I know a ton of nice lawyers and a few--more than I'd care to--abusive lawyers. The lawyers I can't stand don't live anywhere around here. If I'm lucky, I won't ever have to see them again, but they are out there...lurking in the shadows. This raises the question: how do you deal with bullies you work with?
Like all great lawyer answers/non-answers, it depends on the situation. If you work for a bully, then it is difficult to fight back. Fortunately, I am a partner, and I don't have to allow someone to be nasty to me. While I am respectful, I can fight back.
It wasn't always that way. I worked for a firm in another state, and I won't name the firm. But one of the people I worked with. Let's call him "Jerry." Well...Jerry didn't have what we call in the South "charm." If there was an opposite of charm, that was Jerry.
I won't menace words: Jerry was (and still is I'm sure) a raging asshole. Since my job was largely remote, this required me to communicate mainly by email. Jerry said many, many sharp things via email all of which I still have in my possession. Of course I kept copies. Jerry should have known this. I'm a litigator--he wasn't really--so of course I keep things. I kept everything.
You never know when it will be useful.
I realize telling someone to f-off may not be an option. I did that in a nice way to Jerry, and then I left. So, that's not likely a solution.
What I do think a solution is tell someone about it, and keep all the evidence of it. You never know when it might be useful. As for Jerry, the statute of limitations still hasn't expired.
