Paranoia or partner problem?
In our latest Career Conundrum, a newly qualified solicitor fears their experienced supervisor may be deliberately holding back their career, despite exceeding targets and receiving praise from clients. Should they stick it out or look for opportunities elsewhere?
“I’m a newly qualified solicitor and I’m beginning to wonder whether my supervisor actually wants me to succeed. I have done well so far, exceeded my targets and have been praised openly by some of the firm’s most important clients. My supervisor controls my workload and often gives me cases that appear to have little merit or are likely to be short-lived. There have also been instances where they failed to pass on a client message while I was on annual leave and allowed me to send a letter containing mistakes after reviewing it.”
“I’ve questioned whether I’m imagining things, but digs and passing comments have also left me feeling they are pleased when things go wrong or I don’t get instructed. My supervisor is an established partner, around 25 years older than me, so why would they feel threatened by an NQ?”
“I could leave, but there’s no guarantee I wouldn’t encounter the same problem elsewhere. I like my firm and want to progress in my specialism, but I’m worried my development is being held back. How do I know whether to stay and persevere or take a chance somewhere new?”
If you have a career conundrum, email us at tips@legalcheek.com.