Ann Israel is the legal profession's Dear Abby. A New York legal recruiter since 1979, Ann is a past president of the National Association of Legal Search Consultants. Advice for the Lawlorn is updated every Tuesday.

Q:I have been working at a large law firm for about six months, but the head of my group within the firm is impossible to work with. He is a prominent attorney who will answer none of my questions and will teach me nothing. He is rude to me, yells constantly and imitates me, yet seems to like my finished work-product.

I am becoming a nervous wreck and dread going to work each morning, never knowing how the day will play out. I work hard, I put in long hours, I do what is expected of me and more. I have worked in two other big firms and have never had an experience like this.

Wreck

Dear Wreck: What an awful situation. No one should have to suffer through something like this. Obviously, your work situation is taking a tremendous toll on you, enough so that you are describing yourself as becoming a nervous wreck and dreading the prospect of going to work each day.

What impresses me is that you are able to maintain your professionalism and are able to produce an excellent finished work-product. (That seems evident, or else this monster would more than likely have fired you instead of seeming to like what you turn in to him.) No question about it -- you've got what it takes.

Surely, you are not the only one in the department subjected to this man's ire, are you? What do the other associates have to say about him? How do they deal with working in this department? Have you spoken with any of them to find out if there is a way to work with this man? What about the other partners in the group? Do they have to suffer with abuse from him as well? Why do you have to work only with him? Can't you work with other partners in the department? Have you asked for assignments from any other partner?

However, as I stated above, no one should have to take such abuse. Unfortunately for you, he is the head of the department, so you have no recourse there in terms of going to speak with the powers that be in the practice group. You have told us that he is a prominent attorney, one that is heading up a department in a large firm, so I suppose it is fair to assume that he is responsible for bringing a good deal of business into the firm. That's going to make it difficult for the firm to rein him in for an associate. In fact, I suspect you aren't the first person in the firm who has been the object of his vitriol, and the management committee is most likely well aware of his behavior. Regrettably, a rainmaker trumps an associate any day.

So, what can you do? Here are your options: You can stay there and grin and bear it. It's an awful situation, but you have only been at this firm for six months, and this is already your third job. You didn't tell us how many years out from law school you are, but the fact that you are needing questions answered and still want to be taught a number of things leads me to believe that you are somewhere between the junior and midlevel side (not that this doesn't occur at the more senior level from time to time, but it isn't generally a complaint as an associate gains years of experience).

If my deductions are correct, you are in a precarious position, having had three jobs in just a few years and, to make the situation even more difficult, just being at the third job for only six months. But, there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

If this "prominent attorney" is as much of an ogre as you have portrayed, his reputation undoubtedly precedes him. Therefore, if you put yourself out there on the job market, headhunters and potential employers probably are not going to be very surprised; in fact, they probably will applaud you for lasting six months!

Before jumping ship, I would meet with the director of recruiting and have a confidential conversation with him or her just to see if there is anything at all that can be done to assuage this situation. I wouldn't be terribly hopeful, but it certainly is worth your time and effort to give it a chance. As I mentioned above, since this is a large firm, perhaps there is an opportunity to work with other partners instead of with this monster. There must have been a good reason that you wanted to join this firm in the first place when you interviewed there six months ago. Maybe this can be saved.

But, in the meantime, dust off your resume (and it shouldn't need much dusting) and start contacting recruiters and friends in the legal community. Get your networking cap on now. Please keep in touch and let us know the outcome of this situation. In the meantime, hang in there -- we're all pulling for you. Best wishes.

Sincerely,
Ann Israel
President, Ann Israel & Associates