Junior flexing on a partner or sr assoc Forum

[Anonymous User]

Please share good stories of a Junior flexing on a partner or senior assoc .

[Anonymous User]

Please share good stories of a Junior flexing on a partner or senior assoc .

Not from law, but I remember one of my fellow summer interns in IB wore a rolex gmt the entire summer while the MDs et al were wearing apple watches, etc. He mostly got made fun of behind his back for swerving so far outside his lane.

[Anonymous User]

Please share good stories of a Junior flexing on a partner or senior assoc .

Not from law, but I remember one of my fellow summer interns in IB wore a rolex gmt the entire summer while the MDs et al were wearing apple watches, etc. He mostly got made fun of behind his back for swerving so far outside his lane.

I mean....he had a Rolex GMT and the confidence to wear it. Pretty sure last laugh is his.

[Anonymous User]

Please share good stories of a Junior flexing on a partner or senior assoc .

Not from law, but I remember one of my fellow summer interns in IB wore a rolex gmt the entire summer while the MDs et al were wearing apple watches, etc. He mostly got made fun of behind his back for swerving so far outside his lane.

I mean....he had a Rolex GMT and the confidence to wear it. Pretty sure last laugh is his.

Agreed. Also, pitiful to laugh and gossip about this person. And what a dick comment "swerving so far outside his lane." It's not for you to decide how anyone lives their life. We create our own lanes.

I came into this thread thinking that the idea of bragging about flexing on more senior lawyers was the dumbest thing I'd see today. But that reply topped that.

[Anonymous User]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with a junior (or a student or anybody at all) wearing a nice watch! You don't need earn it or whatever. I got a nice watch as a present when I was poor, and I wore it. Now I'm better off but I prefer my phone so I don't wear a watch anymore. Says more about the seniors and partners than about the junior.

[Anonymous User]

Wearing something flashy like a rolex as a summer is a bad look, full stop. Once you've shown you're competent, then you can (to quote a old professor of mine) "strut like a peacock." Law firms (and ibanks) are conservative and hierarchical places, and being flashy is an easy way to draw ire.

[Lacepiece23]

Good friend of mine has a 50k watch collection as a summer. He got some eye rolls, but generally no one cared. Some of the more pretentious partners actually liked it.

Watches just happened to be his thing.

[Anonymous User]

On topic, I had a 1st year assign up an NDA to me while I was on vacation. Think it went something like this: I take first vacation in a year, let everyone know including the 1st year; We get an NDA from institutional client that has to be done that day; partner asks 1st year to do it; she says she can't because she is at a power-woman conference and asks if I can handle in a reply-all email (I was a 5th year); I do while on vacation because I am a bootlicker, partner isn't going to be bothered with this shit, it is an important client, and to atone for my privilege.

[Anonymous User]

Wearing something flashy like a rolex as a summer is a bad look, full stop. Once you've shown you're competent, then you can (to quote a old professor of mine) "strut like a peacock." Law firms (and ibanks) are conservative and hierarchical places, and being flashy is an easy way to draw ire.

This is a pretty ignorant comment: about watches, about law firms, about life.

Not all top-end watches are flashy; not all Rolexes are flashy. Expensive =/= flashy.

Not all law firms are conservative; not all conservative firms have only conservative partners or practice groups. I've seen associates at Kirkland wearing IWCs, associates at Cravath wearing JLCs, and associates at WLRK wearing Rolexes.

Finally, even if your attitude is "well there's a chance it can draw ire, better to play it safe", that's just a sad way to look at the world. Within reason, you do you, and let your work, attitude, and actual behavior speak for you.

[Anonymous User]

On topic, I had a 1st year assign up an NDA to me while I was on vacation. Think it went something like this: I take first vacation in a year, let everyone know including the 1st year; We get an NDA from institutional client that has to be done that day; partner asks 1st year to do it; she says she can't because she is at a power-woman conference and asks if I can handle in a reply-all email (I was a 5th year); I do while on vacation because I am a bootlicker, partner isn't going to be bothered with this shit, it is an important client, and to atone for my privilege.

You played this well. Did you continue to work with the junior ?

[Anonymous User]

Good friend of mine has a 50k watch collection as a summer. He got some eye rolls, but generally no one cared. Some of the more pretentious partners actually liked it.

Watches just happened to be his thing.

Nothing wrong with a Swiss watch. When you’re paid 215 base why not treat yourself if that’s your thing.

Watches-cars-handbags-colorful socks-exotic trips-plastic surgery - live ya life who kares

[BrowsingTLS]

We get an NDA from institutional client that has to be done that day; partner asks 1st year to do it; she says she can't because she is at a power-woman conference and asks if I can handle in a reply-all email (I was a 5th year); I do

[Anonymous User]

I was a second year on a call with one of the firm's most important clients. This idiot partner responds to a question from the client with utter nonsense that's completely wrong, and then asks if I have anything to add. I say "thanks [partner], totally agree. Just a few things to add" and proceed to completely contradict everything the partner had just said. Client did what I recommended.

