Fired after 6 months Forum

[Anonymous User]

How normal is it to be fired after 6 months? I lateraled from a v5 to a v25 for a practice group change. I did not have any indication I was going to be fired until I was actually terminated. Had low hours but I never turned down work and was always seeking new work (still produced a 300 hour month though). I did take too long to complete tasks sometimes, but I was getting better and under the impression junior associates got some grace for the learning curve. Had been going into the office and the firm is very remote friendly so I don't think that was an issue. Don't think I did anything so weird socially that it would be a fireable offense, but not everyone enjoys my personality.

Not sure what to do now since I'm basically just a useless junior (two firms in two years, two practice groups in two years, not really fully trained in either. I know enough to be helpful immediately, but I can already see the future anxiety and panic attacks that will come from starting at a new firm....confidence is pretty low right now).

[Anonymous User]

I’m sorry about your situation. You will get through this. Go see a recruiter, who will have experience with people in your situation. Also, I strongly recommend therapy.

[Anonymous User]

Goodwin NY?

[Anonymous User]

How normal is it to be fired after 6 months? I lateraled from a v5 to a v25 for a practice group change. I did not have any indication I was going to be fired until I was actually terminated. Had low hours but I never turned down work and was always seeking new work (still produced a 300 hour month though). I did take too long to complete tasks sometimes, but I was getting better and under the impression junior associates got some grace for the learning curve. Had been going into the office and the firm is very remote friendly so I don't think that was an issue. Don't think I did anything so weird socially that it would be a fireable offense, but not everyone enjoys my personality.

Not sure what to do now since I'm basically just a useless junior (two firms in two years, two practice groups in two years, not really fully trained in either. I know enough to be helpful immediately, but I can already see the future anxiety and panic attacks that will come from starting at a new firm....confidence is pretty low right now).

Hang in there OP. Same situation happened to me recently at WSGR. Good hours, 180+, then terminated. Junior also, almost identical situation. Not sure what I'm going to do either, I keep looking but its hard being a junior with basically no skills.

[Anonymous User]

Can you clarify if this is a legit you're fired thing, get your stuff and leave or did they say you have 1-3 months to find something else? Any clarity on what the firm would say if another firm called them? What is your relationship like with the firm you lateraled from and what would they say if called?

[Anonymous User]

I'm sorry, OP. The firm fucked you when it knew that you'd be in a tough position career wise if you lost your job. Please name and shame for posterity.

[Res Ipsa Loquitter]

I'm sorry, OP. The firm fucked you when it knew that you'd be in a tough position career wise if you lost your job. Please name and shame for posterity.

If they gave him website time, he should not do this. If they gave no website time, he should go ahead and post because they’ve already burned the bridge themselves by taking all they can take.

[Anonymous User]

I'm sorry, OP. The firm fucked you when it knew that you'd be in a tough position career wise if you lost your job. Please name and shame for posterity.

If they gave him website time, he should not do this. If they gave no website time, he should go ahead and post because they’ve already burned the bridge themselves by taking all they can take.

Not to be like, annoying or whatever, but OP could be a woman. Or non-binary.

[Anonymous User]

OP, it's not normal. But that's potentially a good thing for you here, as it's also not necessarily a reflection on you. Another very plausible explanation for why you were let go (despite whatever they told you about performance) is the firm overextended themselves in the hiring craze, and when they realized the brought in too many people the new people were easiest to let go.

Buck up, and start applying elsewhere. In interviews, don't run from the last firm if people ask you about it, or say you think you were fired because they overhired. But do let them know you were still learning a new practice area, and that you were hired on early in 2022 (a good hiring partner should be able to do that math). And make sure you have references from the firm before that, if they liked you. If you actually jumped ship because you saw the writing on the wall there, then maybe it's you, but if you legitimately left to pursue a different practice area you probably still have advocates.

And expand beyond the V25. There are lots of great firms in the top 200, and somewhere less "grow or die" is less likely to play these hiring games (if that's indeed what this is).

Good luck.

EDIT: Oh, and I didn't add, because I assumed you already did this or else don't want to. If you would be interested in getting your old job back (the first one), it doesn't hurt to ask.

