Mistake at Work

[Peace3000]

I will not get into the details. I made a mistake at work andnotified the partner. I am quite early in my articles but the lawyer blew up on me and started swearing in front of the other partners. I froze up and couldn’t say anything to him. The mistake itself isn’t huge, however it shouldn’t have happened. 
 

I have been having suicidal thoughts since this incident happened last Monday. I’m worried that I will be fired and that my future is now ruined.

I really don’t know what to do, I really need help. I feel like I am going to lose everything. 

Edited February 15, 2022 by Peace3000

[PzabbytheLawyer]

Take a breath.

Your health is more important than this incident. Go for a walk. Get some food you love. Hug a loved one. Cry, if you must. 

Mistakes happen. It's absolutely not the end of the world. Even in the worst case situation here, which won't happen, you are totally fine.

Pm me if you need. You're going to be okay.

[Phaedrus]

Mistakes happen to everyone. 

I don't know the details of the mistake or its potential consequence. However, you're an articled clerk. I doubt you were assigned a high-level, weighty task where failure would expose the firm to liability. I could be wrong, but you haven't been fired yet so I'm doubtful. It sounds like the partner was being, uh, "corrective" in their approach. They could have been having a bad day/week/month and the effort to fix the error could have sent them over edge. Who knows? It's all speculation and not worth thinking about. 

Keep your head down, focus on your work, and take this as a learning opportunity. At least you'll never make that error again (hopefully) 🤷‍♂️

Edit: FWIW, you did the right thing advising the partner of the mistake as soon as you realized it. It was the responsible, correct thing to do. Getting yelled at sucks, but burying/ignoring mistakes can only lead to disaster. Lawyers get reprimanded and disbarred over that shit.

Edited February 15, 2022 by Phaedrus

[Boris]

Both previous posters are in a way better position than I to advise on law-related professional mistakes.

The only thing I would add is: suicidal thoughts should never be ignored (like ever ever). If they keep coming back, or start becoming overwhelming, please do yourself the service of seeking professional help, or, at least, opening up to a close friend or relative.

All the best! 😌

[bocuma]

If anyone yelled and swore at me in front of others for an honest mistake that I informed them of ASAP, I might reconsider whether it was a place I wanted to work at long-term (obviously you probably want to stick it out for articles, but if this becomes a pattern you should be very, very concerned). When people explode like that, don't make the mistake of thinking it's your fault. Yes, you fucked up. But they reacted very poorly, and you should consider what that says about the kind of person this partner is.

[CleanHands]

28 minutes ago, Phaedrus said:

Edit: FWIW, you did the right thing advising the partner of the mistake as soon as you realized it. It was the responsible, correct thing to do. Getting yelled at sucks, but burying/ignoring mistakes can only lead to disaster. Lawyers get reprimanded and disbarred over that shit.

I unfortunately am not able to provide the more fulsome response the OP deserves right now, but this is something I agree with, I wanted to say, and I wanted to expand on.

What I wanted to add is that articling students make mistakes. That is to be expected. It is why articling--working under the supervision of a trained and experienced lawyer--is required rather than fresh JD grads immediately hanging their own shingle.

@Peace3000- You had the integrity to take responsibility for it and notify your superiors about it, and that's what matters and it reflects positively on you. You shouldn't be punished for having integrity or taught to be afraid of being held accountable. Every articling student makes mistakes and any decent principal will recognize that and want to encourage you to seek them out and figure out how to fix them when that happens.

[OntheVerge]

100% agree with @bocuma - people shouldn't explode like that over a mistake and if they do, it's still not your fault. Even if you did make a mistake. I articled in a toxic place where my principal used to berate me over everything that went wrong, including things completely out of my control. Like one time they were running late at court, and were trying to call me to bring them something from the office. Except they were calling me while I was underground on the TTC, heading to work. When they did get a hold of me (ten minutes after they'd originally tried), they screamed at me for not being available and then went on a 15 minute lecture about how I had to have my phone on me at all times. I tried to explain that I was literally underground and didn't have service, and was told to stop making excuses.  I felt like garbage, the constant stress made me physically ill, I was paranoid of making ANY mistake no matter how small, and was incredibly depressed. 

I say that not to compare or minimize or marginalize what you're going through, but to confirm as others have said that having someone scream and swear at you over a mistake is NOT normal and certainly isn't your fault. Articling students make mistakes. Lawyers make mistakes. Almost any mistake is fixable. And if not, then as an articling student, you shouldn't have been put in a position where you could make a mistake that wasn't fixable. You are learning, that's what articling is. 

