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A Partner’s Wet Dream

associate cover.jpgRemember that scene in Ferris Bueller where Ferris’s mom is home a little early and gently opens the door to his room? With the pulleys and the mannequin and the sound system Ferris is able to convince his mom that he is in his bed comfortably sleeping.

With a little ingenuity Perfect Plush could give associates the necessary cover for the long lunch. According to the company, this plush doll already has many of the skills of a successful associate:

He’s at your firm. He’s the guy who walks around late at night to make sure he’s the last one there, and will do the same an hour later if someone else is still working. He sends unimportant emails at 1 a.m., just to let everyone (especially the partners) know he’s still billing. He will corner the summer associates and tell them a war story about his latest deposition (even though he has only taken four in his six year career). He will be sure to let everyone know just how many hours he billed last month and where he stands for the year.

If it comes with a fake-laugh track, we’re pretty sure partners won’t know the difference.


Perfect Plush

Comments

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1 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:20 PM

pretzels

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2 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:23 PM

El Segundo

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3 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:24 PM

more pretzels

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4 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:24 PM

What next? Elie hawking his "I won ATL Idol" T-shirts from cafe press?

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5 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:26 PM

um, this sounded like it might be an okay post, but the thing is only 15" tall. therefore, it couldn't sit in my chair and pass for me whilst i take a 2 hour lunch because i have nothing to do.

mystal=failure. yet again.

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6 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:27 PM

huh?

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7 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:31 PM

Hil. Ar. I. Ous. Or not.

-Gallion

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8 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:33 PM

This post clearly illustrates how much ATL has deteriorated.

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9 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:34 PM

And here is the latest:
New from Perfect Plush, "Perfect ATL Editor."

He posts intelligible nonsense about topics vaguely related to the law. Occasionally, under the name "Hope Winters," he stretches these topics over several posts, leaving the readers hanging in complete indifference between posts. He spices things up with typos and grammatical errors. He is 15" tall.

So whether you are getting a gift for someone who knows him, sending a message to someone that they are him, or YOU are him, The Perfect ATL Editor is the perfect way to bring a smile to anyone reads ATL, writes for ATL, or simply enjoys having a good laugh at the expense of ATL.

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10 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:37 PM

Calabresi's penis is bigger than that damn doll. Will never work.

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11 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:38 PM

The blog is somewhat funny. Like anonymous associate.

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12 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:40 PM

ATL is finally dead. Lat better change course and fire this chump. His writing is horrible. Most of the time, I have to read a post several times in an attempt to comprehend the subject matter. It's like he starts in the middle of the story.

I would bet a month's paycheck that ATL's page hits and ad revenue are sinking fast.

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13 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:42 PM

And how is it a "a partner's wet dream" for associates to have a doll that gives them "the necessary cover for the long lunch"? Shouldn't that be "an ASSOCIATE'S wet dream"?

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14 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:45 PM

it's like a train wreck. You can't look away. sad.

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15 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:46 PM

Can we get back to GULC and UPenn State?

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16 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:48 PM

UPenn State Tech was recently GULCed in the polls by Gretta VanCrumpleface.

UVA2L

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17 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:53 PM

What idiot sends emails at 1:00 a.m. to look like he's still billing. You want to kiss ass like that, try Outlook's 'send later' function. Luddites.

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18 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:54 PM

Lay off me I'm starving!
Most of you just like to bash Elie for the sake of doing it. I can't stand the spelling errors either, but this post wasn't that bad.

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19 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:56 PM

I do not want my children to be exposed to the abomination that is GULC. Vote for Prop. 14 in your next election and lets do something about this scourge of the educational system.

Tadge Choadely

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20 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:57 PM

GULC me two times.

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21 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:58 PM

OK how much was ATL paid to make this blatant advertisement look like its own thread?

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22 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:58 PM

yep, that sounds about right....

Most partners judge associates on perceptions because their metrics for "progressing up the ranks" are completely phony and most partners do not want you to become partner.

Basically, the current system of extreme subjectivity in judging associates during review allows only the "old boys" to progress - with plenty of made up reasons why not to promote many qualified people.

