Any corporate lawyers about?

[MsMcBeal]

I'm a corporate lawyer in a global firm, based in a regional office and coming up to 4 years PQE.

I've recently returned from mat leave and for the last 5 weeks have had hardly any work to do. Other people in my team have things on but I'm not involved in them (which isn't necessarily unusual). Some of the partners have asked me to join the deal team on a few matters but they've not come to anything. I have been proactive and let people know I'm available to help out but to no avail. I'm starting to feel awkward about recording less than an hour's chargeable work each day... I appreciate that the likely recession may have an impact on deal flow, but others don't seem to be as quiet as I am.

I don't know if it's just a symptom of returning from mat leave but I feel left out I think. I've been WFH for the last couple of weeks because it seems so pointless going into the office.

So as not to drip feed, there is a junior partner in my team that I don't really get on with. We're polite to each other but he very rarely gives me work and seems to favour the other associates. I get on well (I think) with the senior partners and have had good appraisals where I was praised for my technical knowledge.

So my question is, should I start looking for another job? I get approached by recruiters quite often but have always turned down a move - maybe I should be considering it?

My DH (not a lawyer) thinks I should just enjoy being quiet while it lasts but, as I'm junior, I want to learn as much as I can and obviously not doing that twiddling my thumbs all day!

Well, I wouldn't rush into anything- it's only been a month. It's normal to take a while to get into things- some firms are now adjusting bonus targets etc not just to take account of the time you're on leave but the time you're slowing down before and speeding up afterwards.

Other than the junior partner, do you like it there?

What have you said to the partners you work for? Have you told them you're concerned? Can you make yourself useful while you're quiet- any BD you could be doing?

I do rather agree with your husband about making the most of the quiet times, except that as returner you need to get back on people's radars.

What's the deal with your maternity pay if you leave?

Dh is a corporate lawyer (not my specialism) but I know they’re crying out for people. It’s really difficult to recruit at the moment so if you’re not happy I’d start to look around.

I’m a litigator in a large commercial firm. When I returned from mat leave I was very quiet for the first couple of months. Just because the partners are useless at making any plans for your return and just give you new stuff as and when it crops up. So I wouldn’t necessarily take it personally - not yet at least!

Not a lawyer but senior role in corporate finance - when I returned from mat leave it was similar, projects at various stages of completion had no room at the inn and everyone seemed to be busy except me 🤷‍♂️I made sure I had a weekly catch up with my director to let her know what I was up to (not much) and that I was available and documented and minuted all of this so there was a paper trail in case they tried anything funny. Now I look back longingly at those few months wishing I had nothing to do instead of 12 hour days🥺 there’s plenty of reading and acquiring new knowledge in my role so I was able to spend a few hours a day brushing up on stuff so was happy enough to enjoy the relative quiet time.

Will there be a chargeable hours bonus/target that you’ll miss? Did you have a return to work meeting or have a mentor? Is the junior partner actively avoiding passing you work?
Early days but trust your instincts.

I'm with @Riverboatcaptain - relax and enjoy it. Either you'll be awash with work before too long or there will be a recession and you'll (potentially) be potted. A few months is neither here nor there in terms of learning - my legal counsel (I'm a GC in-house) qualified into corporate during the GFC and did nothing for 2 years. Her work is superb.

It's hard to relax about being quiet if you're used to watching the clock, but this still ranks as a blip. Deal activity seems to be stop/start rn and if that changes, I suspect you'll look back fondly at this time. And don't forget to enjoy your LO.

Thanks all.

To answer the questions:

I do like it here but don't feel like I'm being stretched, if you know what I mean? I like that I have a good relationship with the senior partners and feel I could talk openly to them. That would be my major concern about going somewhere else (I worked with some awful partners during my training contract!).

I haven't said anything to the partners beyond noting that I don't have much on. Maybe I should? They get daily reports on my time recording though so can see how little I've been doing.

I've been trying to make myself useful by taking on pro bono work, but it is completely unrelated to corporate law. BD is an area I could explore but I'm not sure what I would do - I don't have any clients of my own and haven't really spoken to anyone recently in the course of a transaction.