Reach out for counselling, talk to your peers and friends, and try to realize that the reaction to your mistake was uncalled for.

Edited February 15, 2022 by OntheVerge

[AHLALA]

Sorry to hear that. In my few years in the profession, I have made my fair share of mistakes (and I'm sure other members of this board have and could share), including sending extremely sensitive information to the Buyer on the day of the closing of a >$100M deal we have been working on for almost a year - which caused the whole transaction to stop for several hours until the clients worked it out amongst themselves and making mistakes that caused tens of thousands of write-off; sent wrong documents; made wrong calculations, presumed the wrong things, ...

I have never been yelled at. Not by anyone. Most of the time if went along the lines of "you learned something today, if you do it again, it will be a mistake".

Making mistakes is normal, screaming at an articling student for making one is not. 

[123]

1 hour ago, Phaedrus said:

Mistakes happen to everyone. 

Exactly. Perfection sometimes feels like the expectation. But it isn't the standard. When you tally up every note, every call, every email, every document read, every piece of advice, lawyers are sometimes doing hundreds of little tasks throughout a day. You exercise as much rigor as possible. You develop habits to prevent mistakes, and to catch them as soon as possible. But eventually, you'll eventually miss something or say/do something wrong, and it will cause a problem. All you can do is deal with it as best you can. And if it can't be fixed, that's why lawyers are required to have insurance: because we make mistakes. 

[ZineZ]

2 hours ago, AHLALA said:

I have never been yelled at. Not by anyone. Most of the time if went along the lines of "you learned something today, if you do it again, it will be a mistake".

Making mistakes is normal, screaming at an articling student for making one is not. 

I also don't see the point. All you're doing is making the student/employee more hesitant to come to you in the future. Why would I trust a principal to act in my best interest when their first reaction is to yell at me for a mistake? It's both toxic and counter-productive. 

[PzabbytheLawyer]

2 minutes ago, ZineZ said:

I also don't see the point. All you're doing is making the student/employee more hesitant to come to you in the future. Why would I trust a principal to act in my best interest when their first reaction is to yell at me for a mistake? It's both toxic and counter-productive. 

Well. It's why these firms don't retain talent. And why the profession suffers from a great deal of stress, because a lot of places are toxic like this.

[QueensGrad]

Try as hard as possible to do something to take your mind off work. I think exercise is the best way to de-stress, especially after this sort of experience. 

At the end of the day, the partner is ultimately responsible for the file. They have a duty to properly supervise you, and they have no basis to yell at you/berate you no matter what the mistake was. The standard in the legal profession is not perfection--not even at the large Bay St firms. Literally thousands of mistakes are made everyday. The important thing is that, as others have mentioned, you immediately brought it to the attention of the supervising lawyer. The absolute worst thing to do is try to cover up a mistake as it will almost inevitably lead to worse consequences than whatever the mistake was. 

Sometimes lawyers will blow up because they need to blow off steam, but come back apologetic later on. I have seen this happen more than once, and they are usually remorseful when they do so. If that does not happen in this case, you should try to move on from this firm ASAP. It is a stressful profession, but a lack of apology is a sign of a sociopath, not a normal, stressed out lawyer. 

Is there anyone at the firm - a partner or associate mentor, for example - that you can talk to about this? If so, you should do so immediately and outline how you are feeling. You may feel powerless, but the bar is small and word travels quickly. The bar does not react well to hearing about this sort of thing, nor does the bench. I expect the other partners will be quick to address any concerns you raise with them, at least for reputational reasons. The fact that it was in front of various other partners is extremely humiliating and the other partners should not tolerate such conduct. They have a duty to provide a harassment free workplace. Humiliation, yelling, and berating is generally unacceptable in any workplace. 

 

I would also direct you to the LSO Member Assistance Program, which provides mental health counselling services. My PM's are open. 

[infoinfoinfo]

1. Everyone makes mistakes from time to time. Even the partner who yelled at you.

2. You should always admit your mistake as soon as you're aware of it.

3. You won't get fired / not be hired over a mistake.

4. The beauty of a law firm is that it's full of partners. As you get more senior, you could literally just reply to a partner that you'll never work for him again in reaction to his screaming and you'd be just fine (and it would be his loss). 

Edited February 16, 2022 by infoinfoinfo

[Peace3000]

Thank you everyone so much for replying. It means a lot that you guys took the time to write this for me. I have been worried sick since last week and your posts helped me get some grounding. 
 

