Once you enter a law firm, either as an associate or as an intern, you will realize that you are almost at the bottom of the hierarchy; law firm partners are the ones sitting at the top of the pyramid. Partners are in-charge of projects as well as have the power to hire and promote, or fire others. Your career will be impacted immensely upon the type of partner you have been assigned. Henceforth, it is important to know the traits of different partners.

The workplace personalities of partners at law firm will vary from firm to firm; however, these personalities can be broadly categorized into the following:

The Bossy

This one is certainly the most terrifying of them all. They enjoy mentoring newbies by torturing them with loads of work. They will talk at supersonic speeds and will keep on delegating difficult research tasks. Basically, they are workplace bullies, you will have an urge to stand up to them; however, do not pick a fight with them, because you will lose badly, very badly.

The Cool Guy

This one arrives at work a little late, but with a wide smile. He may invite you for drinks after work and will make sure that your glass is refilled from time to time.  Probably, everyone at the bar knows him. He has incredibly awesome social skills; a smooth talker. You will probably start idolizing him, however, do remember that he has earned his spot and you still have a long way to go. You can crack jokes around him, but be careful of whatever you say.

The Hard Working

This one is probably the most diligent of them all. You can spot them at work before office hours and sometimes, after office hours too. You will probably start thinking that they have no life apart from this job, because they would not even take afternoon breaks or attend parties after work. They are usually quite reserved and do not speak much. If they assign work to you, always meet the deadline, better try to complete before the deadline. Be nice to them, but not too friendly.

The Smartest

This one was hired laterally. They graduated top of their class and have an experience of representing some important cases for the firm. The senior partners see them as potential leaders; the torchbearers of the legacy of the firm. The entire staff feels intimidated in their presence. You may feel that you may sound nonsensical while discussing a case in front of them. Do not try to impress them; you will come out as a people pleaser, which everyone dislikes. If they assign work to you, always give it your best shot. Do not annoy them for any reason whatsoever.

The Old Man

The firm must have been named after him or his father or forefather. He is humble, speaks less and his knowledge of laws is out of this world. You will not find him attending work daily and maybe, he is the only one to have a mini-golf setup in his office space. Make sure that you are in his good books. Since, you would not get much opportunity to interact with him, always greet him with respect.