[thisismytlsuername]

I was a second year on a call with one of the firm's most important clients. This idiot partner responds to a question from the client with utter nonsense that's completely wrong, and then asks if I have anything to add. I say "thanks [partner], totally agree. Just a few things to add" and proceed to completely contradict everything the partner had just said. Client did what I recommended.

r/thathappened

[Anonymous User]

I was a second year on a call with one of the firm's most important clients. This idiot partner responds to a question from the client with utter nonsense that's completely wrong, and then asks if I have anything to add. I say "thanks [partner], totally agree. Just a few things to add" and proceed to completely contradict everything the partner had just said. Client did what I recommended.

r/thathappened

Why is this so hard to believe?

[nixy]

I was a second year on a call with one of the firm's most important clients. This idiot partner responds to a question from the client with utter nonsense that's completely wrong, and then asks if I have anything to add. I say "thanks [partner], totally agree. Just a few things to add" and proceed to completely contradict everything the partner had just said. Client did what I recommended.

r/thathappened

Why is this so hard to believe?

Are second years usually in a position to make recommendations to the firm’s most important client? Probably depends on the firm and what the nature of the recommendation was (kind of hard to believe it was related to anything really substantive, but you never know).

[Anonymous User]

On topic, I had a 1st year assign up an NDA to me while I was on vacation. Think it went something like this: I take first vacation in a year, let everyone know including the 1st year; We get an NDA from institutional client that has to be done that day; partner asks 1st year to do it; she says she can't because she is at a power-woman conference and asks if I can handle in a reply-all email (I was a 5th year); I do while on vacation because I am a bootlicker, partner isn't going to be bothered with this shit, it is an important client, and to atone for my privilege.

You played this well. Did you continue to work with the junior ?

Definitely not! I mean, it took me maybe an hour and a half to do, maybe would have taken her 2.5 hours. So not the worst thing to happen on a vacation, but definitely annoying especially considering she was *working* (just at a conference -- which I assume ppl just work through those things anyways) and I was on vacation.

I was a second year on a call with one of the firm's most important clients. This idiot partner responds to a question from the client with utter nonsense that's completely wrong, and then asks if I have anything to add. I say "thanks [partner], totally agree. Just a few things to add" and proceed to completely contradict everything the partner had just said. Client did what I recommended.

Total power move. Any chance you are the 1st year from my story?

[Anonymous User]

Total power move. Any chance you are the 1st year from my story?

Nah, I'm in lit.

[Anonymous User]

On topic, I had a 1st year assign up an NDA to me while I was on vacation. Think it went something like this: I take first vacation in a year, let everyone know including the 1st year; We get an NDA from institutional client that has to be done that day; partner asks 1st year to do it; she says she can't because she is at a power-woman conference and asks if I can handle in a reply-all email (I was a 5th year); I do while on vacation because I am a bootlicker, partner isn't going to be bothered with this shit, it is an important client, and to atone for my privilege.

sounds like the power-woman conference was informative!

[Anonymous User]

I was a second year on a call with one of the firm's most important clients. This idiot partner responds to a question from the client with utter nonsense that's completely wrong, and then asks if I have anything to add. I say "thanks [partner], totally agree. Just a few things to add" and proceed to completely contradict everything the partner had just said. Client did what I recommended.

r/thathappened

Why is this so hard to believe?

Are second years usually in a position to make recommendations to the firm’s most important client? Probably depends on the firm and what the nature of the recommendation was (kind of hard to believe it was related to anything really substantive, but you never know).

It was a procedural point that was deep in the weeds and had been developing more recently. Definitely not case-dispositive strategy or something like that. I didn't normally speak on those calls, but the partner threw the ball to me thinking they got the gist and that I'd just add some additional color. TBH this partner is so out of touch I'm not sure they even noticed the contradiction.

[Anonymous User]

I was a second year on a call with one of the firm's most important clients. This idiot partner responds to a question from the client with utter nonsense that's completely wrong, and then asks if I have anything to add. I say "thanks [partner], totally agree. Just a few things to add" and proceed to completely contradict everything the partner had just said. Client did what I recommended.

r/thathappened

Why is this so hard to believe?

Are second years usually in a position to make recommendations to the firm’s most important client? Probably depends on the firm and what the nature of the recommendation was (kind of hard to believe it was related to anything really substantive, but you never know).

It was a procedural point that was deep in the weeds and had been developing more recently. Definitely not case-dispositive strategy or something like that. I didn't normally speak on those calls, but the partner threw the ball to me thinking they got the gist and that I'd just add some additional color. TBH this partner is so out of touch I'm not sure they even noticed the contradiction.

This happens regularly in M&A with diligence matters because the juniors are generally far deeper in the weeds on it. At my firm though, the partners are generally smart enough to know this and defer to the juniors to answer details for the client beyond whatever filtered up into the memo.

