Info on Expectations Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hey all,
I work as a junior associate at a midsized firm in the midwest. There are about 75 or so attorneys in our office. I generally enjoy most of the folks I work for and have been given a lot of responsibilities. That has sort of been a double-edged sword.
When the firm hired me, I chose them over biglaw namely due to the better work life balance (which, maybe there is?) and the ability to become partner one day (most folks become partner there). However, they are so busy (and probs need more attorneys) that I get saddled with a lot of work. And here lies the problem, I don't mind taking the work, but nobody really shows me how to do things or tells me expectations- and sometimes, albeit rarely, after messing up a project or assignment, or shooting out a draft to other attorneys on the project, I'll get chewed out.
I feel like there isn't really a support system and I didn't really receive any training.
I don't mind the sink or swim approach, but like most folks, I generally don't enjoy being chewed out for something I don't really know. Here's the thing- I do ask for help, usually, when I get an assignment, and I'm generally just told to look in our systems and pull a draft or template from there to work from.
I'm just a bit frustrated, as I've been chewed out about things that I had no idea on- the two most recent affairs just really blind-sided me. One was about the work life balance (as I stated, when I was hired, they sold me on the work life balance being great compared to biglaw and that they respect family time etc) and two different partners (neither were on the committee that hired me, but one gives me a majority of my work) told me how they expected me to be there from 8-6 and coming in for a few hours on the weekend... And nobody does at the firm. The other issue was a partner, who works remotely and has only given me one assignment, scolded me on how poorly I did on an assignment a different partner gave me and chastised me for not reaching out to all the attorneys in the office about work etc (which I have... they just haven't been there/seen it...).
I'm just a bit flustered with the situation. I don't usually push back or anything, and often times I just make the changes, but just a bit annoyed and want to understand expectations. Perhaps this is just normal and I need to learn how to better approach this stuff and not take it too much to heart. Any advice would be very much appreciated!

[mardash]

Are you making any of the mistakes twice, or are you getting a handle on them after they come? And when you say “chewed out,” what exactly do you mean—constructive criticism, or just complaints?

[johndhi]

I hear ya. Some systems are not perfect, and we won't see eye to eye with everyone. Try to find a partner or two who you work well with, and see if you can work more with them and lean into that relationship.