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Pissed off at partner who sandbagged me
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Date: July 28th, 2012 2:39 AM Author: Maroon supple fanboi multi-billionaire Partner drops a huge motion on me for summary judgment, which I am to write in one week. This is a case that has been litigated for five years, involving more than fifty years of contracting history between the parties. The associates regularly assigned to the case inexplicably never researched many of the significant issues of the case or drafted a statement of facts. I am “the closer,” the savior, the only one who can get this done.
I am locked in a room with what seemed to be hundreds of boxes of documents, deposition transcripts and discovery responses. I am told to write the motion and given nothing more by way of guidance. After more than a hundred hours of work, I blearily forward a draft via email to the partner and other associates on the team and stumble off for a few hours of sleep.
That afternoon, I receive a terse email indicating that I am to report immediately to the partner’s office for a conference call with the client. Apparently, my draft has not been well received.
Client is incensed. At the beginning of this case, *five years ago*, client advised us that it did not want to make “Argument X” because of the ongoing business relationship client had with one of the defendants. The same “Argument X” that is central to my motion. Partner looks at me and shakes his head. All associates in the room turn their faces away, ashamed at my failure. Partner must placate the client—stating that I made a mistake and would fix it.
Of course, none of the people actually assigned to this case, including the partner, ever told me that the client did not want to make “Argument X.”
I haven’t spoken directly with a client since. |
Date: July 28th, 2012 3:09 AM Author: plum heaven partner Why the fuck weren't you talking to the partner and getting a feel for what he thought about your arguments as you were coming up with this shit? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196389) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 3:10 AM Author: stirring buck-toothed persian usually they just want to see a draft. and a complete one at that (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196392) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 3:14 AM Author: Maroon supple fanboi multi-billionaire TCR.
I'm surprised at how many people say to ask questions or bounce ideas off of someone. At my firm, which resembles a prison, asking questions is highly frowned upon and "bouncing ideas" is the kiss of death. A question, even if well-thought-out, is an admission that you don't know everything, and some firms require that you maintain the pretense of being omniscient. Bouncing uncrystallized ideas off of someone can be even worse because, not only does it show that you're not omniscient, you come off as inarticulate and bumbling as well. There was no way to avoid what happened to me. |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 3:41 AM Author: plum heaven partner You guys work at shitty firms. I sit and debate the merits of going with one argument over another and how to set shit up in motions with the two partners I work for on any motion that is going to be a big deal. It's not about asking questions -- I am generally explaining to them what the cases say -- it's about getting their input on strategy. If you work in a place where this kind of thing is frowned upon, everybody's work product is suffering. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196441) |
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Date: July 29th, 2012 1:28 PM Author: Iridescent parlor wagecucks firm level? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21205651) |
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Date: July 31st, 2012 6:13 PM Author: gaped trailer park wrinkle was my experience as well (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21225880) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 4:42 AM Author: Talking marvelous international law enforcement agency church building Subject: contructivist fuck (constructive) (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196487) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 9:06 AM Author: sable sanctuary people who are hurt i got affirmatively bitched at for trying to do this.
"give me a draft. i will tell you what i think about it when i see the finished product."
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Date: July 29th, 2012 7:31 AM Author: Racy yapping mother theater surprisingly, partners are actually like this (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21204538) |
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Date: July 31st, 2012 6:22 PM Author: hyperventilating electric station crotch Yeah. BIGLAW is a dysfunctional shithole.
Having just read one of the other threads... maybe someone could do a Kickstarter to write a book on the collective experience of BIGLAW dysfunction to sell to clients.
BIGBUSINESS and Gen Millennials could collectively disenfranchise traditional BIGLAW by exposing the B.S. |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 9:50 AM Author: rough-skinned mad-dog skullcap Usually I call or email with a question and they just ignore it/forget to respond. Then I turn in the assignment and they tell me I did it wrong and that next time, I should ask questions as I'm working on it. Then they tell me how I should do the assignment, and I redo all my work But at least the partners at my firm are nice about it. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196679) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 9:52 AM Author: cracking self-absorbed national Do you pointedly reforward your emails at that point or just grin and go gee I messed up? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196682) |
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Date: July 29th, 2012 11:44 AM Author: rough-skinned mad-dog skullcap Haha, no, once you get to this point you've lost. Much easier to take it like a bitch than to argue. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21205002) |
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Date: July 29th, 2012 10:09 PM Author: Tan motley school stain whenever i try this the partner takes a tone with me like im trying to get him to do my work for me (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21210157) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 3:12 AM Author: Hairless bateful lay digit ratio why did you just send your draft straight to the client without input from anyone else on the team? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196397) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 3:15 AM Author: stirring buck-toothed persian well i think if we're to believe the story it is the partner who sent it on (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196400) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 3:16 AM Author: Hairless bateful lay digit ratio ah, oh yeah, this is a flame poster (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196403) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 3:17 AM Author: Vigorous Ticket Booth Dingle Berry he's leaving details out, for his own sake obviously. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196407) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 3:15 AM Author: Maroon supple fanboi multi-billionaire No, I sent it to the partner, who forwarded it to the client. Either the partner didn't read it first, or he forgot about not making "Argument X." (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196402) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 3:19 AM Author: Vigorous Ticket Booth Dingle Berry you must work in true shitlaw. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196409) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 7:12 AM Author: talented narrow-minded point Shit rolls downhill, friendo. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196524) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 4:45 PM Author: cobalt kitchen That truly blows. This is egregiously the partner's fault. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21199388) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 5:01 PM Author: opaque filthpig shitlaw? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21199509) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 3:47 AM Author: Contagious Cordovan Selfie What kind of fucked up profession is this? It's bad to ask questions? LOL (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196446) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 5:46 AM Author: Vibrant antidepressant drug (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196501) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 7:14 AM Author: Buff associate (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196526) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 7:46 AM Author: very tactful sepia macaca It sounds absurd and counterproductive (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196542) |
