A Tier 2 (wanna-be Tier 1) law firm with its office in Nariman Point has been organising cricket matches on an Astro-Turf near Dadar on week-ends. Attendance is voluntary. However, associates feel compelled to go, just to please the few Partners who organise the game and the Managing Partner. A few eager-beaver associates always go and it has actually made a difference to their ratings and bonuses. I have never gone and will not go. Am I overreacting? Am I right in thinking that, after spending at least five days a week in close proximity with a partner, I do not want to see him on a weekend, if I can help it. I know that many associates feel the way I do since attendance is never very high. In fact, today's game was cancelled due to lack of numbers. I'm sure the Partners know that associates would rather do their own thing in their free time - no way any Partner believes that associates like to spend their weekends hobnobbing with them, but it is a power thing, an opportunity for them to wear tight t-shirts, show how fit they are, though they are in their early and late forties and play and laugh without a care in the world, with associates who are at their beck and call. What does the LI reading public think? Am I overreacting? Should I play along and get a better bonus next year? Is this par for the course in all Indian law firms?

I mean you voluntarily refuse to give-up your weekend, it's fair. But I do think you're overreacting a bit, since it is not supposed to be a stringent activity. It's a wonderful opportunity to make your networks stronger. As a lawyer one expects you to be good at making connections.

Wow, they are calling for cricket on weekends instead of calling for work. That's really very great. It's a good initiative. I think the partners and principal associates who sleep from Monday to Friday afternoon and get up on Friday evening with "urgent and important" work..and then dumps it on Associates and Senior Associates ..ruins their weekend, should take inspiration from this firm who organises such activities.

You've glossed over the genuine red flag here: playing on ASTRO Turf? Are they playing tape ball? Good God, please share the fim name so that in-house counsel can avoid these people. If they were playing proper cricket on a proper pitch you of course would come off as a standoffish snot for not joining in once in a while. But, under these conditions, I salute your devotion to our beautiful game. Continue your principled refusal to play with these plebians!

I see some contradiction. You mentioned that the associates feel compelled to go and attend the sessions. Whereas in the same paragraph, you mentioned that the game was cancelled due to lack of numbers and also the attendances are never too high. Do not you think that, if there was actually a compulsion, or the associates thought it to be a compulsion, there would be more number of players to participate?

And, why do not you think that it as an opportunity to break ice with the other partners, team members. I have no idea how your team functions, or for that, how are the cricket teams drawn up. But I would hazard a guess that, each team would have members from different practice areas, working under different teams. I think it provides an wonderful opportunity to get to work (play) in tandem with other team/ practice area members, which you may not otherwise get if your practice area is niche or does not require interaction with the members outside your team.

Finally, please stop attributing your own incompetence or others' competence to external factors. I am sure, even if you play each subsequent matches being organised, it would have no impact on your rating/bonus.