I’m a first year at a Big Firm, and I’m close to going nuts. I know I’m supposed to be thrilled to even have a job these days and all that, but I’m still pissed. For the past week, I’ve been working with this Partner on some sort of loan/revolving credit-facility modification thing. (Whatever. It’s billable time.) He’s a pretty good guy, but he never really gives me anything to do. It’s like he just wants me to hang out in his office while he works.
So I just sit here like an idiot watching this guy swill coffee, talk on the phone and mark up documents twelve hours a day. I keep asking him if there’s anything I can do to help, and he just says, “Not right now.” Then, when I start to leave, he says, “You should probably hang out here.” What can I do?! I can’t say, “Go to hell!” So I just sit here, doing nothing. It’s so annoying I can’t even think about it. I’ve tried to sneak out a few times, but he always says something. I think this guy just doesn’t want to be alone. I’m like his legal muse or something. It’s so not cool. Then again, I’m not exactly in a position to make a big deal out of it right now. There are way too many associates who have no work, and layoffs are imminent, from what I hear. So, for now, I guess I’m just going to sit in this guy’s office and be his cute first-year cheerleader. But my insides are burning!
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