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Date: July 29th, 2012 1:30 PM Author: Chocolate death wish (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21205668) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 4:25 AM Author: odious deep therapy Did the partner also refer to you as the "Cream of the Crap"? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196479) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 9:04 AM Author: cerebral gaping sound barrier I don't buy this for a second. Firms suck from time to time but I don't think they're usually something out of Kafka. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196590) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 9:53 AM Author: cracking self-absorbed national This is a flame thread, but this sort of bullshit does go on. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196685) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 10:03 AM Author: cerebral gaping sound barrier In struggles between partners or perhaps to very senior associates or junior partners who are up for equity partnership, perhaps. But I doubt that's the case here. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196702) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 10:05 AM Author: cracking self-absorbed national You seriously don't know any associates who were placed in a fucked situation and then sacrificed to appease a client? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196706) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 5:06 PM Author: cerebral gaping sound barrier Not where it was avoidable and intentional. If the partner knew not to argue X, I'm not buying that he never mentioned it for no good reason. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21199554) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 10:10 AM Author: galvanic lodge I had a somewhat similar sandbagging. I was working on a project with the rainmaker and a service partner. The service partner was not there for a meeting with the client. The client found a ton of mistakes on a document. The partner yelled at me for the mistakes. I said, "I never touched that document, and I did not even know about it until now." He said, "we are going to clear this up." At that firm, we had a document system that would identify the people that had opened, edited, and saved the document since the creation of that document. My name did not appear at all on the list, and the service partner was the only that had worked on it , except for her secretary. The partner said, " ok. I guess you didnt fuck this up, but it is your job to review these things." I was like, "wtf? I did not even know about this fucking document. (in kind words of course)." He just said, "well, figure something out because we looked like idiots today.".
I heard that the service partner was yelled at but that she blamed it on her secretary. It all comes down to shit rolling down hill. |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 10:32 AM Author: cracking self-absorbed national This sounds accurate. Ours shows people who looked at it and printed it as well. Good that the system helped for once. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196774) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 5:01 PM Author: Magenta disgusting tanning salon tbf this seems more just like a prideful partner not wanting to admit he was wrong. I doubt any negative lasting effects happened, except to the service partner. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21199512) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 10:23 AM Author: Appetizing Unholy Parlour LOL you have quickly arisen to top poaster status with the continued "fucked associate" shtick. nice brother (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21196752) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 4:51 PM Author: 180 Cuckold Casino i enjoy his "how can I smoke weed in my hotel room without getting caught" posts as well (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21199423) |
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Date: July 29th, 2012 1:33 AM Author: Maroon supple fanboi multi-billionaire There's just something about a hotel room that makes me want to spark up a bowl. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21203477) |
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Date: July 29th, 2012 1:33 AM Author: Maroon supple fanboi multi-billionaire tyft (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21203470) |
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Date: July 28th, 2012 5:07 PM Author: Flushed Abode You play to win the game. Tell the client to shut the fuck up. If this argument was sacred then he wouldn't have brought the lawsuit. It isn't so now your job is to win. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21199563) |
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Date: July 29th, 2012 1:32 PM Author: cerebral gaping sound barrier LOL MFE (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21205675) |
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Date: July 31st, 2012 6:05 PM Author: Flushed Abode (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21225831) |
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Date: July 29th, 2012 1:43 AM Author: bisexual hissy fit I'm so glad I'm not a lawyer. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21203582) |
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Date: July 29th, 2012 7:33 AM Author: Violent Bawdyhouse I feel like shit working at this hotel, but threads like this make me feel like I dodged a bullet. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21204539) |
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Date: July 29th, 2012 2:32 AM Author: Curious sex offender flame obv. they randomly had you do a msj in a week for a case that has a history of more than 5 years when you don't even know anything about the case? lol (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21204100) |
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Date: July 29th, 2012 1:31 PM Author: cerebral gaping sound barrier That isn't the part of the story that's unbelievable. That shit actually does happen. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21205671) |
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Date: July 29th, 2012 10:13 PM Author: heady red dilemma cumskin tcr
"you have quite the reputation as a brief writer, so get to work" |
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Date: July 31st, 2012 6:14 PM Author: gaped trailer park wrinkle cr :( :( :( :( (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21225882) |
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Date: July 29th, 2012 7:30 AM Author: Racy yapping mother theater I can totally see this happening. Plenty of similarities with my experiences. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21204537) |
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Date: July 31st, 2012 6:14 PM Author: gaped trailer park wrinkle (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21225884) |
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Date: July 29th, 2012 7:44 AM Author: irradiated bright brunch old irish cottage Flame. No partner is going to send a MSJ to the client without having read it when he can spend 2 hours reading it and bill 20 for "editing summary judgment brief." (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21204540) |
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Date: July 29th, 2012 10:30 AM Author: dun pea-brained mental disorder lol brother, he DID bill for that, he just didn't actually do it. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21204753) |
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Date: July 30th, 2012 9:36 AM Author: hairraiser doobsian stag film Exactly. Partners do this shit all the time. When you're sending the bill you can basically do whatever the fuck you want within reason, hence partners who bill 3000 hours/year and are at the hamptons every weekend. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21213116) |
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Date: August 1st, 2012 12:30 AM Author: razzle doctorate becky Disorganized/busy/unrealistic partners (or, in my experience, senior associates) who expect people to jump in at the last minute and who are unwilling or unable to provide any sort of basic guidance. Joining the chorus here, but this is not a shocker at all. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2007086&forum_id=2#21229431) |