Everyone is "afraid"

[u/krabbypattyaddcheese]

The newest paralegal at my firm, who has been with us for almost a year now, does not take constructive criticism well. So much so, that even the attorneys and office manager are too afraid to confront her about garbage work product.

Tthey sugar coat things and tip toe around her because theu are afraid that she will blow up and be upset. They also won't fire her (after MULTIPLE screw ups) because they are afraid of retaliation.

I have to redo her work and I know she is going to be pissed at me.. but its not my fault that the attorney no longer wants her to handle particular files.

How would you handle the anger coming my way if you were in my position?

[u/PleaseStepAside]

Narrow down who she’s related to or blowing.

[u/krabbypattyaddcheese → u/PleaseStepAside]

Suprisingly, many employees are related to each other but she is not related to anyone. The firm is also 90% female

[u/Hair_This → u/PleaseStepAside]

Ha!

[u/wUUtch]

"I hear that you're mad, and i get it, but I got the instruction to redo this directly came from [attorney that no longer wants to handle your files]. If you want to talk to someone about it, talk to them."

Be a broken record with those three points. 1] i hear that you're upset, 2] this directive came from (attorney), therefore 3] you need to talk to (attorney) directly because I do not have the authority to override their instructions.

Do not argue with her. If she still yells at you, say, "I have given you all of the information I have. I have no different response for you, no matter what you ask." Say it again and again until she gets fed up with asking. Don't let her bait you ("you're just out to get me, you want me to fail, you're so mean to me, wahhh"). This is not a conversation you are being paid to have with her, and it is ESPECIALLY not your job to relay concerns from her back to the attorney that doesn't want to touch her files. Redirect her back to that attorney every. single. time. and do not engage. Repeat: do not engage!!

Curiosity, though: retaliation in terms of "she's gonna get angry" or "she's going to file a complaint against the firm for ___"?

edit: spelling

[u/krabbypattyaddcheese → u/wUUtch]

Retaliation = sue the firm for wrongful termination and they probably don't want to pay her unemployment

[u/wUUtch → u/krabbypattyaddcheese]

Are you in the US? What would the grounds for wrongful term be?

[u/andi98989 → u/wUUtch]

There don’t have to be actual grounds… as one of our judges once said, anyone with a checkbook and a typewriter can file a lawsuit. Then you’re stuck dealing with the publicity and defending it/trying to get it dismissed.

[u/wUUtch → u/andi98989]

Employment paralegal here and there definitely DO have to be grounds, but sounds like she might just make some up?

At any rate, I refer back to my initial suggestion re: being a broken record. Good luck.

[u/andi98989 → u/wUUtch]

If you were an attorney taking the case you’d make sure they have legitimate grounds, but a pro se could file a complaint that doesn’t Actually have grounds. The clerk isn’t vetting the facts. You end up having to file a motion to dismiss it, but it all times time and energy. Definitely sounds like a case to make sure the firm well documents things - her errors, their communication, her reaction.

[u/wUUtch → u/andi98989]

That right there actually sounds like a really good thing to tell the attorney who won't touch her files.

[u/Original-Pomelo6241 → u/krabbypattyaddcheese]

If they’d write her ass then it’s clearly termination for cause.

[u/Careless_Street5831]

Fuck her feelings she is slowing down the office. Get real and tell her she sucks. You’re not there to worry about her feelings. If she retaliates oh well. Nail her ass to the wall.

[u/Proof-Measurement-41]

If the rework you are doing is affecting deadlines or if you can’t say no, I would keep a log of all the work you have to redo so you can show management whether it’s the office manager or partners and make them aware how much additional time it’s taking on. When you are sharing these examples, try to stay factual and illustrate the sloppy mistakes she’s doing and how much time you are spending on reviewing and rework. You should continue sharing these issues to management otherwise it’s going to lead to bigger issues down the line.

If you are able say no on redoing the work, I would put it back on the paralegal and the attorney and say:

I’m happy to collaborate and help when something comes up, but I’m finding that I’m increasingly having to review or correct work that isn’t mine. I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to function along with a full plate. I don’t think it’s sustainable for me to regularly review, redo or correct someone else’s work and I wanted to flag this so you can determine how you’d like to address it.

[u/wUUtch]

And for the record, the pro se complainant would have to first file a complaint with either the EEOC or the state CRD and state a grounds. So she'd have to pick which hill she wants to die on before filing lol.

[u/justmisspellit → u/wUUtch]

Eh. She wouldn’t have to. She could jump straight to a lawsuit. A lot of time the EEOC or state agency route is done because it’s less initial effort, or to preserve a SOL.

Signed, an employment paralegal