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Taken off project at work, replaced with someone else. Fired?

I'm a first year associate at NYC biglaw. Litigation. I ...
Bull Headed French Chef Hospital
  03/07/10
this is terrifying.
Vibrant ruddy locus mad cow disease
  03/07/10
You should probably ask. Even if your work product sucked s...
kink-friendly range
  03/07/10
Okay, this makes me feel better. I'm just nervous because n...
Bull Headed French Chef Hospital
  03/07/10
ITE hasn't been very conducive to decency
Nofapping Native
  03/07/10
Yeah, that's the counterargument. OP could be fucked, but I...
kink-friendly range
  03/07/10
Hmmm, this is cause for concern. Is your replacement the ...
big sick circlehead
  03/07/10
what makes you think first year layoffs are done with now?
Nofapping Native
  03/07/10
My experience has been first years are in demand, due to low...
big sick circlehead
  03/07/10
wasn't the class of 2009 the most bloated of all?
passionate opaque location
  03/07/10
I don't know. Hard to tell with all the deferrals.
big sick circlehead
  03/08/10
...
Bull Headed French Chef Hospital
  03/07/10
arent you worried youll outself with all this info?
irradiated place of business
  03/07/10
I've changed a few of the details to cover up, but just to b...
Bull Headed French Chef Hospital
  03/07/10
are things generally busy at your firm or are only certain p...
Nofapping Native
  03/07/10
There are def some people who don't have enough to do.
Bull Headed French Chef Hospital
  03/07/10
what year/practice area are the non-busy people in? are all...
Nofapping Native
  03/07/10
if you're busy with other stuff that's much better. you sho...
Nofapping Native
  03/07/10
If your busy on another case you may have nothing to worry a...
concupiscible rusted masturbator
  03/07/10
agreed that it could be nothing but he should find out. if ...
Nofapping Native
  03/07/10
are you busy with other things now? tell me about this ...
Nofapping Native
  03/07/10
ask friend, this is terrifying
floppy haunting multi-billionaire
  03/07/10
it's entirely possible that your team wasn't thrilled with y...
chestnut fanboi
  03/07/10
do you have enough work? if not, you need to ask the partner...
Electric Faggot Firefighter
  03/07/10
anyone else noticed a huge spike in the number of 'am i goin...
Amber mediation marketing idea
  03/07/10
Yeah I feel like I've been reading at least one per day now,...
dun swashbuckling step-uncle's house
  03/08/10
start looking
Heady chest-beating site water buffalo
  03/07/10
...
chestnut fanboi
  03/07/10
fuuuuuuuck
Bull Headed French Chef Hospital
  03/07/10
Passive aggressive aspies are the best part of BIGLAW. Call ...
Lascivious heaven
  03/07/10
It could just be a simple mistake -- someone forgot about yo...
up-to-no-good primrose friendly grandma
  03/07/10
it will be ok
Buff Beady-eyed Fat Ankles
  03/07/10
shut up he doesn't need your platitudes
Nofapping Native
  03/07/10
no, but he needs to calm the fuck down.
Buff Beady-eyed Fat Ankles
  03/07/10
false
Nofapping Native
  03/07/10
one of 2 things: 1) they're firing you, and want you to r...
Olive gunner
  03/08/10
#2 doesn't make any sense at all.
Plum out-of-control pervert hall
  03/08/10


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Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:25 PM
Author: Bull Headed French Chef Hospital

I'm a first year associate at NYC biglaw. Litigation.

I was on a mid-size team on a pretty major case that was taking up a lot of time. Then, I suddenly found myself taken off, too. No one ever said anything to me about it, I just stopped getting calls and emails. I thought maybe they just didn't need as many people any more, but I just found out Friday that they added a new guy (also a first year) to the team at the same time as I stopped getting emails. Everyone else who was on the team before is still there except me, so the team is basically now all the original people minus me plus one new first year.

Incidentally, no one ever told me there was anything wrong with my work or gave me any indication I was doing anything wrong.

Am I fucked? Just being paranoid? About to be fired? Should I ask why I'm no longer on the case? I'm really freaking out here. Is this prelude to being layoff pwnd?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321422)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:31 PM
Author: Vibrant ruddy locus mad cow disease

this is terrifying.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321493)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:34 PM
Author: kink-friendly range

You should probably ask. Even if your work product sucked shit they should have done you the decency of telling you such. The only first years that I know who have been flat-out fired from a project were told such.

You might have been tapped for another project and the firm might have wanted another associate to get the experience that you were getting.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321525)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:36 PM
Author: Bull Headed French Chef Hospital

Okay, this makes me feel better. I'm just nervous because no one said anything. You'd think if it was NOT work-product related, they'd want me to know.

Also, the team was pretty big, so I didn't have much contact with the partners on the case, but I'm pretty sure the senior associate didn't like me that much. Just personality clash, though. Not work-related that I could tell.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321550)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:38 PM
Author: Nofapping Native

ITE hasn't been very conducive to decency

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321567)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:40 PM
Author: kink-friendly range

Yeah, that's the counterargument. OP could be fucked, but ITE's getting slightly better.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321590)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:34 PM
Author: big sick circlehead

Hmmm, this is cause for concern.

Is your replacement the exact same year? Or is there maybe a billing rate difference between you and the new guy? That could be an explanation and it happens.

Sometimes these things just happen, too, especially after a doc review/diligence expansion and then contraction back to the "core team". But you getting axed is odd.

The radio silence thing is weird. Ask a mid level on the team (or whoever is managing it, probably a 5-7th year) if he or she knows something that you don't. Maybe he or she got instructions from the managing partner.

Are you active on other projects, or was this your only thing? It wouldn't necessarily be a prelude to layoff if you are intertwined on another matter. But if that was your only thing its a red flag. But a first year layoff...I don't know your firm...but I personally think those are mostly done with now.