[Anonymous User]

I was a second year on a call with one of the firm's most important clients. This idiot partner responds to a question from the client with utter nonsense that's completely wrong, and then asks if I have anything to add. I say "thanks [partner], totally agree. Just a few things to add" and proceed to completely contradict everything the partner had just said. Client did what I recommended.

r/thathappened

Why is this so hard to believe?

Are second years usually in a position to make recommendations to the firm’s most important client? Probably depends on the firm and what the nature of the recommendation was (kind of hard to believe it was related to anything really substantive, but you never know).

It was a procedural point that was deep in the weeds and had been developing more recently. Definitely not case-dispositive strategy or something like that. I didn't normally speak on those calls, but the partner threw the ball to me thinking they got the gist and that I'd just add some additional color. TBH this partner is so out of touch I'm not sure they even noticed the contradiction.

This happens regularly in M&A with diligence matters because the juniors are generally far deeper in the weeds on it. At my firm though, the partners are generally smart enough to know this and defer to the juniors to answer details for the client beyond whatever filtered up into the memo.

Yeah I’ve seen this a number of times in my regulatory practice too, not hard to believe. At some point many partners transition to more of a “managing the relationship role” rather than in the weeds research role, which juniors handle. At that point partners either: (I) actually read the memo a junior wrote and try to fully grasp the issue so they can communicate directly to the client; (2) fully let the junior explain the issue to the client ; or (3) have the junior come in 10 minutes before the client meeting to explain the issue to the partner, who then fucks up the explanation to the client. Jr has to make best judgment to either correct or be quiet. 3 is the worst

[Anonymous User]

I was a second year on a call with one of the firm's most important clients. This idiot partner responds to a question from the client with utter nonsense that's completely wrong, and then asks if I have anything to add. I say "thanks [partner], totally agree. Just a few things to add" and proceed to completely contradict everything the partner had just said. Client did what I recommended.

r/thathappened

Why is this so hard to believe?

Are second years usually in a position to make recommendations to the firm’s most important client? Probably depends on the firm and what the nature of the recommendation was (kind of hard to believe it was related to anything really substantive, but you never know).

It was a procedural point that was deep in the weeds and had been developing more recently. Definitely not case-dispositive strategy or something like that. I didn't normally speak on those calls, but the partner threw the ball to me thinking they got the gist and that I'd just add some additional color. TBH this partner is so out of touch I'm not sure they even noticed the contradiction.

This happens regularly in M&A with diligence matters because the juniors are generally far deeper in the weeds on it. At my firm though, the partners are generally smart enough to know this and defer to the juniors to answer details for the client beyond whatever filtered up into the memo.

Yeah I’ve seen this a number of times in my regulatory practice too, not hard to believe. At some point many partners transition to more of a “managing the relationship role” rather than in the weeds research role, which juniors handle. At that point partners either: (I) actually read the memo a junior wrote and try to fully grasp the issue so they can communicate directly to the client; (2) fully let the junior explain the issue to the client ; or (3) have the junior come in 10 minutes before the client meeting to explain the issue to the partner, who then fucks up the explanation to the client. Jr has to make best judgment to either correct or be quiet. 3 is the worst

I'm the second year flexer and agree that's how things typically go as well. But (3) rarely arises because most partners I work with are pretty good at IDing what they don't know. This partner, though, is notorious for speaking up with worthwhile to nothing to say.

[Anonymous User]

Please share good stories of a Junior flexing on a partner or senior assoc .

Not from law, but I remember one of my fellow summer interns in IB wore a rolex gmt the entire summer while the MDs et al were wearing apple watches, etc. He mostly got made fun of behind his back for swerving so far outside his lane.

It wasn’t until recently though that these had a market value of 15 or 20 Gs. A few years back they were widely available at retail (less than 10k).

This is part of why I like biglaw better than finance. We generally pay less attention to each other’s lives.

When I worked finance, there was a lot of dick measuring like this, and a lot of putting targets on people’s backs for things that ultimately don’t matter. Maybe this kid’s dad died and he ended up with his GMT, or maybe it was a graduation gift from a random wealthy uncle — doesn’t really matter, yet people spent a ton of time bashing a guy behind his back over it. They’re trying so hard to enforce their internal hierarchy of MD > Director > VP > Associate > Analyst. At Goldman it used to be the case that first years couldn’t wear patterned socks — only 2nd years and up were permitted that level of individuality.

Worst thing is, lots of people seem to admire that type of culture instead of denouncing it.

[Anonymous User]

Please share good stories of a Junior flexing on a partner or senior assoc .

Not from law, but I remember one of my fellow summer interns in IB wore a rolex gmt the entire summer while the MDs et al were wearing apple watches, etc. He mostly got made fun of behind his back for swerving so far outside his lane.

Is a basic steel Rolex now "flexing" these days? Would this person also be flexing if he wore a more subtle, but much more expensive, Lange or Vacheron?