C
chevalier
Guest
Perhaps you remember my previous work situation. Working full time first for free, then for below minimal wage, some ethical problems, largely illegal contract.
And you perhaps remember how great it was to get work in a big law firm which seemed to respect me a bit and pay me well.
I was aware that 9-10 hour days would be norm, well, not as in every day, but as in no big deal. However, my current week looks more like 11-12 hours every day, sometimes above 12.
This week, today, on Friday, the boss gave me work (opinion on a fresh administrative order to discontinue an advertisement we had opined on, something to write for the client as well) late in the afternoon. He kept increasing the assignment up until even 8 pm. I was only able to leave at 9. And he actually dug up something he had asked me to do (verifying every footnote in a long court paper from the opposing counsel) and it seems he wanted it in writing. Doesn’t matter I talked about it to the senior lawyer who was working on it on every day basis and she was fine with that. He actually told me to come on Saturday morning. Told him I had university - I have my Ph.D. course and I was determined to tell him to shoot himself in the foot rather than skip my class for him. In fact, I thought I would cancel the employee contract if he asked for that.
That’s not the worst thing. The worst thing is he’s making me feel like I’m lagging behind, not doing what I’m asked to, not really understanding the tasks. I feel like I’m a big kid in a constant exam by many teachers of whom every single one thinks his subject is the most important of all. Because there are other people too. Each love to delegate duties and at least one has no qualms pushing the blame down the social ladder. I remember getting blamed - I mean psychologically, not officially, since they couldn’t - I just received several e-mails on how to monitor cases in courts after they ignored my photos and information about the dismissal of one motion. The appeal time was finishing when they first told me to start monitoring those cases - all 10 of them, and they were somewhat surprised I didn’t from some source actually know them all by heart (talking about several years old proceedings dragging through many instances) - this when I had only been working there for two weeks.
Now it’s 1.5 months and I’m burnt out. I can’t continue working 10–11 hours daily and now they’re starting with Saturdays and more and more sudden work, more and more unprecise tasks and surprise blame.
To make things worse, few people around me, other than the administrative staff genuinely respect other people. Some of my peers aren’t bad about that, but I’ve had to take the consequences of their laziness. One nominally senior lawyer is good, but has her own moments and isn’t 100% reliable as an ally. The rest… some just don’t care. Some are nice, but are not respectful. Some treat people like supplicants or like downright servants or just dirt.
And you perhaps remember how great it was to get work in a big law firm which seemed to respect me a bit and pay me well.
I was aware that 9-10 hour days would be norm, well, not as in every day, but as in no big deal. However, my current week looks more like 11-12 hours every day, sometimes above 12.
This week, today, on Friday, the boss gave me work (opinion on a fresh administrative order to discontinue an advertisement we had opined on, something to write for the client as well) late in the afternoon. He kept increasing the assignment up until even 8 pm. I was only able to leave at 9. And he actually dug up something he had asked me to do (verifying every footnote in a long court paper from the opposing counsel) and it seems he wanted it in writing. Doesn’t matter I talked about it to the senior lawyer who was working on it on every day basis and she was fine with that. He actually told me to come on Saturday morning. Told him I had university - I have my Ph.D. course and I was determined to tell him to shoot himself in the foot rather than skip my class for him. In fact, I thought I would cancel the employee contract if he asked for that.
That’s not the worst thing. The worst thing is he’s making me feel like I’m lagging behind, not doing what I’m asked to, not really understanding the tasks. I feel like I’m a big kid in a constant exam by many teachers of whom every single one thinks his subject is the most important of all. Because there are other people too. Each love to delegate duties and at least one has no qualms pushing the blame down the social ladder. I remember getting blamed - I mean psychologically, not officially, since they couldn’t - I just received several e-mails on how to monitor cases in courts after they ignored my photos and information about the dismissal of one motion. The appeal time was finishing when they first told me to start monitoring those cases - all 10 of them, and they were somewhat surprised I didn’t from some source actually know them all by heart (talking about several years old proceedings dragging through many instances) - this when I had only been working there for two weeks.
Now it’s 1.5 months and I’m burnt out. I can’t continue working 10–11 hours daily and now they’re starting with Saturdays and more and more sudden work, more and more unprecise tasks and surprise blame.
To make things worse, few people around me, other than the administrative staff genuinely respect other people. Some of my peers aren’t bad about that, but I’ve had to take the consequences of their laziness. One nominally senior lawyer is good, but has her own moments and isn’t 100% reliable as an ally. The rest… some just don’t care. Some are nice, but are not respectful. Some treat people like supplicants or like downright servants or just dirt.