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23 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:59 PM

I used to come for the articles; now I just skip to the comments to see when the first time "Suck it MysTTTal" is used.

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24 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 4:03 PM

I'd be pissed off if an associate e-mailed me at 1:00 am. Unless there is an urgent client matter, working that late simply shows that the associate has terrible time management skills and is likely too tired and stressed to produce a quality product. This type of associate is also more likely to burn out and leave than someone with a healthy work-life balance. If I'm picking an associate to work with me for a client who's going to be around for several years, I'm choosing the associate who will be around that long as well.

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25 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 4:05 PM

Incomprehensible yet again.

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26 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 4:08 PM

Suck it, Mystal.

Very truly yours,

The UPennState Polytech Glee Club

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27 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 4:11 PM

From the post's title, I was expecting it to be another thriller from Barack Winters. CAN'T WAIT.

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28 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 4:11 PM

Um, 24? Where do you work? Associates inerested in maintaining a "health work-life balance" do not last more than a few years at any firm I know.

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29 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 4:16 PM

24 -- Get in line with Mystal and suck it. Now wipe my ass.

The Ass of Cravath

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30 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 4:21 PM

24 reminds me of an associate I knew who left the office every day at 6 and boasted about his ability to "maintain a work-life balance and still get stuff done." That associate also chose to work from home a lot because "it's only document review and partners at this firm don't care about face time." That associate also took a full three weeks of vacation, since "the firm's vacation policy is three weeks." That associate lasted for 1 year.

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31 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 4:27 PM

30, what does "lasted" mean? Was he fired? Was his work not up to snuff? Did he find something better to do?

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32 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 4:31 PM

Lasted = Face GULCed into submission.

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33 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 4:36 PM

31,

It means a partner noticed and had a conversation with him -- something along the lines of "We need to find you something else to do."

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34 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 4:39 PM

31, 30 here. Lasted = terminated. I haven't the slightest as to whether his work was up to snuff, but the partner who gave him the heave-ho pointedly asked him to find a single partner who would vouch for him, and he was unable to do so.

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35 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 4:40 PM

24 = bitter service partner, probably in a Wealth Mgmt. or "Climate Change" practice group

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36 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 5:09 PM

17, the send later or "do not deliver before" function in outlook will delay only delivery, it does not alter the time stamp, FYI.

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37 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 5:18 PM

"With a little ingenuity Perfect Plush could give associates the necessary cover for the long lunch."

Mystal, you fat moron, you need a comma after ingenuity. Harvard education ftw?

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38 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 5:20 PM

30/34 -

I'm sure the guy was heartbroken to go, too. Somehow, I doubt he's out on the corner sucking dicks to make his BMW payments.

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39 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 5:52 PM

30: By "healthy" I didn't mean "pleasant" or "normal" work-life balance. I just mean get home enough, watch enough House, and have enough sex that you don't become an insufferable douchebag.

Billable hours are like sausages and laws. Partners don't want to see how they get made. If you're going to bill insane hours, put in some face time, but don't let your partner feel guilty about how much you're at the office. They might be willing to trade a little bit of profitability for getting to feel like they're a nice and generous boss. They probably won't actually become nice or generous, but they'll want to feel like they are.

And remember, some partners are going to be living vicariously through their younger associates, or will want to take on a father/mentor/big brother role (look for partners with children who just left for college). If this is the case, spending all your time at the office is going to make them feel like a failure.

Boasting about how little time you spend in the office is just stupid. It's annoying and red flags your work (and billable hours) for extra scrutiny.

Billing insane hours is more valuable to the partners who don't know you but get the benefit of your work. At a big firm, you contribute very little to any particular partner's paycheck, but can have a much larger impact on their emotions.

-24

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40 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 6:00 PM

Booo! It doesn't come in "diverse."

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41 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 6:47 PM

The headline should read " A Partner's worst Nighmare." I am just saying.

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42 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 6:49 PM

My[sic]tal

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43 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 8:17 PM

pathetic. bring back exley.

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44 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:28 PM

Lame

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45 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:26 PM

I wonder what's on TMZ...

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