Per your guys advice I’m going to get out of the house and try and eat something and maybe try exercising after. 

 

[asdflolfa]

POV - a legal assistant/junior paralegal who has seen many lawyers (associates and partners) react in a similar manner. 

As much as I hate to say it, this reaction from the partner seems to be pretty normal. I do think it requires a certain amount of "thick skin" to be happy working in this profession. I hope you find comfort in knowing that several mistakes are made on a daily basis, several arguments are had, and legal staff/articling students are yelled at several times in a day/week. You are most definitely not alone in feeling upset because one of the lawyers decided to take their frustration out on you. On a positive note (or maybe not so positive), you do eventually become numb to the "toxicity" of the environment.

This all being said, your health and happiness should ALWAYS be your priority. Everyone should set their limits and if you feel as though this experience has surpassed your limit, perhaps it's time for you reconsider your placement and seek other opportunities. This mistake does not define you and your capability to "succeed" as a lawyer. The important thing is that you communicated the mistake (which I 100% the correct thing to do always) and now you can learn from it. Your future is not over. In fact, you have just begun and there are plenty more mistakes to be made!! Be kind to yourself and please know that you are not alone in feeling these feelings. 

Disclaimer: I do not think it's normal for the partner to react in this manner. My intention of mentioning that the partner's reaction "seems to be pretty normal" was to simply bring attention to the fact that legal staff/articling students are known to be treated rather poorly and so I hope that the writer does not feel alone in sharing these frustrations. From my own experiences, I have seen a few articling students leave the firms I have worked at because of this exact reason and so I would definitely encourage others who are unhappy with their situation and considering the possibility of seeking other placements to not feel discouraged. 

Edited February 16, 2022 by asdflolfa

[CleanHands]

4 minutes ago, asdflolfa said:

As much as I hate to say it, this reaction from the partner seems to be pretty normal. I do think it requires a certain amount of "thick skin" to be happy working in this profession. I hope you find comfort in knowing that several mistakes are made on a daily basis, several arguments are had, and legal staff/articling students are yelled at several times in a day/week. You are most definitely not alone in feeling upset because one of the lawyers decided to take their frustration out on you. On a positive note (or maybe not so positive), you do eventually become numb to the "toxicity" of the environment.

I agree with (most of) the paragraph that follows this but I have to push back on this paragraph normalizing this behaviour or suggesting that it should be tolerated (to the extent that it is within the recipient's "limits," which--intentionally or not--implies that taking issue with this equates with weakness). To the extent that it's common, that's unfortunate. But that doesn't mean that it should be expected or tolerated.

FWIW I have worked as a law student in firms, government, and clinics, I have made loads of mistakes, and nobody has ever yelled at me or insulted me (on the contrary, they have put their valuable time and energy to use investing in me, teaching me, and building me up when these things happen). The only difference between me and some other students is that I've been fortunate in where I've worked and who I've worked for and with, but I want anyone reading this to know that positive work environments do exist in this field and it's not unreasonable to expect or ask for.

[PulpFiction]

26 minutes ago, asdflolfa said:

As much as I hate to say it, this reaction from the partner seems to be pretty normal. I do think it requires a certain amount of "thick skin" to be happy working in this profession.

First, to @Peace3000 - hang in there, you'll be just fine. It takes guts to express yourself like this, especially when you're feeling down and vulnerable. Don't let that one mistake define your entire experience and how you carry yourself moving forward. Be confident in yourself.  You're a soon-to-be lawyer and you've earned everything you've accomplished so far. That partner's reaction was uncalled for, regardless of what mistake you made. There's a difference between a stern talking to/providing constructive criticism and doing what they did, and I'm hoping the other partners noticed that and addressed it when you left. 

Second, @asdflolfa - this is brutal. I must have been extremely lucky so far. I've never been yelled at, nor has anyone I've worked with, from lawyers, students, or staff. 

Good luck, OP. 

Edited February 16, 2022 by PulpFiction
removed the swearing :)

[asdflolfa]

46 minutes ago, CleanHands said:

I agree with (most of) the paragraph that follows this but I have to push back on this paragraph normalizing this behaviour or suggesting that it should be tolerated (to the extent that it is within the recipient's "limits," which--intentionally or not--implies that taking issue with this equates with weakness). To the extent that it's common, that's unfortunate. But that doesn't mean that it should be expected or tolerated.

