Why does the law firm industry punish people for doing a good job? Forum

[Anonymous User]

First year associate who started in January. Non-corporate, non-NYC but still in a major east coast market.

Pretty miserable right now. Have been told that my work product has been exceptional, and that I am apparently crushing it and performing at above a first year level.

But the only thing that has resulted in is me getting significantly more responsibility and work, which has just added a ton of stress and definitely impacted my mental health.

I know the legal industry is like this, and it’s not changing. But why? After speaking with some mentors and friends, all in big law, the only thing I’m seemingly guilty of doing is trying my best. Why does doing good in this job mean you’ll probably be miserable?

[cavalier1138]

Is this unique to legal practice? I'm pretty sure high performers being given more work and responsibility is a standard complaint across all industries.

But in your case, is the new work you're getting not interesting to you? Or are you just miserable because of the workload? Depending on the firm/group, you can do things to push back against the latter if you're truly overburdened.

[Anonymous User]

Is this unique to legal practice? I'm pretty sure high performers being given more work and responsibility is a standard complaint across all industries.

But in your case, is the new work you're getting not interesting to you? Or are you just miserable because of the workload? Depending on the firm/group, you can do things to push back against the latter if you're truly overburdened.

That is a good point about other industries. It’s not the type of work — I actually love the substantive work.

It’s the workload and responsibility. Feels like too much, too soon, and that I have no room to breathe. I’ve pushed back on internal deadlines and turned down work, but it has not really helped my mental health. In weekly therapy too, btw, so have that crossed off as a potential avenue for help as well.

[Anonymous User]

I have been suffering through this similarly, and while it's flattering to have a great reputation precede you, it is equally frustrating when I see my class year peers getting paid the same to take the "bill and chill" path. It has really boiled over for me this past year and is a leading part of why I am considering a move. I want to go to a new firm and pretty much be like my peers, not stellar, just a plain fine associate. May be a dumb solution but yeah at least I'll get a signing bonus and can rest at night knowing that I am not the one running a deal or managing a lit matter where it's on me to lead.

[Jchance]

I have learned early on in life that: success = more.

It's not a punishment; it's a "reward." In a pie-eating contest, the "reward" is more pie.

[Anonymous User]

Because law firms are generally very de-centralized. Even if each partner understands that you’re billing too much and it’d be better for the firm for you to find balance, no partner wants to be the one to lose a top performing associate. If you’re junior, you’re working with senior or mid level associates, and they have WAY less incentive to make life better for you in the interest of the firm.

I don’t know how many times a partner has told me I need less work. When I tried to get off that partners work “I don’t think it makes sense for you to leave this client team.”

[12YrsAnAssociate]

I don’t know how many times a partner has told me I need less work. When I tried to get off that partners work “I don’t think it makes sense for you to leave this client team.”

Man this hurts. "You really need to work less, but not less of my matters because my matters are the ones that are going to advance your career." I guess it's a nice to be wanted, but if I'm having that conversation it means I won't be seeing my family much.

[Anonymous User]

Since you’re performing above a first year level, can’t you delegate some of your massive workload to other inferior first years?

[2013]

Since you’re performing above a first year level, can’t you delegate some of your massive workload to other inferior first years?

Don’t do this. You don’t want other first years to hate you.

[Anonymous User]

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[basketofbread]

Same sitch and two of my partners have affirmatively told me that while others are slow or can only handle junior level tasks they won’t let me use them because it’ll be too unorthodox and can lead to associate infighting that they “don’t want to deal with”.

As a junior who can only handle junior level tasks, I’ll give some advice / context. You should explain the situation to the other juniors. Say how your superiority has been noted by several partners, and that although propriety demands that you are unable to order them around, you are for all intents and purposes their superior. If I heard that from a superior junior, I would go to the partners myself and tell them that I’m fine with that junior delegating to me. What a valuable mentoring / learning experience it would be to be taught by someone like that!

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

OP here. I’m the only junior in my group, so that’s a problem.

[Anonymous User]

oh god first years are now teaching other first years. I hope partners are lurking so mid level signing bonuses hit $300k

[Anonymous User]

because biglaw is predicated on junior associates being fungible and disposable. even if you're the best junior in in your group or office, they don't really have an incentive to care about your long term sustainability. biglaw is a pie eating contest at its core and the only prize is more pie.

[attorney589753]

Because law firms are generally very de-centralized. Even if each partner understands that you’re billing too much and it’d be better for the firm for you to find balance, no partner wants to be the one to lose a top performing associate. If you’re junior, you’re working with senior or mid level associates, and they have WAY less incentive to make life better for you in the interest of the firm.

I don’t know how many times a partner has told me I need less work. When I tried to get off that partners work “I don’t think it makes sense for you to leave this client team.”

I think this is a really insightful answer and lines up with my experiences. OP think about it the opposite way: It would be weird if they *didn't* behave this way. The people above you have way too much work and responsibility. The only possible way they can manage it is by delegating out at least 80%. But the problem is they do really need to delegate it; if they spend more time (or even half as much time) managing/reviewing/supervising/chasing the work as it would take them to do it, they may never sleep. So once they find someone who is good (or even someone who shows potential of being good) they are going to keep feeding them.

I think there is a bright side, although not necessarily quick fixes. Generally people who do good work stumble into more opportunities (lateral or in-house or otherwise). And also firms generally don't want to lose "good" associates, so you can probably push back a bit more (although that is a bit harder to do as a first or second year).

[Anonymous User]

I think OP’s post was a bit misleading. OP later mentioned that OP is the only junior associate. When I was the only junior in my group, everyone told me I was amazing all the time as they dumped work on my desk. I was actually terrible and got fired within a year when the group slowed down: Partners just told me I was great so I would do their work for them. It was very manipulative. To OP and other first years, don’t believe the bullshit partners tell you.

[Anonymous User]

This is OP. Yeah that all sounds about right. I have an inkling that I am actually doing a good job, but who knows. It could just be BS.

This is all to say I now realize how absolutely awful totally screwed up the law firm business model is. Cannot wait to go in-house, but the next couple of years before that happens are going to suck.

[Anonymous User]

OP, I’m the prior anon. You should probably just lateral. Get a huge bonus from any of the number of firms giving first years signing bonuses (I saw that someone got $40k). Go to a team with multiple juniors so you’re not in this terrible situation, especially if you’re not trying to be a lifer.

[Anonymous User]

OP, I’m the prior anon. You should probably just lateral. Get a huge bonus from any of the number of firms giving first years signing bonuses (I saw that someone got $40k). Go to a team with multiple juniors so you’re not in this terrible situation, especially if you’re not trying to be a lifer.

A signing bonus for a first year is not common. That one data point in the tls thread notwithstanding. I've seen others say 10k and even that's rare. Just an FYI.