Friendly colleagues but unfair management tactics in tough times - Associate VWV Employee Review

The billing targets are ok, which is manageable when there's sufficient work. The problem is what happens when there isn't. At junior levels, fee earners are quietly expected to go out and generate their own work, or look for it internally — something that doesn't appear anywhere in the job description or was raised at interview. There is an assumption that work will always be there (which is why they recruited you!). More concerningly, when a team has been over-recruited and/or work dries up, management's approach to managing people out is deeply unfair. The tactics used are indirect and, frankly, questionable — rather than being straightforward about the situation, the firm creates conditions designed to push people toward the door. When work was readily available, I was the golden child of the team. As soon as it dried up, I was the first to be 'managed out' If you're considering joining at a junior or mid-level, go in with your eyes open: your security here is only as stable as your team's pipeline.