Feeling Underappreciated?

Corporate law firms have never been a great fit for the rebellious. With a few exceptions, the culture demands that associates never challenge the firm or senior partners. So what to do if you’re a senior associate and feeling underappreciated? Can you have “the talk” without blowing up your (less than stellar) prospects? Carrie Heller, the president of the Heller Group Legal and Executive Search, says associates do have these types of conversations, and the best way to get results is to go in there prepared. “Make sure you have a clear picture ...
Corporate law firms have never been a great fit for the rebellious. With a few exceptions, the culture demands that associates never challenge the firm or senior partners. So what to do if you’re a senior associate and feeling underappreciated? Can you have “the talk” without blowing up your (less than stellar) prospects?

Carrie Heller, the president of the Heller Group Legal and Executive Search, says associates do have these types of conversations, and the best way to get results is to go in there prepared.

“Make sure you have a clear picture of your numbers, your hours, your reviews,” she says. “What have the partners been saying about you? Do you deserve to be recognized? Be ready to talk about your business-development activities over the past couple of years, and bring a business plan for the future if you have one. You want to come to the table with all that information.”

Adam Lepofsky, president of RainMaker Group, says there’s another important element you need to bring to the table: self-awareness. “If you’re feeling underappreciated, why are you feeling underappreciated? The best thing to do is to take a good look at yourself and ask whether there’s anything you could be doing better, or whether there’s anything you may be have done in terms of the way you handled something or in your growth where you were disappointed. Then perhaps the conversation can begin with you talking about what you want to improve on.

“If you’re pretty realistic about what you consider to be your pros and cons, you’ll be able to show a level of maturity and self-awareness that will give you more credibility with those that can make important decisions about your career. You don’t want to come across as a whiner.”

Lepofsky says if you’re going to have the talk, make sure you’re mentally prepared for some difficult truths. “Be ready to hear something you don’t want to hear and have a plan B and a plan C in the event it doesn’t go your way. You also need to be able to target the right audience. Go to the wrong person, or the right person at the wrong time, and that could be career-ending.”

If you do end up resorting to plan B, Christopher Sweeney, president of ZSA Legal Recruitment, says it’s important to make a graceful exit and not leave enemies strewn behind. “What we recommend is people don’t rush out of their existing position,” he says. “Don’t hand in your notice and expect to leave in a matter of days. Recognize that your departure will cause disruption in your existing firm, which can make people angry.

“Try to leave on the best terms possible, because you never know whether you might have to go back to that firm someday, or your paths might cross on files. So try to make it as pleasant a process as possible.”

Heller has one final piece of advice for those hoping to stay with their firm. No matter how tough the conversation gets, don’t talk about leaving the firm.

“If you offer somebody an ultimatum, something along the lines of: ‘If you don’t recognize me I’m going to start looking elsewhere,’ that can certainly have a really negative result.”