Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Rehab

"Employees who drink heavily or who abuse or are dependent on alcohol can undermine a workforce's overall health and productivity. To better understand the reasons behind employee abusive drinking and to develop more effective ways of preventing problem drinking in the workforce, researchers have developed a number of paradigms that guide their research. One such paradigm is the alienation/stress paradigm, which suggests that employee alcohol use may be a direct or indirect response to physical and psychosocial qualities of the work environment.

In the alcohol literature, work alienation and work stress typically have been treated as separate paradigms. The work-alienation paradigm focuses on work characteristics that lead to unenriched jobs, such as those in which workers use only minimal skills, have little job control (lack control over the pace of work or its content), and have little or no input into decisionmaking. In contrast, the work-stress paradigm emphasizes other potentially aversive work conditions, which are labeled "work stressors." Common work stressors include dangerous work conditions; noxious physical work environments (conditions that are too hot or cold, noisy, or dirty); interpersonal conflict with supervisors or coworkers; heavy workloads; unfair treatment regarding pay, benefits, and promotions; and job insecurity (threat of layoffs)."

-- National Institutes of Health




As a Contract Attorney, I drink
Everynight
Several Times A Week
Once A Week
Never
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com

62 comments:

Anonymous said...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=l-_ZywDWRK8

Anonymous said...

I blow at least a third of my paycheck each week on booze and lines of coke. I am not paying my loans and I don't plan to because I don't plan on living past 40.

Anonymous said...

All of these Mr. and Mrs. Sunshines (by the way, what happened to that stuck up old geezer who used to leave comments on here) always talk about an "exit" strategy from the hellish document review world. My "exit" strategy will be liver failure.

Anonymous said...

It is an interesting question whether the temporary duties contribute to alcoholism, but drinking every night versus never doesn't mean anything to me unless it is to excess.

Anonymous said...

wow, now you idiots are blaming the temp world for your alcoholism . . . you guys really are a sad bunch of assholes. You have no pressure at work besides point and click . . . point and click . . . I would hate to see if you actually practiced law. Will you guys ever learn to take responsibility for yourself and stop blaming everyone else? Not likely.

Anonymous said...

thank god for booze.

Anonymous said...

Has anyone been to those boozefests sponsored by Lexolution? Doesn't this kind of activity only exacerbate the problem?

Anonymous said...

Or what about Sean Curtin's frat house booze outings?

Anonymous said...

It's ashame that these firms/agencies don't offer any perks that are constructive, eg. help with CLE's, bar dues, higher pay, health/retirement contribution, training programs, etc.

The only perk that these places seem to offer are booze binge parties. And why? BECAUSE THEY DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOU. Whatever it takes to keep the disgruntled masses docile in the short term.

Anonymous said...

8:58-

Why on earth does your employer have to "CARE about you"?? In what field does your employer "care"?> We go to work to contribute, perform a function and get paid for our services. If you are looking for TLC, get a relationship, or call your family more often.

Anonymous said...

"If you are looking for TLC, get a relationship, or call your family more often."

Not easy when you are trapped in the mill.

Anonymous said...

The fact that these bloodthirsty firms/agencies know that a good chunk of their employees are potential alcoholics and feed into these peoples weaknesses by giving out free booze is quite abhorrent.

It's like a pimp giving out free crack to his prostitutes in order to get them to keep turning out tricks.

Anonymous said...

"The fact that these bloodthirsty firms/agencies know that a good chunk of their employees are potential alcoholics and feed into these peoples weaknesses by giving out free booze is quite abhorrent."

So by this logic the firms/agencies should only provide the expensed free dinners be salads since such a good chunk of their employees are overweight. To (literally)feed into these peoples weeknesses by giving out free FOOD is quite abhorrent, right???

dumbass.

Anonymous said...

They should hand out cyanide laced Kool-Aid.

Anonymous said...

..and they would still complain from the grave! They think they should be treated and paid like big firm associates. HA!

Anonymous said...

big firm associates don't work nearly as hard as contract attorneys. they aren't as supervised and are notorious for their frequent and often blatant overbilling.

Anonymous said...

No, we aren't naive enough to think that we deserve the gilded status of today's associates, with starting pay for first years approaching $200,000.

What we would like is clean bathrooms, working with professionals and being treated like humans, not sub-humans. Everone knows the law is a stratified profession and a document reviewer is at the bottom. We just expect to be treated once in a while as if we are actually lawyers (LOL!).

