I'm an A0 who started working in a t2 firm about 6 months back and am struggling a lot. Initially work pressure was overwhelming and I ended up making so many mistakes that I think might have gained a bad impression amongst my colleagues and now I'm not getting any work at all, whereas my colleagues at the same level have been coping and sometimes even are even favoured when being tasked with some work. Plus I'm not a really competitive person either so I don't actively try to (or even like to) be one up on my colleagues. Can seniors comment on a reason for this? Is it my incompetence, stupidity or perceived laziness? All of this coupled with my general anxiety disorder just messes with my brain and puts me in a depressive state. This is a desperate cry for help. Don't know whom to ask except for this community.

Law firms can be overwhelming and not the easiest places at the best of times, particularly in the early years, so don't be too hard on yourself. At the same time, you don't want to be in the same situation 6 months down the line, so it maybe worthwhile to think about why you're struggling - is it the long hours, or the complexity of the work, or a lack of mentorship and training? Each of these may have different fixes. If it's long hours or high octane timelines, perhaps a switch to advisory rather than transaction work would be more forgiving. If its complexity, perhaps considering practice areas where a certain kind of work is repeated multiple times (funds, capital markets) rather than areas which require an analysis of new issues each time (tax). If it's a lack of mentorship and training, then you may want to poll your friends to figure out where the kinder firms/ teams are, which prioritise junior talent. The write off in my books is only someone who doesn't carry seriousness/ hunger into the exercise, and if you're this agitated about it, that's not you. Most of us (including partners) have gone through serious self doubt at various points, and the struggle can be constructive if you work through it the right way. Your first priority should be to find your way back to not hating on yourself.