And ya, you might be getting moved to a new team, too, and the other guy needed experience. Asking is the only way of knowing.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321526)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:36 PM
Author: Nofapping Native

what makes you think first year layoffs are done with now?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321548)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 6:32 PM
Author: big sick circlehead

My experience has been first years are in demand, due to lower billing rates and small class size. At the same time, the firms can't bring new ones on due to hiring freezes. So, there is a shortage.

Like I think I said, this is a firm-by-firm thing though, but I have multiple LS friends who say the same. I observe the same at my shop.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14324619)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 6:40 PM
Author: passionate opaque location

wasn't the class of 2009 the most bloated of all?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14324697)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 8th, 2010 8:49 AM
Author: big sick circlehead

I don't know. Hard to tell with all the deferrals.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14330629)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:38 PM
Author: Bull Headed French Chef Hospital



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321572)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:40 PM
Author: irradiated place of business

arent you worried youll outself with all this info?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321597)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:42 PM
Author: Bull Headed French Chef Hospital

I've changed a few of the details to cover up, but just to be safe I'll be editing after I get the info I want.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321612)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:45 PM
Author: Nofapping Native

are things generally busy at your firm or are only certain people busy while others don't have enough to do?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321644)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:46 PM
Author: Bull Headed French Chef Hospital

There are def some people who don't have enough to do.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321658)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:52 PM
Author: Nofapping Native

what year/practice area are the non-busy people in? are all the first year lit people busy?

yah, def stay busy and def find out what happened with this.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321725)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:41 PM
Author: Nofapping Native

if you're busy with other stuff that's much better. you should still try to find out what happened with this one. if shit does go down a negative review will be significant.

were you doing anything significant on the other one? if they had him do something a while after had left the project it could just be a staffing thing. do you have an assignment coordinator?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321604)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:42 PM
Author: concupiscible rusted masturbator

If your busy on another case you may have nothing to worry about. Perhaps the partner/associate on that case let them know they needed most of your time.

That said, if you are on decent terms with a junior associate on the team, it wouldn't hurt to ask.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321616)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:44 PM
Author: Nofapping Native

agreed that it could be nothing but he should find out. if he has a negative review out there he should know about it asap.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321629)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:35 PM
Author: Nofapping Native

are you busy with other things now?

tell me about this other first year? possible that he has language skills or some other specialization they need?

i don't think it's paranoid to worry but need more facts. how are things at your firm? slow/busy, have there been layoffs already, and when did they go down?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321534)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:36 PM
Author: floppy haunting multi-billionaire

ask friend, this is terrifying

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321542)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:44 PM
Author: chestnut fanboi

it's entirely possible that your team wasn't thrilled with your work and thinks this other guy is better. but I think this sort of swapping out for someone the more senior folks trust more or favor happens pretty frequently and I don't think it means you're about to get fired. many attorneys might try to avoid first-years who do what they perceive as mediocre work, but most attorneys won't write a bad review about it.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321639)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:35 PM
Author: Electric Faggot Firefighter

do you have enough work? if not, you need to ask the partner in charge of that case if there is anything you can do to help. ask every day until he tells you to stop asking. if you do have work, ask someone who likes you about the situation.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321533)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:38 PM
Author: Amber mediation marketing idea

anyone else noticed a huge spike in the number of 'am i going to get layoffpned?' threads?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321573)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 8th, 2010 10:56 AM
Author: dun swashbuckling step-uncle's house

Yeah I feel like I've been reading at least one per day now, and I kind of get the feeling that at least some of them are illegitimate (i.e. posted by the same person). Otherwise, you'd think we would have seen this more when layoffs were at their worst. Also, we probably should have seen this before hiring freezes were implemented rather than after, since a hiring freeze makes any given attorney less expendable (because they can no longer be replaced upon firing).

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14331095)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:38 PM
Author: Heady chest-beating site water buffalo

start looking

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321575)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:41 PM
Author: chestnut fanboi



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321609)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:43 PM
Author: Bull Headed French Chef Hospital

fuuuuuuuck

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321620)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:44 PM
Author: Lascivious heaven

Passive aggressive aspies are the best part of BIGLAW. Call a headhunter. Having a job is the main prereq to getting another job in BIGLAW these days,

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321634)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:44 PM
Author: up-to-no-good primrose friendly grandma

It could just be a simple mistake -- someone forgot about you after the deal team contracted back to the core members.

In the eyes of senior associates (and certainly partners), first years are fungible anonymous drones. My hunch is that this was not intentional.

I'd definitely ask someone though -- which you have every right to do -- just to allay your paranoia.



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321638)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:53 PM
Author: Buff Beady-eyed Fat Ankles

it will be ok

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321741)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:54 PM
Author: Nofapping Native

shut up he doesn't need your platitudes

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321751)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:57 PM
Author: Buff Beady-eyed Fat Ankles

no, but he needs to calm the fuck down.



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321780)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 7th, 2010 1:58 PM
Author: Nofapping Native

false

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14321790)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 8th, 2010 11:09 AM
Author: Olive gunner

one of 2 things:

1) they're firing you, and want you to request the partner conf about this project and future work. not sure why'd they would do that but to personally fuck with you.

2) they're not sure if they're firing you and want to seek your reaction. it's you or the new guy they staffed, he's in the lead. today's monday, email the partner running the project and say, not ask, say "i'd like to come by at 2pm today and talk about my being pulled off the ladyboy project. if NOT doable, respond, otherwise see you at 2."

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14331171)



Reply Favorite

Date: March 8th, 2010 12:52 PM
Author: Plum out-of-control pervert hall

#2 doesn't make any sense at all.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1243654&forum_id=2#14331752)