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2007-08-27 - 11:54 p.m.

HA HA HA HA HA HA


OK Perhaps this is evil of me. I am usually such a GOOD person (honestly) that I KNOW I should be having so much delight at this:

I note that the lawyer I was working with for that one week (Or should I say DIDN't Work with as she gave me no work) IS NOT WITH THE BIG DC firm anymore...
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

You see I can find the CASHED page which USED to have her name, and PARTNER next to it....

She had joined the firm ALONG WITH HER CLIENTS.... a lot of them... which just amazed me at the time as I was not impressed by HOW LONG she talked on the phone and rambled on about mundane things, repeating herself over and over.... and I thought "Boy I can ramble in my personal writing, or e-mail... but it is usually relevant at least!" and I wondered if BILLABLE HOURS encouraged such inefficiency.

I recall listening to the paralegal spend about 4 hours trying to correct an error of filing a case to the wrong processing center.... It was humorous to me at the time as this duo was acting like I had no skills.

So now I know the reality was exactly what the other paralegals informed me of that "they are having trouble adjusting to the culture of our firm. We are usually very friendly and WORK Together."

I knew the paralegal was so afraid of being fired

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

She was brought on with the lawyer.

I had been brought in to REPLACE HER....
They hadn't TOLD her that.
But she figured it out.

I think they didn't realize the LAWYER was on thin ice as well...

HA HA HA HA HA HA

I did feel better when I left that job for some things. Like having learned how to work with Immigration Tracker.

Like having read everything on Visas for NURSES (as I never did one of those) since they didn't give me WORK to do, so I read Shusterman's site daily.
I felt better when the Paralegal asked "What's AILA?"

I felt better when she tried to expose me as someone who didn't know what I was doing and she gave me these "tests" -- but I passed each one.

In any case, I recall the Attorney in that Immigration Practice group come over to me and ask how it was going on Friday of that week. I honestly told her it would be better if they would give me some damn work to do, as I love Shusterman's site, but I can be reading that at home. She said "If they don't give you anything Monday morning come see me"

I think she was sincere.
I think she was aware I knew my stuff.
She knew me. So did her paralegal. I had attended AILA training with both of them...

OOPS... that was revealed in front of the paralegal who was "training" me to work with her on day two when The attorney who I just happened to know from that firm stopped by my desk to say hi. I knew her, but what I think I didn't realize was that shooting the breeze with her that day nailed my coffin in the death of that job.

I realize now that made me all the more threatening...
SO
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

I can't wait to send my resume off to her now! If she needs a paralegal I am sure she will call me.

I totally got along great with all the REST of the lovely people who worked there. I think their office manager did respect me when I answered her questions about how it was going honestly and said "I doubt anyone going into this position can succeed.
The lawyer and paralegal WANT them to fail... as they are threatened by a new person working in that group"

I might not have had experience at a large firm before, but I have had extensive management experience so it wasn't hard to see the big picture.

OK, the evil delight is gone now... I am back.... I really do think it somewhat funny, but also somewhat sad that the big firm likely courted that lawyer, she bit the bait and came along and carried her clients with her and now is gone. I wonder if she moved with her clients again, or if the big firm got to keep them.

Based on what I saw, I would venture a guess that she didn't read that employment contract all that well.

But hey... who I am to make fun of that!

In any case, the fact that attorney is gone is a blessing for me! It means that the fact she didn't want me after the first week as a temp is likely to not be as much of a hindrance to my career as I thought.

As far as a long term career move, in the end, this might miraculously be a HUGE blessing!

I think I should now be able to go back to that firm and negotiate a paralegal job at a higher rate than I was hired at last year-- since now Robert Half won't be a middle man taking a cut of the pay.

HA HA HA HA HA HA

The thing is, I REALLY was honored at the thought I might have an opportunity to work with the other attorney at that firm. The head of that practice group is someone I could learn so much from.

I couldn't have landed a better opportunity, so I was so disappointed that it did not work out. I am going to try again though... and this time I know a few more things than I did before such as:

Don't let on I am smart to anyone training me. I might be seen as threatening then

When asked "Do you have children?" figure out SOME polite but evasive way to get around mentioning I have SIX children. Once I answered that question I was suddenly suspect as if having children sucks a mother's brain out....

They assumed I couldn't do the work, so then wouldn't give me ANY.

Off to bed now... its late and I was really just suppossed to job and house hunt for a brief while before bed!I got caught up in that as typical.


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