I recently started working at a T1 law firm. It was all well apart from the usual problems (over-worked with DDs) in the beginning. However, after about a month and a half, a new partner joined my team. He was unusually nice to me and even offered to do my extra work for some reason (gave to others). Other A0s make snickering remarks about it behind his back and on my face. Does he think I'm too incompetent to do anything and will I get fired? Has anybody else also experienced this? The amount of work I get now has substantially reduced to the point where sometimes I just sit and watch modern family after 7 in the office to seem busy. For context - I work in ▮▮▮ and I am a female (21) from a T1 law school who got a PPO from the firm. I don't think that the firm has less work by any means. Then why am I not getting overworked anymore? Is this a sign? Please help! It's sunday and I don't have any work left to do. Please tell me something!!!!

I keep asking. It's not like I don't have work not just the same amount I used to. It gets over by 6-7 pm and Idk what else to do. To be fair I used to be done by that time earlier as well but I'd ask for more work after that and get it asap. So id be working till 11-12. Now when I ask for more work after 6-7, I get work the next day.

May be you are being paranoid.

Can't comment upon the team dynamics as I do not know anything about it. Did you have more people join the team? Has he repeatedly criticized your work but ended up giving up, hence is icing you out? Or may be he is someone who is a staunch believer of WLB. Does he behave in the same manner with your other colleagues?

I was going to suggest he is likely a garden-variety misogynist, and then you chimed in with your little ageist comment. So perhaps he's identified your reflexive disrespect for a diverse workplace and decided to let you gaslight yourself into another firm. Sounds like that might happen in (checks watch) about a month.

Hi! I'm sorry for framing my response like that. I meant that it would be v gross considering there is a significant age gap. I understand that one may flirt despite age gaps but idt that is the case here. Some people at the firm also think so but he has not made any inappropriate remarks etc so I don't want to lable him as such. I just want to get more work and idk how to get it. Sorry

If other ppl also think he could be flirting, please be very careful. Senior lawyers can be very frustrated people, and having barely been there for their family, most of strained relationships. It can be very easy for them to become predators and flirt with juniors by 'making their life easy'. I understand it seems gross for you, it is, but mostly, it's also an abuse of power (if that is what he is doing). Wishing you all the best

It was the same with me at a T2 firm last year when another associate at my level was getting involved on a lot of mandates and I was being left out. I was primarily doing miscellaneous research for the partner to help him with his articles and business development.

I told the partner that I wanted to get involved in the billable work and not dedicate my whole time to the work I was being made to do. Slowly everything got back to normal.

Hope the same happens for you.