNERS, who have since left Weil, still speak of the damage she has been causing for the better part of 7+ years. Her reputation is the stuff of folklore at 767 Fifth Avenue. As mentioned by another poster, any "smile" or "courtesy" she puts forth, is entirely an act and a complete farce - this woman is unhinged and could be in BigLaw's All-Time Worst Rankings.

And for anyone who wants to know, I have worked at Weil for 6 years, in M&A, and unfortunately, on many of their Distressed Deals. Trust me when I say this, every Associate in our group dreads that staffing call. I have had Summer Associates interested in M&A doing second-round feelers (aka, they have not even yet started working at Weil) ask me about these two and how to avoid any potential work for them.

And if anyone from Weil Management reads this - stop letting this two interview individuals and interact with potential hires. "Thx"

Wow. And yikes. On behalf of the industry, thanks for the warning.

[bwh8813]

Gavin Westerman
Mariel Cruz

Weil M&A. Stay away.

Can you share more? My limited experience with them so far has been pretty pleasant.

I used to work at Weil (not in M&A, but with M&A) and I’m surprised to see both of these names, particularly Mariel. But maybe it’s worse if you work directly for them

It is. I've seen both of them put on surface level charisma and charm towards summers, so it's not surprising that people in here that aren't in M&A have good impressions of them. But they are absolutely terrible to work for directly. Both of them have yelled at associates on large conference calls including the other side. Both of them make up fake deadlines and kill your weekends as a form of penalty if you make tiny mistakes. Multiple people have cited them specifically (especially Mariel, actually) as their reasons for leaving. Gavin has berated a few associates after handing in their notice periods and goes out of his way to make your notice period hell.

They're collectively the "distressed M&A" experts in the group, which is a colossally shitty practice, but they really make it so much worse by being awful people on top of it.

Anyone who says that Gavin Westerman and Mariel Cruz are "pleasant" to work for either has not worked for/with them for more than two weeks and/or is likely Gavin/Mariel using burner accounts to submit positive posts about themselves "anonymously."

Gavin is just a rude human being. He has no soft-skills and does not know how to deal with others. Part of me thinks that he believes he is doing nothing wrong because he is just in his own world. But he is literally terrible. He is curt, abrasive, and arrogant AF. He berates Associates to their faces, behind their backs, to the other side, via reply-alls, etc. As I said, the man knows no bounds and I truly think he was either dropped on his head as a child or raised to believe that Distressed M&A is second only the United States' nuclear codes in terms of importance to the world order.

Whereas Gavin generally sucks, Mariel, on the other hand, is just a terrible human being, to the core. She is vicious and is the poster child for the old adage "If they eyes don't match the smile, RUN." She creates fake deadlines, fake work, and does not care if you are dying...if you are on her deal, she owns you. Senior Management has had multiple talks with her, but Weil being Weil, they instead decided to make her Partner. Her wrath has only increased since: on one nightmarish deal alone, four Associates quit. Just think about that for a second: Four individuals decided to choose unemployment over working with her. She will call you, email you, leave harassing voicemails, the entire gamut. She does not care if family is visiting, you are observing religious obligations, you are getting married, she will hunt you down 24/7 if she needs you. I can't even count on two hands the number of Associates who have left, citing her as the exclusive reason. She has sent Associates to the emergency room by inducing panic attacks: literally telling Associates when they are "allowed" to sleep. 95% of the work you do for her never sees the light of day because...guess what? It was never needed: nobody asked for, the client didn't know it existed, only Mariel's psychosis demanded its production. And if the above hasn't convinced you, former PARTNERS, who have since left Weil, still speak of the damage she has been causing for the better part of 7+ years. Her reputation is the stuff of folklore at 767 Fifth Avenue. As mentioned by another poster, any "smile" or "courtesy" she puts forth, is entirely an act and a complete farce - this woman is unhinged and could be in BigLaw's All-Time Worst Rankings.

