Joseph, The Partner Who Got Fired - Part 2

Part 1.

Joseph was very nice initially. When I first started working for him, I noticed pictures in his office of two little girls. He told me that his daughters had just gone away to sleepaway camp for the first time. Someone else told me that Joseph was on his third marriage. He had a cell phone (this is 2000-2001) that he carried around with him at all times. Wife and children called on there - almost never on his work line.

Joseph had a shit-eating grin he'd flash, and I recognized it because I also have one. A good shit-eating grin will get the other person to smile back at you. You'll get mine when we're being silly, when I've come up with the most ridiculous and outrageous idea. Joseph would flash his when he wanted you to agree with or believe him. Mine is always genuine. Joseph's was never genuine.

At some point Joseph went away on vacation. Right before he left, Joseph gestured to me to come talk with him in his office. "It's nobody's business where I am or that I'm not here, okay? So each morning, I want you to open the door, turn on the lights, turn on my computer. If anyone asks, you can just say I'm at an out-of-office meeting." Ever the consummate professional, I said alright and walked away.

Every morning while Joseph was on vacation I opened his office door, turned on the lights, and fired up his computer.

Let's just stop and talk about the door. Joseph kept his door closed. Most attorneys don't. They close their door when they're with a client. They close their door when the hallway is loud, or when they need to concentrate, or just when they want to send a message to their coworkers that they don't want to be bothered.

There is security in law offices. I've never EVER gotten to live out the cliche of running after someone screaming, "You can't go in there!" You will have to trust me when I tell you there was no reason for Joseph to always be closing his office door.

But whatever. I did what my boss wanted. Attorneys need to account for their time. Law firms require this, even for partners (especially for partners since their time is worth more money). In some firms lawyers are fined if they do not submit their time. They get strongly worded e-mails from the managing partner. Paychecks are sometimes withheld. Entering time is serious business.

There are codes when entering time. Vacation, sick day, CLE (continuing legal education), training, etc. So while Joseph was on vacation I entered the vacation code in the time management program. So he wouldn't get fined or receive angry e-mails.

When Joseph returned from vacation and saw that I'd done that, he got very angry at me. "I told you it's nobody's business when I go on vacation! Erase the codes!" I apologized, erased the codes, and explained that his time had to be accounted for, that Accounting would be calling if I didn't enter something. Joseph stood firm.

Naturally, Accounting called. I went to talk with them in person. And you know what I did? I threw Joseph under the bus, and told them he insisted I not put in any time for those days. When they pressed me for further information, I apologized and said they should speak with him directly. So they did. And Joseph stood in the hallway and yelled at the head of Accounting, that he was a PARTNER and would not be told what to do. When it was explained this was a firm policy for all lawyers, not just associates, Joseph stood firm.

The managing partner's secretary called me about time entry. I told her I was instructed not to enter any time for those dates. Julie, the secretary sitting next to me, kept laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. Ultimately, the managing partner actually DID come down the hallway, and they had a closed door conversation. When they came out the managing partner looked right at me. I'd temped for him and thought he hadn't liked me, but as our eyes met, he smirked and rolled his eyes.

Well alrighty then. I was just happy to know it was understood that I didn't screw up. Because that's a common secretarial screwup - to forget to enter time for lawyers.

Oh, let me toss in another thing for you to know about Joseph. On one hand, I had an awful desk - it was right in front of the bathrooms on that floor. But on the other hand, it was a great location. Why? Right across from my desk was the conference used for partners meetings, executive committee meetings, etc. So I often knew what was going to happen at the firm before it happened.

Joseph knew that this conference room, right next to his office, held these meetings. And he came right up to me and said in a joking manner, something along the lines of, "hey, if you hear of anything I'd be interested in knowing, remember who you work for." Yeah, I remember - I work for the firm.

A few weeks after Joseph said this to me, he had an interesting client meeting. It was wrapping up in the hallway when another partner happened by and caught the end of the conversation. Once Joseph had walked the client to the elevators and come back, the partner asked about the case. Joseph gave him a shit-eating grin and told him, "Sorry. Attorney-client confidentiality."

Okay. This is not right. When you become a partner in a law firm, it's like becoming a member of a fraternity (or sorority!) - you're all in it together. So this was a HUGE slap in the face. It was also ironic, considering Joseph had asked me to feed him confidential information.