I lateraled into a V10 firm and I’m about two weeks in. I expected high expectations and a steep learning curve, but the supervisory dynamic has been concerning.
My supervising partner has repeatedly questioned my competence and has explicitly stated that if things don’t improve quickly, my employment may not continue. There are no written performance issues. These comments have been verbal.
For example, he asked me to confirm the statute of limitations on an issue. I pulled the statute directly from Lexis and provided the answer. He was upset that I did not instead locate the firm’s internal practice document in iManage. There was no prior instruction that internal materials were preferred. The issue was framed as a competence problem rather than a workflow preference.
He has yelled at me. On one occasion he called four times in a row without a clear emergency. During a discussion, I was taking notes on a notepad to capture instructions, and he told me he never wants to see a notepad again. He also told me his six year old son can do things faster than I can.
I raised these concerns with the practice group chair and was told the partner would apologize. An apology occurred, but the comments have continued, just more subtly.
My legal assistant mentioned that the prior associate working under this partner also left because of him.
I understand V10 firms are demanding. I’m trying to determine whether this is normal adjustment friction or a pattern that is unlikely to improve.
My old firm has extended an offer to return so I am just waiting on the letter and I am out. Will I be doing more damage to my career by leaving this quickly? I have a feeling it’s only going to get worse.
I don’t understand what I could’ve done in two weeks to cause him to act this way towards me. Is this something to be concerned about? Or should I leave?
I wake up now with a tremendous amount of anxiety. My chest always feels very heavy the moment I walk into work.
Further context: he saw that I had 103 emails in my inbox. A majority of those emails came prior to my time at the firm and mostly were emails regarding training that I haven’t completed and other stuff that doesn’t concern me and HE WENT CRAZY. It’s like I was talking to a wall he didn’t want to hear anything that I had to say.