How often do partners talk to first year corporate associates? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Do partners call to check in on matters frequently? Is it mostly through email? Should I be seeking out opportunities to speak with partners or creating them?

[LittleRedCorvette]

Do partners call to check in on matters frequently? Is it mostly through email? Should I be seeking out opportunities to speak with partners or creating them?

Never to almost never.

[Anonymous User]

It depends for me. If the deal is structured with other associates/counsel mainly running it, I don't interact with the partner much. If it's more thinly staffed, I may be in daily contact with the partner. I also have had partners check in every now and then (eg to have one on one meetings with associates in the group).

I guess it really depends on firm/practice, if it's not the norm in your firm I wouldn't worry about it.

[hoos89]

I would not go out of your way to "create opportunities to speak with partners" as a first year. I would generally not expect a partner to be directly interacting with a first year associate in all but the leanest of corporate practices. I also think that's probably fine for you...I think it's arguably better for your first substantive interactions with partners to be in a year or two after you've developed a decent understanding of the practice.

[Anonymous User]

Do partners call to check in on matters frequently? Is it mostly through email? Should I be seeking out opportunities to speak with partners or creating them?

This is incredibly practice group and firm specific. I work in patent litigation and prosecution, and I worked directly with partners on a good chunk of my matters from day 1. Back in the pre-COVID days, some partners would *gasp* even stop by my office unannounced.

Without knowing more about your particular situation, I'd offer the following guidelines (I'm sure there's more, this is off the cuff):

• Don't go over a mid/senior's head just to "seek[] out" the partner. That's bad form for obvious reasons.

• If you think you're ready, do seek out smaller matters that will give you more face time with partners.
  They may not have as much time to give you advice as other associates might, but you'll get a good idea of what it takes to be successful at your firm. Obviously if you're not ready to handle a matter with that much direct partner contact, though, you'll just make a fool of yourself.

• Do try to develop relationships with partners when you are working directly with them. They aren't untouchable demigods - they are real people just like you. Chances are you have something in common.

• Don't be that guy who is obviously kissing the partner's ass. Your peers will notice, and chances are the partners will. This also means don't shoot off networky emails just to try to "creat[e]" an opportunity.
  It should be organic (e.g., at group/matter meetings, etc.).

[Anonymous User]

Do partners call to check in on matters frequently? Is it mostly through email? Should I be seeking out opportunities to speak with partners or creating them?

FWIW, I'm a first year in a V5 M&A practice (non-NYC office) and interact directly with partners pretty regularly, especially when deal work is busy.

[nealric]

In larger, highly leveraged practices (like megafirm M&A in NYC), it's less common for juniors to interact substantively with partner. In smaller, less highly leveraged practices, it's very common. When I started in tax, there were more partners in associates at the firm, so I rarely worked with other associates directly- it was always one on one with a partner.

[TUwave]

I feel like the same law student has started like the last 8 threads on biglaw

[nixy]

I feel like the same law student has started like the last 8 threads on biglaw

I had the same reaction.

[existentialcrisis]

I would not go out of your way to "create opportunities to speak with partners" as a first year. I would generally not expect a partner to be directly interacting with a first year associate in all but the leanest of corporate practices. I also think that's probably fine for you...I think it's arguably better for your first substantive interactions with partners to be in a year or two after you've developed a decent understanding of the practice.

I'm not sure direct partner interaction as a first year is even desirable or would lead to more substantive experience.

First years don't really remember how (or at the least the best ways) to do a lot of basic day-to-day associate stuff and first years don't know them either.

[Anonymous User]

Depend on the deal for me. On the EC/VC stuff I've worked on, I've interacted with the partners pretty regularly since the deal teams are typically me, a midlevel, and a partner. On the M&A and CapM side, I'll maybe see the partner during a team meeting, but deal almost exclusively with whatever midlevel I'm with on the deal.