Blog Week 95: Enquiring minds going round in circles.
Sunday 16 September 23.07
I got a call on Friday from some media person in another office. I have to make sure a couple of our senior lawyers are available tomorrow for rent-a-quote comments (apparently something will be announced). It was unclear what exactly I am supposed to be doing. I have a feeling I am someone's insurance policy in case something goes wrong.
Monday 17 September 23.11
No blizzard of calls, emails or any other enquiries. Old Timer said it was expected really: why should our rent-a-quotes be any more interesting than the main players? So just another day with a couple of evaluation interviews mixed in.
Wednesday 19 September 00.43
As the evaluations are starting to peter out some interesting issues have emerged. Of course the issue of pay levels is foremost in everyone's mind. But that is to be expected. I'll have to write more tomorrow, feeling so tired at the moment. Probably something to do with this cold changeable weather.
Wednesday 19 September 23.12
Superficially one issue is to do with pressure. Apparently some lawyers, when feeling the pressure of their work, take it out on their support staff. Or at least that is one half of the story.
Generally this issue does not arise with the more senior lawyers as they have the more established support staff. (Both would say they have got to know each other, or "broken" each other in, over the past years and so usually everything goes swimmingly.) Yet it is a touchy subject to raise with certain lawyers as there is a bit of a catch-22 situation. Less senior lawyers normally have the newer support staff or the ones that no one wants to work with. And that is the real problem: the problem support staff perform worse as they have less experienced lawyers with something to prove. These lawyers look to switch support staff asap and the support staff lose confidence knowing no one wants them. Some people are getting dizzy from spiralling (mostly in the wrong direction).
Thursday 20 September 22.48
The evaulations are over. Thank god. Compared to last year's, I wonder how much progress has been made. Issues are identified - but there is not the will to act upon them. Perhaps our office is not so unusual like that.
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