And for anyone who wants to know, I have worked at Weil for 6 years, in M&A, and unfortunately, on many of their Distressed Deals. Trust me when I say this, every Associate in our group dreads that staffing call. I have had Summer Associates interested in M&A doing second-round feelers (aka, they have not even yet started working at Weil) ask me about these two and how to avoid any potential work for them.

And if anyone from Weil Management reads this - stop letting this two interview individuals and interact with potential hires. "Thx"

Pretty damning. Curious, what's kept you there?

[Anonymous User]

Any intel on Cravath corp?

[Anonymous User]

I do have good things to say about Ilir (cap markets head) and Nona (chill dude, very smart).

I assume you meant Lona Nallengara. Easily the nicest, smartest, and just generally likeable biglaw partner I've ever worked with. Guy deserves better than Shearman, but he seems to be a lifer, and I'm sure he is paid on the higher end of the PPP number.

[Anonymous User]

.

[Anonymous User]

I used to work in Weil’s bankruptcy group (gone from the firm) and worked with Mariel very closely on a couple of deals. It’s been a while but I’m pretty sure she was still a senior associate at the time, not yet partner.

She was always nice in my experience. Definitely intense but not psychotic. And I don’t remember any associate in m&a working on either of those deals quitting mid-deal (I could be forgetting someone).

The above tirade against Mariel is extremely bizarre and, frankly, absurd? How could one person know all of that information? You have access to every person’s exit interview and you know the contents of every private senior management conversation with firm personnel? I’m calling bullshit unless the anonymous poster was Barry himself.

Also, I’m not a bootlicker for the record - agreed that Gavin is a prick.

[Anonymous User]

I used to work in Weil’s bankruptcy group (gone from the firm) and worked with Mariel very closely on a couple of deals. It’s been a while but I’m pretty sure she was still a senior associate at the time, not yet partner.

She was always nice in my experience. Definitely intense but not psychotic. And I don’t remember any associate in m&a working on either of those deals quitting mid-deal (I could be forgetting someone).

The above tirade against Mariel is extremely bizarre and, frankly, absurd? How could one person know all of that information? You have access to every person’s exit interview and you know the contents of every private senior management conversation with firm personnel? I’m calling bullshit unless the anonymous poster was Barry himself.

Also, I’m not a bootlicker for the record - agreed that Gavin is a prick.

Mariel, reveal yourself!

[Anonymous User]

I've been working a lot with a partner and just found out that this partner has a bad reputation with associates. But I've never experienced this! I was shocked to hear it. Is it just a personality thing and just so happened to click? Should I be worried that it takes a while for to wake the dragon?

Apologies if this is off topic but I didn't think it warrants its own thread. Seemed somewhat relevant to the discussion of ppl having very different experiences with different partners.

[BrowsingTLS]

The prior post seems naive enough to be satire.

Obviously for every generally awful partner there will be some number of associates who don't receive the awful treatment or are not bothered by it as much as others. If you're one of these associates, just think about it as you being able to work well with the partner and not piss them off. Doesn't need to mean that others aren't as capable or that you're awful too. It can just be that they're not as lucky to have the chemistry with the partner that you do.

[Anonymous User]

I've been working a lot with a partner and just found out that this partner has a bad reputation with associates. But I've never experienced this! I was shocked to hear it. Is it just a personality thing and just so happened to click? Should I be worried that it takes a while for to wake the dragon?

Apologies if this is off topic but I didn't think it warrants its own thread. Seemed somewhat relevant to the discussion of ppl having very different experiences with different partners.

Typically the "horror show" partners find one or two associates who they can tolerate, and who can tolerate them in turn. Often they bestow protection and career advancement possibilities on these favored few, so it can actually be a decent gig. Of course, for most associates every interaction with that partner is like undergoing a root canal, so becoming that favored associate is just a quick ticket to resignation from the firm. But doesn't heart to give a shot and see what makes this partner tick, as on the one hand it could be stunningly negligent disregard for your time or veiled personal insults, which of course is to be avoided, or it could be either excessive nitpickiness or a total hands-off mentality, which can actually appeal to some associates.