Since I don't have children, I don't have the possibility of the terrifying realization, while yelling at my kids, that I've become my mother. As an apparent substitute, I realized that I've become the senior associates I always didn't understand. Why were they so impatient? Why did they need things so early?
As it turns out, they needed things "early" because it takes time for them to do their jobs so that the partners can do their jobs. And, you never want to give it to the partner with only a couple hours and/or requiring the partner to pull a late night to get something done. Its annoying and rude. Live and learn.
Last week, we had two drafts due on an important project. The deadline on Friday was rather important. On Thursday evening, at a not-late 6:30, I sent an email to a junior associate requesting two citations for our deadline the next day. Two hours went by and I received exactly no response. This was not the first time that this particular junior associate had blown me off, hell it was the second time that week. Another senior associate had been his champion but he came over to my side after being blown off last week as well.
So, I decided to send a crappy email. I even invoked the old tried and true saw "the Firm gives you a blackberry for a reason" in telling the junior associate to respond to me, even if it was to say that he wasn't near a computer, and advise me of when I'd have what I needed. An hour later, he responded with "first thing in the morning." In his world, first thing in the morning in 9:45 am.
These kids these days.
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