Dirty LAWndry reader - “Hilary” - sent me an email recently regarding the antics at her document review project.
“I’m currently working as a contract attorney with about ten other attorneys. If you’ve ever done document review, you know that sometimes people will just not get along. Period. It may have something to do with the low-pay, long hours, meaningless work, and the oppression received from the full-time attorneys and partners that think they’re so much better than us. Anyway, this project is slowly dwindling down, but the firm has decided to keep only three of us for another project. They haven’t made the decision about which three they will choose so everyone is on edge. There are a few attorneys, let’s call them the “tattle-tales,” that will complain about the smallest thing to our boss. For example, they will actually look at documents that others have coded and basically do a re-review of what’s already been done. If they disagree with the coder, they use that as an opportunity to talk to our boss. Bear in mind that none of these attorneys were asked to do this. If they think someone is taking too long of a restroom break, they talk to our boss. If they feel that someone is leaving the review area too much to check phone messages, they talk to our boss. It gets pretty annoying to be watched all the time.
Well, one of the document reviewers must have had enough. She’s a solo and she mentioned before that she has a couple of cases that she’s handling. So, she checks her messages more often to return calls. We have a designated room to make phone calls so that we don’t disturb anyone else. Unfortunately, the walls are made of glass so it’s easy for the “tattle-tales” to keep an eye on us. We can check messages and make calls without signing out as long as the total phone breaks don’t go over twenty minutes. If we go over twenty minutes, we just simply have to sign out. It’s really not a big deal.
Apparently, the “tattle-tales” were timing the solo attorney’s phone call. Two of them had the nerve to bring the sign-out sheet to her while she was on the phone. She continued talking without paying them or the sheet any attention. Our boss wasn’t in at the moment and I overheard them saying that they were going to send an email to our boss about the “phone break violation” that was occurring. They were actually writing drafts and having each other review them before they sent it to our boss. I guess this wasn’t enough for them so they kept walking into the conference room to remind the attorney about the 20 minute limitation. They even left the door open one of the times so she would, I guess, take a hint. She simply got up and closed the door. Well, this angered the “tattle-tales” and the two that originally brought her the sign-out sheet walked back into the room just as the solo attorney was getting off of the phone. She flipped her cell phone shut and then cursed them out. The “tattle-tales” were trying to justify their behavior and stated that they would do it again due to “ethical considerations.” At one point, she said “I will snatch you bald” with her neck bobbing and finger pointing all at the same time. It was so hilarious! Now, they’re trying to get her fired for the “threat.” I’ll definitely keep you updated if you post this.
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