8 Simple Ways To Know You're At The Wrong Firm

1. YOU DREAD MONDAYS

Do you start dreading going back to work every Sunday night? Is it because you just don’t like the people you work with and the general feel of the place? Or is it because you can’t believe it’s already Monday when you’ve just worked another weekend? Either way, this may signal a bad firm culture fit.

2. YOU FEEL LIKE NO ONE AT YOUR FIRM RESPECTS YOUR IDEAS

Do you feel like no one listens to your suggestions at partner meetings? Do you ever feel like you get the eye roll or get cut off when you’re speaking? Has it gotten so bad that you’ve stopped speaking up in meetings and you’re hesitant to offer your ideas? Maybe you just need a new crowd.

3. YOU HAVE TO DO A LOT OF APOLOGIZING TO CLIENTS FOR THINGS THAT AREN’T YOUR FAULT

Is your firm missing important practice areas that your clients need? Or charging rates that seem astronomical to them? Or are you always apologizing because you don’t have adequate resources to get their work done as quickly as you would like? Any one of these issues can mean that you spend a lot of your time taking the blame with your clients. Maybe it’s time to address these issues.

4. YOU FEEL LIKE NO ONE RESPECTS YOUR PRACTICE AREA OR CLIENTS

Do you feel like your partners are patronizing about your practice area? Are your clients too small to impress them? Or are they in an industry some of your partners think is beneath the firm or not worth going after? Maybe you just need new partners.

5. YOU EITHER DON’T KNOW WHAT YOUR FIRM’S SUCCESSION PLAN IS OR YOU DON’T AGREE WITH IT

Does your firm not have a succession plan and instead rely too heavily on aging rainmakers who keep a tight grip on their clients because they believe they’re going to live forever? Or maybe your firm has worked out a succession plan, but you think they made a poor choice? Is the next managing partner someone you can’t stand, or someone you think can’t handle the job? Maybe it’s time to consider a firm with management you can see eye to eye with.

6. YOU’RE NOT ENTIRELY SURE IF YOUR FIRM PLANS TO KEEP YOUR PRACTICE AREA

Have you noticed that the firm is putting fewer resources into your group and more and more into other departments? No one has actually told you that the firm is planning to cut your practice area, but management is a little cagey when you ask questions. Is it time to see the writing on the wall?

7. YOU’RE HAVING A LOT OF TROUBLE HIRING TALENT AND IT’S NOT A TIGHT MARKET

Have you asked the recruiting director post about that associate opening or start trying to find a lateral partner candidate for your group months ago, but you still haven’t received any qualified resumes? You hear about waves of hiring from your partner friends at other firms. They don’t seem to be having any trouble finding good candidates. Maybe you’re at a firm that can’t attract the team you need?

8. YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE YOU’RE BEING PAID FAIRLY

Does it feel like you’re generating a lot of business and working long hours, but it’s not reflected in your compensation? Are you getting tired of your firm’s opaque compensation calculations that never seem to reward your efforts? It’s not all about the money, but it is a little bit about the money. Maybe it’s time to look for a firm with a different compensation system?

If any of these 8 Simple Reasons sound like the experience you’re having at your firm, it may be time for a change. Gillman Strategic Group specializes in helping partners with established business find the perfect fit at law firms in New Jersey. We would be happy to set up a call to discuss whether there is a better fit for you at another firm.