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There’s a thread about terrible partners, but what about those partners that really shine?

You know, those good-natured sociopaths that recognize a modest shred of your humanity. Maybe a story about a time when a partner or a lawyer at your firm showed a shred of human empathy and asymptotically approached an act involving charity.

Optimism welcome.

Prudent_Jurist wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 03, 2021 2:48 pm

There’s a thread about terrible partners, but what about those partners that really shine?

You know, those good-natured sociopaths that recognize a modest shred of your humanity. Maybe a story about a time when a partner or a lawyer at your firm showed a shred of human empathy and asymptotically approached an act involving charity.

Optimism welcome.

LOL at good natured sociopaths

Accidental anon it is Texaslawl

This thread has 855 views and one reply. My disappointment is palpable.

Prudent_Jurist wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 05, 2021 2:20 pm

This thread has 855 views and one reply. My disappointment is palpable.

All sane and humane partners are alike; each insane and inhumane partner is insane and inhumane in his or her own way.

4LTsPointingNorth wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 05, 2021 2:43 pm

All sane and humane partners are alike; each insane and inhumane partner is insane and inhumane in his or her own way.

While I believe that each insane and inhumane partner has a special gift to create their own particularized hell for those under their thumb, what makes all sane and humane partners alike?

Based on my limited experience so far, the best partners to work for have been the ones that have some semblance of work/life balance themselves. The ones that are always online until midnight...I have learned to try to avoid (which is difficult because I'm so junior).

It basically all boils down to "treats associates and staff like humans." Almost every specific thing you could list about good partners to work for (doesn't create unnecessary fire drills after hours / on weekends / etc., respects your time/intelligence, responsive to emails, not a screamer or worse, etc.) is just a manifestation of that basic trait. There are maybe a few things I can think of that are bonus points on top of that (the main one: giving associates opportunities and going to bat with the client to get them experience) that can take a partner out of "good to work for" and into "fight to work with them as much as possible," but of course the problem is if they're at that level, everyone wants to work with them.

I've worked with about two partners I consider the best to work for, personally, but disclosing their names will certainly out me. Both are incredibly smart without all the other garbage (anxiety issues, micro-managing, need to control everything, bizarre urge to "anticipate" client needs by making associates go down rabbit holes or do pointless busy work, being consumed with the job every minute of their existence etc.).

The issue is that no matter how agreeable a few partners are, you typically also have to deal with the sociopaths that constitute 90-95% of your typical biglaw firm.

With a few exceptions, biglaw partners are generally terrible managers and many tend to have serious psychological issues. Amusingly, the most abusive partners suddenly find their bedside manners when dealing with clients. They'll bend over backwards for the most junior counsel at a client while subjecting associates to unbelievable abuse. Then again, the tendency to be only nice to people you need something from is a characteristic of the personality disorder that comes to mind when I think about biglaw partners. It's a broken profession/model, and there's little incentive to change.

The best partner I worked for is the one who once received my email at 11 pm (at the time I was a first year trying to prove myself) and called me to tell me that when I am on matters with him, I don't need to reply to his emails after 6 pm unless there is a true emergency.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 05, 2021 5:19 pm

Based on my limited experience so far, the best partners to work for have been the ones that have some semblance of work/life balance themselves. The ones that are always online until midnight...I have learned to try to avoid (which is difficult because I'm so junior).

This is the key in my experience. Partners with their own lives tend to be great to work for, and even better if they are willing to defend that space for their associates (eg pushing back on clients wrt deadlines). One caveat, though - partners who have TOO much work life balance stink. These are the partners who provide zero support or guidance, and expect associates to carry the entire load. The best partners know when to roll up their sleeves and pitch in when necessary.

strawberrieee wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 05, 2021 9:02 pm

The best partner I worked for is the one who once received my email at 11 pm (at the time I was a first year trying to prove myself) and called me to tell me that when I am on matters with him, I don't need to reply to his emails after 6 pm unless there is a true emergency.

Wow true props to that partner. But I gotta ask since this practice is so far off market in the major markets—are you in biglaw? If so, please provide firm so i can lateral asap thx