Sex, Drugs, and Billable Hours

My first intervention went down pretty much exactly like the ones you see on TV.  Well, except that there were no cameras.  Or tears.  Or therapists.  And it took place in a shoebox office in a law firm instead of, say, in my living room, surrounded by friends and family. Still, the core elements were the same: I had a serious issue and it needed addressing. No, I wasn’t a junkie, or an alcoholic, or addicted to fetish porn.  My issue was far more dangerous.  More destructive.  More worthy, apparently, of the powers that be at the firm stepping in to make sure the situation didn’t get further out of control.

The issue?  My billable hours were too high.  [Read more]

How Do I Reject My Colleagues on Facebook?

Q:  My coworkers (mostly associates in my class, but a few senior associates I’ve worked with and a paralegal, too) keep asking me to be their “friend” on Facebook.  I’m social enough at work, but try to keep my work life and personal life as separate as possible when I’m not actually at the office and I’d like to keep it that way.  I don’t want to come off like a dick, though, for refusing the friend request. Do I just ignore the requests, or tell them in person that I have a personal policy of not accepting coworkers as Facebook “friends”? [Read more]

A Genius Like No Other

You know this guy, you do.  Every Big Firm has at least one. You started hearing the lore about him your first week at the firm and you admit that you were part intrigued, part terrified.  You’ve seen him in passing in the halls, usually after most of the firm has emptied out after dark.  Perhaps you’ve even tried to speak to him, only to be met with a distinct lack of eye contact and a half-snort as he scuttled away.  He’s more socially awkward than any mental patient, not fit for human—no less client—interaction.  But, word on the street—and that word’s always mentioned in hushed, reverential tones—is that he’s brilllliant.  Like, crazy genius smart.  That’s why the firm keeps him around.  The brilliance.  He’s the resident Big Firm Savant.  And I’m here to tell you firsthand, the whole “genius” thing is a complete and total fraud. [Read more]