[Res Ipsa Loquitter]

I'm sorry, OP. The firm fucked you when it knew that you'd be in a tough position career wise if you lost your job. Please name and shame for posterity.

If they gave him website time, he should not do this. If they gave no website time, he should go ahead and post because they’ve already burned the bridge themselves by taking all they can take.

Not to be like, annoying or whatever, but OP could be a woman. Or non-binary.

I inferred the gender from the tone and writing style of the post

[Anonymous User]

Assuming the firm is going to do the standard 3-6months paid website time, it seems really silly on their part! Pay a full year salary for only 6 months work. Plus six months really doesn't seem enough time to determine work quality? All seems very strange.

[Anonymous User]

Assuming the firm is going to do the standard 3-6months paid website time, it seems really silly on their part! Pay a full year salary for only 6 months work. Plus six months really doesn't seem enough time to determine work quality? All seems very strange.

I've never been in this situation (thankfully), but I was under the impression "website time" is usually unpaid.

[Lacepiece23]

I'm sorry, OP. The firm fucked you when it knew that you'd be in a tough position career wise if you lost your job. Please name and shame for posterity.

If they gave him website time, he should not do this. If they gave no website time, he should go ahead and post because they’ve already burned the bridge themselves by taking all they can take.

Not to be like, annoying or whatever, but OP could be a woman. Or non-binary.

I inferred the gender from the tone and writing style of the post

No you didn’t.

[Anonymous User]

I just switched firms as a junior for the same reason (group change) and now I'm worried.

[Anonymous User]

Assuming the firm is going to do the standard 3-6months paid website time, it seems really silly on their part! Pay a full year salary for only 6 months work. Plus six months really doesn't seem enough time to determine work quality? All seems very strange.

I've never been in this situation (thankfully), but I was under the impression "website time" is usually unpaid.

Obviously depends on the firm but it's at least partially paid, as a form of severance. But the point stands regardless, the firm is getting rid of someone without really giving them a chance, and before they make a profit off them.

[Anonymous User]

I'm sorry, OP. The firm fucked you when it knew that you'd be in a tough position career wise if you lost your job. Please name and shame for posterity.

If they gave him website time, he should not do this. If they gave no website time, he should go ahead and post because they’ve already burned the bridge themselves by taking all they can take.

Not to be like, annoying or whatever, but OP could be a woman. Or non-binary.

I inferred the gender from the tone and writing style of the post

No you didn’t.

Who cares. It’s the anonymous internet.

[Anonymous User]

When I was fired, I was frogmarched out the building and kept on the payroll and website for two months.

The firm offered me terrible transition services.

Good luck, OP. Remain positive. You were well adjusted enough to get a job at a V5 and then to lateral to another biglaw firm. You certainly have the social skills to bounce back.

Who cares. It’s the anonymous internet.

Not any more. The internet has give a platform and voice to countless extremely mentally ill people who have captured and railroaded our society and culture. Etc.

[Anonymous User]

When I was fired, I was frogmarched out the building and kept on the payroll and website for two months.

Wow that sounds horrible man. Just so demoralizing being escorted out. Happened to me in a previous shitty career, do not recommend. (Happy to report that the company is out of business now).

Where'd you end up after that?

At my firm someone was let go, I think was given a warning then after no improvement 2 weeks to wrap thing up + 3 months salary + 3 months no salary website time. Plus they genuinely tried to help find a new job.

[TLSposter1990]

OP, if you left your original firm on good terms or even just have a partner there who you were closer with, I would go back to that firm (via that partner) and explain that you realized soon after you got to v25 that you had made a mistake. Explain that you miss your colleagues at v5 and that you found yourself not nearly as passionate about the new practice area as you thought you would be. Then ask if it is at all possible to come back to the firm.

That's what I would do, assuming you did not hate your old job. This is probably the easiest way to get yourself out of your current situation, as I agree that two jobs in two years as a junior is a tough sell to new firms. Then, after a year at v5, if you are still dissatisfied, you can look elsewhere again.

[Anonymous User]

I'm very sorry this happened to you. It'd be really helpful if you could give some more context. When you say "low hours," what do you mean? Was your entire group slow or was it something specific to you? I know you've said you had "no indication" but did you receive any negative feedback from important partners in the run-up or were you truly blindsided? Any sense of trouble or weirdness when you joined the group? Have you heard about others in your group being fired?

