How Do I Handle a Serial Winker?
October 7, 2008 · by Sweet Hot Counsel
Q: My senior associate supervisor keeps winking at me, which kind of makes me uncomfortable. (I’m male, married, 28, she’s only a few years older than me, and I think single.) Other than the winking thing, she’s been pretty normal. And I know it sounds stupid, but I’m not 100% sure it’s winking vs. an involuntary twitch because she does it kind of a lot. Should I confront her about it? Or just run it by HR? She’s also always given me good reviews and I don’t want to screw up my next one. I just get uncomfortable every time she winks and don’t want to give her the wrong idea. Help. [Read more]
Hindsight Is 20-20
October 6, 2008 · by Legal Tease
You’d think that nothing could be more pathetic than primping for a welcome-the-new-associates cocktail event sitting at your desk, touching up your makeup using some tissues, cherry chapstick and a hand mirror that’s balanced on top of a bound copy of ’34 Act. You’d be wrong. Because I’m sitting here doing just that and in an attempt to blend the chapstick onto my cheeks more efficiently, I just put on my new glasses—the ones that I only wear “for the computer”—looked into the tiny mirror and reached a new low: I realized for the first time what I actually look like to people with good vision. And it’s a problem. [Read more]
How Do I Say No to More Work?
October 2, 2008 · by Sweet Hot Counsel
Q: I’m staffed on two cases right now, one of which is a doc review that eats up about six hours a day at least, and the other isn’t much better. A partner who I haven’t worked with, but is a pretty big deal in IP litigation around here (which is something I’m interested in) has asked me if I have time to help out on a project. I don’t. I guess I could work 18 hours a day to fit it in, but am I expected to do that? To be honest, I’m already going crazy with the workload I have and I can’t imagine more. Is it OK to say no? And how do can I say it without offending the partner or screwing myself over for future work from her? I’d appreciate your thoughts. Thanks. [Read more]
Do I Look Up My Old Hook-Up?
October 1, 2008 · by Sweet Hot Counsel
Q: I’ll be starting my first year at a medium-sized firm later this month. I was a summer associate there last year and before I left, I hooked up with a fifth-year and it was weird (drunk, didn’t really talk about it after it happened, I think he may have had a girlfriend) and I haven’t really seen him since last summer. The office is pretty small and I know I’m going to see this guy all the time—and might even have to work for him. Should I stop by his office when I get there and just clear the air? I want to start on a clean slate and not have anything be awkward going forward. Or should I just pretend nothing happened? [Read more]
Sweet Dreams
October 1, 2008 · by Legal Tease
When I popped my BigLaw cherry, I expected it’d hurt. I figured that working in a Big Firm would screw with my social life, my love life, my life life—basically, I assumed that most of my waking moments would be your standard-issue bucket of corporate misery. Christ, was I off the mark. Don’t misunderstand—the effects of Big Firm life do indeed poison all aspects of your waking life, but they don’t stop there. They also infect your dreams. No, not your dreams of a classic six on Park, being the next Marty Lipton or having a foursome with Brangelina and…Marty Lipton, but your actual dream dreams. The ones that happen when you sleep. [Read more]
