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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I sent an email to a coworker and addressed her as "Larla." She wrote me a reply to my email (addressed me by my first name) and told me to address her as "Dr. Smith."

Is this crazy or normal? I don't know what her degree is in, but we work in an engineering field. I'm asking for future reference. I do work with a lot of people with doctorates and advanced degrees, but haven't ever had anyone rebuke me before when I called them by their first name. No one else goes solely by their last name at work.[/quote]

I have a PhD in a scientific field, and my guess is that you pissed her off. I didn't read all the pages of PPs but I did read something about you wanting something from her in a professional capacity because you're doing some litigation. In that context, I think it's appropriate for you to have started your communication with her by using her title. She would probably then have finished her email with her first name, in which case that's what you should call her moving forward.

However, if I had a snooty lawyer (especially someone I perceived to be an arrogant kid) send me a pushy email that basically gave me a list of tasks that she expected me to complete, I would probably finish my email with Dr. Larla Smith, PhD. and also take my sweet time doing the stuff (if I did it at all). I would assume that it would be clear that I think you're a little bitch, and I wouldn't care, but I'd definitely expect you to continue referring to me by the title that I'd earned if you seriously expected me to help you. I can't for a second imagine doing that if a nice lawyer/coworker sent me an email for the first time politely introducing herself and asking respectfully for my time to gather some stuff together to help her with a case.

Personally, I've never requested that anyone call me Dr. Smith. But I've never encountered any pushy lawyers either.

P.S. If you meet her socially though, and you saw other people calling her Larla, I think it's appropriate to call her Larla too. Unless she stops you and asks that you use her title in which case you've DEFINITELY pissed her off... but I guess at that point you could just call her whatever you wanted. Just don't write her emails asking for favors anytime after that ;)[/quote]

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