People are on edge about whether biglaw is going to start "stealthing" so all of this would be useful to better understand the situation. It's especially bad juju if this occurred with a junior out of the blue since juniors are typically protected for reputational reasons; maybe that's less the case with a lateral but doing this to a 6-month-in lateral is pretty terrible too.

Finally, I'll add my support to what others are saying: You should out the firm and the city; your firm obviously didn't give a shit about you and so I see no reason to not blast what they've done out onto the internet, if for nothing else as a warning to others.

[Anonymous User]

OP, if you left your original firm on good terms or even just have a partner there who you were closer with, I would go back to that firm (via that partner) and explain that you realized soon after you got to v25 that you had made a mistake. Explain that you miss your colleagues at v5 and that you found yourself not nearly as passionate about the new practice area as you thought you would be. Then ask if it is at all possible to come back to the firm.

That's what I would do, assuming you did not hate your old job. This is probably the easiest way to get yourself out of your current situation, as I agree that two jobs in two years as a junior is a tough sell to new firms. Then, after a year at v5, if you are still dissatisfied, you can look elsewhere again.

Not so sure firms are looking to bring back a junior associate who politely told the firm to go fuck itself less than a year in, especially in the current economy. I get the sense that firms are savoring every unforced departure right now as an organic way to trim without hitting the front page of AmLaw. Also, per your own advice, this guy / girl looks like a flight risk from a hiring partner's perspective. I think they'd have better luck elsewhere rather than trying to come back to the place they just quit. That said, what they might try to do is *network* with their contacts at the V5 if they made any, who may have pull to help them get their foot in the door somewhere else. That actually would serve a double purpose of being a soft feeler for any remaining interest at the V5 too.

[Anonymous User]

How normal is it to be fired after 6 months? I lateraled from a v5 to a v25 for a practice group change. I did not have any indication I was going to be fired until I was actually terminated. Had low hours but I never turned down work and was always seeking new work (still produced a 300 hour month though). I did take too long to complete tasks sometimes, but I was getting better and under the impression junior associates got some grace for the learning curve. Had been going into the office and the firm is very remote friendly so I don't think that was an issue. Don't think I did anything so weird socially that it would be a fireable offense, but not everyone enjoys my personality.

Not sure what to do now since I'm basically just a useless junior (two firms in two years, two practice groups in two years, not really fully trained in either. I know enough to be helpful immediately, but I can already see the future anxiety and panic attacks that will come from starting at a new firm....confidence is pretty low right now).

Hang in there OP. Same situation happened to me recently at WSGR. Good hours, 180+, then terminated. Junior also, almost identical situation. Not sure what I'm going to do either, I keep looking but its hard being a junior with basically no skills.

Anon because I'm a junior at wsgr. Can you give any more info? This is really scary and I haven't seen or heard of any stealths at WSGR yet. Can you give a hint as to which office or type of practice? Did you get severance/website time? Just hard to believe they'd fire someone billing 180 plus regularly? I've only billed that a few times this year (highest months).

[Anonymous User]

300+ hours with good quality was fired first year??? What in the world??? IMO it’s got to be a troll or a joke.

[Anonymous User]

OP/WSGR junior - did either of you ask why you were terminated? Not that I doubt you, but this just seems so farfetched without something else we're missing. Is there any person at all at the firm who might have reason (likely unjustified) to say you're untrainable or unprofessional?

[Anonymous User]

OP/WSGR junior - did either of you ask why you were terminated? Not that I doubt you, but this just seems so farfetched without something else we're missing. Is there any person at all at the firm who might have reason (likely unjustified) to say you're untrainable or unprofessional?

WSGR junior. I had a random, unscheduled performance review pop up, then I was told two months later it was time to go. Work must have been fine, because I was still being staffed on things, albeit not as many deals. It was slow all around. Wasn't pleased because I had lateraled there and switched practice groups, like OP. Now I have two firms on my resume in two years. Transition services were terrible. Was at the firm around 8-10 months before I "voluntarily" departed.