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:Last October, I joined a firm with around 250 attorneys, with more than 200 located in New Jersey.

About a month ago, 15 attorneys out of 40 left the New York office. Since then, I have been unable to get consistent work, and the main partners I work for have not responded to e-mails nor requests for face-to-face meetings.

I am aware that the majority of the firm got raises (how much, I am unaware of) in December, and another is possibly scheduled -- each of which I have been left out of.

I have just begun the search for another job, but what can I do in the meantime to obtain meaningful work? Is there a way to approach a partner and ask all of these questions?

Dear Looking for Answers: I don't think you have to look very far for the answers to your questions. I don't want to be harsh, but it seems to me that everything you want to know has been answered for you already.

Let's take a look at what is going on in the New York office of your firm. Close to 40 percent of the office walked out about one month ago. Ever since then you have been unable to get consistent work -- are you getting any work at all? Or are you just sitting in your office staring at the walls?

I suppose I can understand why you aren't getting any new assignments -- with such a large percentage of the firm gone, the partners who are left probably are doing the work themselves in order to keep their own billable hours looking decent. There must be a lot of scrambling going on that office right now.

However, you really need to face up to the writing on the wall when you believe that the majority of the firm received one raise in December with another to come soon, and you didn't receive anything. Couple that with the fact that the partners aren't responding to your e-mails and/or requests for meetings, along with a lack of work, and it would seem to me that you are being told that you are not really wanted at the firm any longer.

You are very wise to get going on your job search. I wouldn't be so concerned about trying to get meaningful assignments going right now because it seems to me that the firm is definitely trying to tell you something. You have asked if there is a way to approach a partner and ask your questions -- well, I suppose you could storm a partner's office and demand an answer as to why you are being treated in such a way, but what do you think you are going to accomplish?

Quite frankly, not having much to do right now gives you a chance to focus on your interviews and not have to come up with a lot of excuses as to why you are not at work. And by accepting the fact that the partners don't want to deal with you and not accosting them or putting them on the defensive will put in you in a position to ask to use them as references when you do receive a job offer.

I do believe that you need to accept what they are telling you by their actions at this time. I'm not saying they are right by the way they are acting; I'm just telling you to face the reality of the situation and step up your job search. By the way, you don't have to worry about what to say to potential employers -- I am certain that most interviewers will be aware you are looking for a new firm because of the massive departures that occurred in your office just last month. Best of luck!

Sincerely,
Ann Israel
President, Ann Israel & Associates