I checked the mat pay policy and there's nothing on paying back the enhanced pay if you leave after returning.

We do have a billable hours target. I missed it last year due to being off.

I didn't have a formal return to work meeting (but did meet a few of my team separately for a coffee) and I don't have a mentor.

Re the junior partner, in the last few days he's given me a few non-chargeable things to do which ended up taking hours (so frustrating!). Of course he then took all the credit...

All advice welcome.

To be brutally honest (as lawyers are wont to be) if you are four years pqe and you don’t have any client contacts or know what to do regarding BD and expanding your referral network I would be very concerned as your supervising partner. You should IMO be spending every bit of that spare time and more rectifying this. A lawyer without client and referral contacts at that level in your field is in a vulnerable position.

I agree with •Dannexe• don't sit and wait for clients to come to you.

I wouldnt worry about that at 4pqe in corporate in a large firm with instutional relationships.

It will pick up in time but I'd be concerned about your stats given impending recession and potential associated job losses

You seem a bit irritated that the junior partner asked you to do non-chargeable work - surely that makes sense if you're not otherwise busy? If it were me I wouldn't be WFH all the time in this situation - you know what it's like, when a new piece of work comes in it's easy for a partner to just grab the first people they see, particularly if there is a kick-off call or meeting at short notice. I think it's important to be visible when you don't have much work on, at least some of the time.

In your shoes (and I was), I would first of all have a discussion with the head of your team about your concerns and see what they say. If things don't improve sharpish then start looking for a new job. Staying where you are and not being busy will hold back your skills development, dent your confidence, and probably impact your reputation/success in the firm, as well as your bonus...

Agree with @piscesangel you need to be in the office more than normal, not less. Being visible makes such a difference when it comes to who I give my work to.

Agree, in a large global firm as a corp lawyer you would not be expected to have your own networks and certainly not your own referrals at 4 years PQE.

I agree you should be in the office showing your face more.

I would also make it very clear you actively want more work, not just “I’m available” but “please give me work”.

Is the department busy generally? If they are all quiet then that puts a different spin on things than if you are the only one twiddling thumbs. Though neither is ideal.

I'm in a different field but have returned from ML twice. The first time was awful - at a hearing on second day. The second time was awful - no work for weeks. Now both distant memories. I would sit it out for a while and focus on what you can do for you/your team (whilst noting with someone senior that you have ample capacity to take on more work).

This is very good advice.

Stop WFH in the first instance - we still have staff WFH - well we assume they are but no one remembers to include them in anything as we're mostly back in office. Out of sight, out of mind! Those precious moments connecting at the coffee machine and at the printer really do make a difference.

The OP is in a regional office of a global corporate though. She needs to be working on getting good relationships with local banks, accountants etc. They will be different relationships to those held by the partners but she needs to be working on networking with her peers in those organisations.

As I say this is not my area but in my field in the regional office office of a very large global firm it would be expected. Dh is head of corporate at a very large national and it would also be expected.

Can you return to the office op?

wfh will be making it harder I imagine

I think you have all given me the kick up the bum I needed! The overwhelming advice seems to be to get back to the office, so I will be going in tomorrow! Lots of people in my team are actually WFH just now but I suppose at least if I'm in the office I might have the odd chat with someone at the coffee machine etc.

I will also arrange to speak with my supervising partner to discuss my concerns, and possibly reach out to our BD team for their advice re networking etc. My confidence is definitely shot since being back.

I also think what makes it harder for me is that I didn't really enjoy mat leave - I was happy to get back to work but finding it rather soul destroying at the moment!

Agree with pps, don’t overly stress about being quiet but try to use this time well. Get back into the office and arrange coffees/chats with colleagues, speak to the PSL’s if you have them about updating your knowledge and see if there is any knowledge based work you could do (eg updating briefings or standard docs which you could then use as the basis for preparing client training or similar). And pro bono is great but even better if you can link it to your area in some way. Maybe sound out some recruiters as well if you’re open to a move as 4pqe is a sweet spot.

(litigator in silver circle here)