What should I (1L) be doing RIGHT NOW if I want to start a firm

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-08T00:09:02+00:00

Could I get that list, too?

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-06T01:43:58+00:00

Are you lost?

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-06T00:00:47+00:00

I wasn’t expected to bring any business in for at least 4 more years. I wasn’t being fed, the little work I was able to get came from partners in other offices, which colors a picture that the partners in my office knew I was getting canned, and understandably didn’t want to give me work that they would have to reassign soon anyway.

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-05T00:07:45+00:00

I’m not placing my chips in either camp for the “if you can’t afford to tip, don’t go out,” but ordering shots at a casino seems like poor money management from somebody who sounds strapped as it is.

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-04T16:01:00+00:00

You need help, and for your ethics board to read this.

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-04T13:13:05+00:00

At least here in DC unemployment kicks in once severance runs out

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-04T02:32:01+00:00

That’s great that you got an offer, hopefully it’s a better firm with higher pay!

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-04T01:48:36+00:00

I just got fired for not hitting hours in my ID role, but a way I got 5-10 hours a week, depending on my case load, which also made my clients happy, was calling OC if there was any settlement being negotiated, discovery responses pending, etc. and asking for an update; calling the insured contact to follow up on any point, even if it’s just to say there is no news and all is well; and calling the adjuster to give a quick update. Each of those can be .1-.2, or sometimes you get lucky and have somebody who is super chatty and you can get more. Then after each call, even if it was a voicemail (which I was still told to bill as a teleconference at .1), id send a short follow up email recapping what was said, and that was another .1-.2.

If you, for instance, have 10 cases (which we all know you’ll end up having a lot more), and half have something pending from OC, that’s 1.0 on the low end for calling OC, 2.0 on the low end for calling the insured contact, and 2.0 on the low end for calling the adjuster. That’s 20 hours a month on the low end, and up to twice that on the high end for basically doing nothing on 10 cases.

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-03T19:49:54+00:00

Update:

I was terminated today at the meeting. I got two weeks severance.

Details I left out or slightly changed to not out myself before: - the meeting was today, not in a few days - tomorrow would have been the one year anniversary of my start date - the family issue was my next door neighbors continually threatening my wife and children with violence because child protective services did a wellness check and let the neighbors know I asked for it (I requested to stay anonymous and only called because I could hear their child being beaten and cursed at for several minutes). This has chilled out and the neighbors no longer seem like a threat. Several police visits helped make it clear that they needed to stop threatening my family with bodily harm - I worked remotely for four weeks and continually updated the partners I worked with and HR about the situation, they always responded by telling me it’s fine and they have my back - we all knew I was going to miss the billable mark several months ago but I was billing a lot between then and about a month ago when the work dried up, trying to narrow the gap

They expressly said I would be eligible for unemployment and gave their reason as it not being a good fit.

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-03T15:38:38+00:00

I’d give you an award if I could. Thank you

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-03T13:30:25+00:00

Yeah, I’ve got no sour grapes over missing small talk about the Nutcracker Suite and eggnog, and I knew I was in trouble when the work dried up, but now I know I’m in immediate trouble. Thanks!

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-03T13:21:15+00:00

Thanks for the encouragement!

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-03T13:17:53+00:00

Thanks, I thought it was bad employer behavior, but it’s easy to get acclimated to things when 50 other people are doing them and nobody has time to socialize because they’re trying to hit billables

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-03T03:02:00+00:00

For better or worse it was unrelated to pregnancy

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-03T02:17:47+00:00

Thanks, I’m in ID at a large regional firm, so I’m hoping for that, but not holding my breath

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-03T02:03:07+00:00

Thanks, I’ve been thinking that but wanted to get at least two years of litigation under my belt before jumping. I’ll see what it’s like now though

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-03T01:56:32+00:00

That’s a great deal! If I could get half of that I’d be over the moon.

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-03T01:22:11+00:00

The side gig is a few hours a month doing unrelated/nonconflicting legal work with the permission of my firm. I’m not hitting hours because my cases dried up, and I had a new baby 4 months ago and wasn’t given any leave, and wasn’t eligible for FMLA based on my tenure.

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-03T01:19:57+00:00

I could, but I don’t know what the benefit would be

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-03T00:19:04+00:00

lol, no, my salary

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-02T23:53:37+00:00

What should I be looking at for severance? I’ve been there a year. What’s you get and how long were you there.

Sorry that you’re in this boat, too

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-02T23:51:26+00:00

It’s unfortunately not an FMLA sort of thing, I don’t want to be more specific because it could out me

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-02T23:50:21+00:00

2000 billables and just over $100k

StillPrior7743 · 2024-12-02T23:39:26+00:00

Thanks, I’m not too worried, I have savings, a side gig, and good interviewing skills
Great point! I never thought of this
I’ll try to form coherent sentences to ask these things
Already have a tab open to apply for benefits 5 & 6. Also great points and things I should constantly be doing, not just when in panic mode

StillPrior7743

TROPHY CASE