legal professionals

[Livia]

Just got one a few minutes ago! Manila folder paper cuts are the worst! Mine's not a bleeder, 'tis merely a flesh wound.

Neosporin gets used a lot around here!

[Betsy]

^^^

Oh God, yes! File folder cuts are MUCH worse...wide and deep.

As for the filing -- that would royally tick me off. I hate dumping grounds (aka burial grounds) because ... a funeral soon follows.... or us wishing we were dead.

[amber]

Originally Posted by Betsy

FYI My comments are the RED ones....and Amber's are in black. (OK, so I ain't smart enough to use the multiple quote thing... So hire me a Ledge tutor, ok?)

I enjoyed your post Amber....you should have posted sooner. (And good luck on the Bruce Tix.)

Thanks.
Two things - They aren't unconscious or hungover, as they are perfectly capable of greeting each other, and talking to each other - I just apparently have the invisibility cloak.
Also - The lawyers are personal injury, so we charge by % of recovery.

I've basically gotten used to it, except I told guy in charge of me that if stupid lawyer has anything to yell about in the future, he should take it up with him.
Also, this morning, no good morning again.

[JazmenFlowers]

omg, I hate Trial Director.

[Betsy]

Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers

omg, I hate Trial Director.

Is that a new video game for lawyers?

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by Betsy

Is that a new video game for lawyers?

ha! I wish. maybe it would keep them busy for a while.

it's basically a fancy projector that they can take and show off how high tech we are. problem is, for all that to look spiffy and snazzy I have to spend the time getting the documents into the program, then push out portions of depo text, highlight this, underline that, redact this portion, put these 2 pages together, etc. it's just miserable. I hate it.

[Betsy]

Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers

ha! I wish. maybe it would keep them busy for a while.

it's basically a fancy projector that they can take and show off how high tech we are. problem is, for all that to look spiffy and snazzy I have to spend the time getting the documents into the program, then push out portions of depo text, highlight this, underline that, redact this portion, put these 2 pages together, etc. it's just miserable. I hate it.

Just pretend it's a boring MySpace page...

[skcin]

Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers

^^^
the lunch thing? yep, I've seen and heard that happen a lot.

as for the tantrums, etc. by attorneys...that's a law office for you. there is no other profession like working in a law firm.

Sure there is - working in a hospital or medical office. Except the tantrums there are usually thrown by doctors or crotchety nurses. I should start a medical profession thread....

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by skcin

Sure there is - working in a hospital or medical office. Except the tantrums there are usually thrown by doctors or crotchety nurses. I should start a medical profession thread....

yes! a friend of mine and I were discussing this not long ago. the comparison between attorneys and paralegals vs. doctors and nurses is probably very similar.

[skcin]

Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers

yes! a friend of mine and I were discussing this not long ago. the comparison between attorneys and paralegals vs. doctors and nurses is probably very similar.

Well, it has gotten better over time. Way back in the day nurses were there to assist doctors & that's about it - old textbooks actually instructed a nurse to give up her chair if a doctor enters a room & might want to sit down.

I'm lucky because at my office, nobody's really on a power trip, so nobody feels the need to belittle anyone. But I've heard tales - charts being thrown at people, getting yelled at in front of patients, etc.

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by skcin

charts being thrown at people, getting yelled at in front of patients, etc.

this would happen once.

as I always say, "they can repossess all my ****...nothing is worth being disrespected"

[Livia]

One of my guys just put this in a letter:

"I’ve reached that age at which one should always makes notes of conversations, because my retention of such details lags considerably behind my sustained ability to generate them."

That's his fancy way of admitting he had a senior moment.

[skcin]

Originally Posted by amber

So then, there are lots of times I could have said something here in this thread. But - at first I told Paula about the big problem with my office. She said it wasn't that serious. But then I told some friends, and some relatives, who were all dumbfounded and suggest I find a new job, now!
But it's all mellowed out somewhat. Or I've gotten used to it and lowered my expectations.
My office is very small. A couple of the people there, nice otherwise, won't return my greeting when I say "good morning!" directly to them. Like, they literally don't answer, though it is clear I am talking to them.

A couple other different ones(people) ask everyone (um, 4 other people) if they want lunch, but then don't ask me. Usually people all eat lunch together. All five of them. But these couple people don't even give an obligatory "what do you think about lunch, Amber?" or "I'm getting burritos, do you want something?"
Weird. But the non good morning people are very good about the lunch, they always ask me, though I don't usually get lunch with them (sometimes). And one of the non lunch guys always wish me a good morning if he sees me.
So, what does that mean? That the "good morning!" gene is incompatible withe the "do you want some of our lunch?" gene? C'mon!


There is one guy who doesn't do either, and he is an ass. He's the one who gives me random lectures about things like answering the phone, when he doesn't know what the hell he is talking about. He is the bully, pushy, assy lawyer. He likes to talk to people as if they were 10, about things they have already been doing for 10 years. He also likes to raise his voice about them in the office, while intimating that you are "unprofessional".

