K&E partner's stupidly aggressive email on ATL

[Anonymous]

I think biglaw is douchey, but I don't see an issue with this email. It's harsh, but yeah, big law lawyers know what they're signing up for.

[Anonymous]

What a dickwad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Let me spell reality out for you real quick?“

This reads like an email to a fraternity about the hazing plan.

Yes. And addressing your colleagues as "folks" is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

This is nothing compared to some emails my boss (partner, chair of our PG) has sent. The firm has made him take mandatory anger management classes and classes on dealing with his subordinates. Compared to him, this email is pretty mild.

[Anonymous]

I don’t work in big law, but I don’t see anything wrong with this email. The people whose hours were fine last month can disregard it and the people who had low hours now know the situation and what they need to do to avoid being first in line for layoffs. If there is work to do and you are not doing it, you are expecting someone else to do your share while you still get paid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t work in big law, but I don’t see anything wrong with this email. The people whose hours were fine last month can disregard it and the people who had low hours now know the situation and what they need to do to avoid being first in line for layoffs. If there is work to do and you are not doing it, you are expecting someone else to do your share while you still get paid.

But why include those to whom this doesn't apply? Fear? Power play? Remind them who's boss? Remind them that they are ALL expendable?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t work in big law, but I don’t see anything wrong with this email. The people whose hours were fine last month can disregard it and the people who had low hours now know the situation and what they need to do to avoid being first in line for layoffs. If there is work to do and you are not doing it, you are expecting someone else to do your share while you still get paid.

But why include those to whom this doesn't apply? Fear? Power play? Remind them who's boss? Remind them that they are ALL expendable?

I'm OP and that's exactly my issue with the email. If you have a problem with certain people, raise it with those people. When I was a junior associate, this email would have curdled my blood even if I was meeting billable expectations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In literally any industry this is incredibly demoralizing and patronizing and borderline abusive. How anyone would think this is appropriate is beyond me.

I was a “non-lawyer” in a big firm and if you think it’s bad being an associate, try being a “non-lawyer”

[Anonymous]

I spent 10 years at KE and I bet no one was surprised by this email. They don’t care about anything but the billable hours. When I was there, if you didn’t bill 2100 hours annually you were screwed. Some billed 2700 hours per year. Leaving them was the best decision I ever made.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In literally any industry this is incredibly demoralizing and patronizing and borderline abusive. How anyone would think this is appropriate is beyond me.

I was a “non-lawyer” in a big firm and if you think it’s bad being an associate, try being a “non-lawyer”

Amen!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In literally any industry this is incredibly demoralizing and patronizing and borderline abusive. How anyone would think this is appropriate is beyond me.

I was a “non-lawyer” in a big firm and if you think it’s bad being an associate, try being a “non-lawyer”

Amen!

+1

And this email doesn’t seem any douchier than any other day to day contact at a big firm. I’ve never seen more miserable people in any one place before in my life...

[Anonymous]

Meh. I didn't think this was that terrible. I'd never work at K&E because I've heard its a fairly brutal place, but the lawyers there make a lot of money even by large law firm standards. And I don't have an issue with sending this to everyone - even if I was hitting my hours, I'd much rather know what was up, than continue on not realizing this was how leadership felt. And the fact is, this is an attorney talking to other attorneys - a certain degree of bluntness is expected. At law firms attorneys are the top of the heap, and are paid accordingly, so the expectations are higher. Its not like he sent this email to the staff. Rude email, absolutely, but I'm not going to weep for people making 300K a year being told they need to work the amount they signed up to work.

[Anonymous]

You can tell the guy sending the email is just a miserable d-bag and that the only way he knows how to deal with his misery is by bringing everyone down to his level by sending vaguely aggressive emails to more junior attorneys. If they have work they need to staff, there are plenty of ways to find out who should have time without going the extra mile to reinforce a culture of fear and loathing. But it’s K&E so maybe they all get off on that type of abuse, who knows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can tell the guy sending the email is just a miserable d-bag and that the only way he knows how to deal with his misery is by bringing everyone down to his level by sending vaguely aggressive emails to more junior attorneys. If they have work they need to staff, there are plenty of ways to find out who should have time without going the extra mile to reinforce a culture of fear and loathing. But it’s K&E so maybe they all get off on that type of abuse, who knows.

People who succeed at Kirkland live for this kind of crap. They think it’s a good substitute for character, personality, and actual hard work. Nearly everyone I’ve known who’s been through that place is a disaster in some way or another, from SPs on down.

If I were a client the absolute last thing I’d want is the work produced at 2am by some basket case associate billing nearly 3000 hours a year, but that PPP is very shiny and they make it work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's the email if you don't feel like clicking the link - horrible.

"Folks,

Just hung up with some of the restructuring SPs. There are some huge cases coming in and they have no staffing. Thanks to everyone for stepping up so far on cases.

For those that aren’t fully occupied right now, and are not on a single restructuring matter because they have been hiding, let me spell out reality for you real quick. I am seeing a ton of money being left on the table on the matters coming in and I have seen all of your hours today (from most junior associate through SP). Am pretty shocked and the math is not going to work out well for you at the end of the year.

Bacon and Larson will continue to staff folks below SP over the coming days/weeks, I will be calling SPs personally. Given the market you should feel extremely lucky to be in an institution with too much work. That doesn’t mean you have an annuity here. If you get a call or don’t have enough to do, I suggest you grab a restructuring assignment ASAP and roll up your sleeves. If it was me in 2008 I would be pre-emptively calling Doug or Adam after you read through the end of this note. This isn’t a gravy train where you can just chill and be along for the ride.

Andy"

THAT is what OP refers to as “stupidly aggressive”? And some loser shared with ATL. Wow.