New York Lawyer
February 14, 2002

Q:
It�s taking me a long time to make partner. Recently a junior-ish partner clued me in that the senior partner I work with most closely is viewed as an out-there kind of guy, very strange, etc., who doesn�t politic and has made some enemies. This is despite the fact that he is universally regarded as brilliant and has some big clients.

I�m puzzled by this and really infuriated that by merely doing good work for this guy, I�m tarred by the same brush -- one that I think is very unfair. Because of how this partner is perceived I�m not necessarily doomed but things aren�t going to go as quickly as they would otherwise, my junior partner source told me. To me this looks like pure politics. Why can�t the partners look beyond this and do what they ought to do, given that I�ve killed myself putting in hours for clients, I�ve brought in business, etc.?

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A:
You are definitely known by the company you keep. And you can�t count on others to go through the reasoning you�ve gone through, valid as it is. People make assumptions about who you pair up with, and you need to be realistic about those perceptions.

Here�s how to deal with this issue: First, you need to decide whether you really want to make partner at this particular firm. This may not be something you feel you have the luxury of considering, given the investment you�ve made in the place. But consider whether you can stomach the level of politics within the firm (it will only get worse once you are a partner). Similarly, if you have a genuinely high regard for the senior partner you work with, it may be you value different qualities than others in the firm � and again, that would only become more apparent when you were a partner.

If you do want to stay with the firm, you need to put some air between you and the senior partner, either by working more with others or by publicizing your accomplishments as aggressively as you can. That way, you can start to advance the idea that while you have worked with the outsider, you�re not his clone and shouldn�t be judged in the same manner. You may need to be straightforward about this: �I understand that some people view Roger negatively. I admire his accomplishments and have great respect for his legal abilities, but I am my own person and should be judged accordingly.� You don�t need to be disloyal to your mentor, but you do need to pro-actively establish yourself, relying on concrete facts such as the clients you�ve brought in, the amount you�ve billed, etc.

As for your ultimate question, whether the partners should look beyond such apparently political matters, you can argue that a few ways. It�s fair enough that people should decide whom they want to be partners with. If your mentor is a pain to work with, maybe he�s more trouble than he�s worth. By the same token, the litmus test should be about what�s good for the firm and clients in the long run, rather than whether you like sitting around the lunchroom with the guy. And it�s certainly unfair, when judging you, for the partners to look no further than the company you keep. They have a responsibility to evaluate you according to transparent criteria that helps prevent cronyism.

Sincerely,
Holly English
Principal Consultant, Values at Work