FWIW I have worked as a law student in firms, government, and clinics, I have made loads of mistakes, and nobody has ever yelled at me or insulted me (on the contrary, they have put their valuable time and energy to use investing in me, teaching me, and building me up when these things happen). The only difference between me and some other students is that I've been fortunate in where I've worked and who I've worked for and with, but I want anyone reading this to know that positive work environments do exist in this field and it's not unreasonable to expect or ask for.

Apologies as I should have been more careful with my wording. Definitely NOT suggesting that such behavior should be expected or tolerated. Simply sharing my own experiences! I 100% am not normalizing this behavior - I have simply found it to be quite common and therefore pretty normal behavior, based on my own experiences. I just hope others don't feel alone in being frustrated or upset in similar situations. 

With respect to my point on setting a limit, I think this applies to any relationship/environment. Naturally, every job comes with its ups and downs. There may be colleagues you are not too fond of or an office with a horrible view. At the end of the day, you need to assess if the environment is too negative for you. 

[Healthygarden]

On 2/15/2022 at 6:32 PM, QueensGrad said:

I would also direct you to the LSO Member Assistance Program, which provides mental health counselling services. My PM's are open. 

I second this. I use this and find it helpful. If you try it and it's not for you, I'd canvass other mental health supports that are available to you (i.e. maybe your firm/school/insurance provides such plans). What I liked about the LSO's counsellors is that they counsel others working in the legal field, so they know the macros of what you're going through.

Plus, I figured if the LSO is taking THAT much money from me, i better be using those services as much as i need to.

Lots lots of hugs. As others have said, this is an indicator of whether you want to stick around post-articles.

[carlill]

You're damn good lawyer, as you had the integrity, decency, honesty, and guts to notify the responsible lawyer of your mistake. Do not under-estimate how big a person you need to be to do this, particularly when you are articling. 

I've seen people try and cover up their mistakes...it doesn't go well.

The reaction to your honesty by the partner concerned conveys more about that partner, and their current state of mind, than you.

I've also made many mistakes big and small over the years, so welcome to the club.

[Peace3000]

Update: My boss has continued to behave with me this way and got in my face again and asked me to resign. Not sure what to do as I was going to start counselling through the law society. Unfortunately, I suffer from problems with drinking and I started back up again a few days ago too. My anxiety levels are through the roof right now.

I am thinking that I will now have to find a job that pays around 70-80k to pay off my loans....I am unsure..I can't think logically right now.

Please anyone who was fired from articles, please let me know what happened to you.

 

[CleanHands]

12 minutes ago, Peace3000 said:

Update: My boss has continued to behave with me this way and got in my face again and asked me to resign. Not sure what to do as I was going to start counselling through the law society. Unfortunately, I suffer from problems with drinking and I started back up again a few days ago too. My anxiety levels are through the roof right now.

I am thinking that I will now have to find a job that pays around 70-80k to pay off my loans....I am unsure..I can't think logically right now.

Please anyone who was fired from articles, please let me know what happened to you.

 

There are Law Society rules about termination of articling arrangements and your employer can't do this cavalierly over trivial mistakes. You need to talk to the Law Society; this is above the forum's pay grade. Although I would completely understand if you have no interest in completing articles at this firm.

I'm very sorry to hear what you're having to deal with.

Edited February 23, 2022 by CleanHands

[GGrievous]

I can’t even imagine what kind of unhinged asshole would behave that way towards someone new to the profession that they’re meant to teach. I really feel terrible when I hear these stories, there’s enough stress in the stakes of the work itself, I couldn’t even imagine having your own team adding to it in such a savage way. 
 

I’m a 1L so this may be naive, but isn’t going to HR an option in these situations? 

Edited February 23, 2022 by Barry

[bocuma]

3 hours ago, Peace3000 said:

asked me to resign

Articles are different than a regular employment contract (I think...), but in a regular job being asked to resign is basically the employer saying "I want to get rid of you without cause and I want you to make it easy for me." Whatever you do, don't let them force you to resign until you have a clear picture of what your rights are in this situation, and what the effect of your resignation would be on you.

Also, have you considered paying for counselling out of pocket rather than waiting for Law Society counselling? Frankly, you are in a situation where you can approach therapists and tell them you're in crisis, and they might be able to fit you into their schedules very fast. Worth considering IMO.

[Snax]

3 hours ago, Barry said:

 

I’m a 1L so this may be naive, but isn’t going to HR an option in these situations? 

Unfortunately, many (most?) law firms don't have an HR department.  The closest thing to that may actually be the Partner whose disgusting conduct is the issue.