Look, man, you are really mad at me about something stupid and yelling at me in the office - who's really unprofessional here?
Then this one time recently the same guy threw a big baby fit with yelling and stuff in the office. Like he was 5. With stomping and stuff.
So, basically, I just wrote him off as a baby/bully. He has that jock guy voice from highschool, too. In fact, he IS that lame jock guy from highschool, but now he's a lawyer. Faaaantastic. He's also my age. But so the last time he was "yelling" at me about something I was smiling. Cause he was so ridiculous. Then he said "you think this is funny? This isn't funny!" so I had to play nice. There's no point in arguing with an illogical bully. And it's really too bad that he isn't smarter, and doesn't know what is going on as much as he thinks he does, or hardly at all. It's sad because he acts like he does. I just figure he is the type of guy who likes to yell at people, ie, a BULLY. He'll find any reason. Amend that, he'll find any reason for someone he thinks is beneath him. He's probably frustrated that he isn't in a big firm where he can yell at subordinates regularly.
Then, later, everyone else is all "I don't know what is up Chris's butt!(that's his name)" to me.
Nice. In that, the whole office knows he is just a big baby.
It's kind of sad, cause he is a scorpio, and I usually like them. 2 others in the place are scorpios, too, but one is a nice "non good morning" one, and the other is a "good morning, but I'll ask everyone but you if they want lunch" one.
Whatever, you know?
These aren't as bad of problems as Jaz, or someone, in that I'm not that overloaded with work. But it is bad in that I go into the office with a normal professional attitude and way of treating people that is regular, but that doesn't apply here. So I have to navigate these stupid emotional waters, that mean nothing to me. As in, what kind of asshole wouldn't say "good morning!" to their coworker when that worker said it first, and also, what kind of asshole would ask everyone in your 6 person office what they wanted for lunch except you. It would be different if it was a huge office, but among only 6 people, to ask everyone but one, that seems like a weird slight. And I'm not the most politest person ever, so if even I know these basic polite work etiquette rules, shouldn't they?
Serious playground mentality. Among people who are old enough to know better.
On the upside, I can find anyone's **** that they are ever looking for. Also strange - if you have a whole FILE, why do you have to just set it on top of the filing cabinet instead of opening that one drawer and placing it in its alphabetical place? It's not hard, it's the alphabet, clearly labeled. And I know for a fact that these people have extra time on their hands. They spend half their workday chatting with each other. About lunch, a lot.

So, what, you can't open the drawer with the corresponding alphabetical letter and replace the file? You act like you're so smart, and you have tons of time to chat, but you can't take four seconds to open a drawer? I guess ordering fried chicken for everyone but me has worn you out. Or, maybe complaining for a million years about something the boss asked you to do wears you out. So much so that you can't comprehend the workings of the drawer, or the concept of an alphabet.
Yo, fine. It makes me have a job. But you're still lame.
The worst part is, in this office, it could be so much more efficient, but no one can take this step. And I could, but I can't. I barely even have a computer. But I have lots of ways they could overhall their **** to make it better. But they are all just stuck in their stupid rut. And if they can't ask me about lunch, or answer my good morning, they certainly can't take on my efficient suggestions. And when I have presented my efficient suggestions, they have all said "yeah, we know, but the boss blah blah" This is the boss who is rarely there, and who is lame, and who everyone makes fun of.
The problem is, they are all fixed signs, scorpios and aquariuses, and they'd rather sit on their heels then work to change anything.
Before any of you get alarmed for my livelihood, don't worry, I don't present too many suggestions in a pushy way. I do, but then when they explain, I kind of back off. So far. I mean, they don't even invite me to lunch, I'm not equipped to change their computer/record keeping system. No, I am equipped, but as you may have noticed, they aren't as receptive as one would hope for. It could cut into their lunch deciding time.
Imagine me having efficient ideas for a whole office. And yet, I am not a slacker compared to them. And yet, they will clearly not do what I say, or suggest. They can't even invite me for lunch, or return my cheery "good morning!"
Man, if I ran that office, they would have even more time to talk about lunch, or chat with each other!!! I tell you what!!

Remember, all you seasoned legal professionals, this is my first legal job. I'm craving more responsibility, I want to constantly have the problem of too many deadlines and too much work/responsibility.

Whatev, I'm just trying to get good Bruce tickets....

So they're still really jerky, huh? That sucks. It seems like they just don't like you, for whatever reason. You're the "new girl" right? Perhaps you don't fit into their clique. While it makes your work environment sucky, I wouldn't let them know I was bothered. Never let them see you sweat. Or just walk up & say "why can't you just be polite & reply to my greeting? Jerk."

[JazmenFlowers]

I really hate attorneys. god.

I may have discussed this, but anyway, I spent pretty much all of the week before last prepping for trial and getting stuff together for the Trial Director presentations, etc. it was a long, horrible ordeal. I ended up staying here til like 7 each night while the attorneys went to the supper club upstairs and drank wine. anyway, fast forward. they settled yesterday. basically, we got what we wanted. the attorney that went to trial came back and sent an email to the head partner to tell him how things went and said he couldn't have done it without the support of...yeah, you guessed it...the other attorneys that helped him. of course word trickled down. he thanked those attorneys that basically sat around and drank wine while myself and a secretary actually put all the docs together so that he could make his presentation and "win" this case. asshole. w/e.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by skcin

So they're still really jerky, huh? That sucks. It seems like they just don't like you, for whatever reason. You're the "new girl" right? Perhaps you don't fit into their clique. While it makes your work environment sucky, I wouldn't let them know I was bothered. Never let them see you sweat. Or just walk up & say "why can't you just be polite & reply to my greeting? Jerk."

I'm the type that would practically scream, "Good MORNING!" and wave my hands around until I got noticed. Which would also get me in trouble.

Or answer myself. "Good morning, Amber, how are YOU today?" More trouble.

It is SO tempting to do that. I can get away with it with certain attorneys and staff members, but there are a few I wouldn't DARE speak to that way.