Some firms and agencies get this, and we're happy to work for them. The purpose of this blog, it seems, is to expose those places and people that feel it acceptable to treat us like workers in a Dickensian garment factory.

Crack all the jokes you want, this blog has already made a difference.

Anonymous said...

9:47- It's made a difference? What differnce? I haven't seen anything change.

Anonymous said...

If you had clean bathrooms, a $200K a year salary and a driver you guys would still complain to the the hilt!!!

Take the cue, you are a bunch of third rate ass-whipes accepted into a third-rate school and you will NEVER be anything! Your own attitude illustrates this perfectly. Get a life, get a job and STOP bitching . . . oh wait, I just remembered, you can't do that because you are acoholics due to the SEVERE pressures placed on you as a contract attorney. Try ACTUAULLY practicing law if you want to fell pressure.

Sissy ass bitches.

Anonymous said...

I would love to see all the agencies disappear, along with all the jobs they provide these ingrates. They think the firms would hire them directly on a contract basis!!

Yeah, right! They'd be lining up at Starbucks to work as barristas.

Anonymous said...

These temps are a bunch of fucking idiots thinking they are entitled the world and beyond . . . bunch of fuckging fags should stop sucking Tom's dick and latch on to the clit of some female partner.

FAGS! Go review your documents and stop fucking yourselves! Such a bunch of queers!

Fuck off faggots. Lick my sticky ass you pissing pieces of mother-fucking shit -- go get a God damn job you bunch of fucking queer ass losers!

Anonymous said...

Drop dead, it's time for the tamp revolution -- you bitch on this site and we will MAKE SURE you never get hired again!!

Drop dead you sissy ass faggots

Anonymous said...

I agree with 2:39 and 2:42. These temps think they are entitled to WAY WAY more than they are . . . they can go suck my big dick.

None of these assholes have even practiced law, so they have no idea what it means to have any pressure at work . . . point click . . . point click . . . these temps are a major waste of time and we need to stop this bullshit right now -- they are barely worth the $30 per hour they receive. Wait, what am I thinking, they clearly are not worth the money they are paid, and instead of bitching they should go find a job a South Dakata where intellect and ability do not matter.

Anonymous said...

South Dakota? Only if they provide cars and meals! These 'wannabe associates' are sooo worthy. As the previous idiot here said, they work "much harder than associates". Ain't that a laugh!! Jokes on them!

Anonymous said...

Oh yes, you are right 3:01. They all do want cars and meals -- give me a break! Us associates work our asses off doing real legal work with high stakes, and these fucking temps run in demanding hot chocolate and tampons!! I think we should keep on keeping on take over this useless website where they all get together and bitch about the six figures they make for seven months worth of work.

Tier three twits!

Anonymous said...

Uh hah! Great too see us large firm associated finally banding together against these sissies! Soon they will be starving in the streets and that gives me a very warm feeling inside.

Sad how they do not realize that without us they would be unemployed all the time!

Ahhhhhhh. Poor poor babies! Sucking on the nipple of welfare/ Barrasso! God bless you all!!!!

Anonymous said...

Yes! FINALLY! I see we are speaking up! It's about time we let these useless temps know we read their trashy site and soon they will not have jobs at all. Times thes are a chang'n and what cannot be done by paralegals will be sent to India. That's what my firm is doing . . . finally.

So, temps, get a job at McDonalds because it's all your going to be offered soon. Thank God these firms are waking-up and stopping youi bullshit!

Anonymous said...

"Great too see us large firm associated finally banding together against these sissies!"

"too"??? Isn't it time to learn how to spell.

Your rants just prove the point that the most sadistic and most inept of law firm staff are often assigned to manage these horrible sweatshop mills. Temps Unite!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Well, spelling correctly on this useless site has never been a top priority.

Temps in India are the only ones who will be able to unite. They are willing to work for nearly nothing while you guys are busy complaining about the number of toilets available for the shit you need to spew.

Sorry to say, my friend, that you and your coworkers will be a thing of the past very soon. So, you best get packing to move the South Dakota. Have a nice night!

Anonymous said...

"Too" Isn't it time to learn how to spell.

Do you mean, "Spell?"?

I am pretty sure you meant that to be a question, but then again who knows when you should be coding documents and not posting gramatically incorrect crap on this useless cite as you masturbate to on-line porn paid for by the firm you are milking.

Anonymous said...

Not true. Partners can only bill so much per hour for their own work and for the work of their associates. One major way for a big law firm to remain profitable is to employ massive legions of temp workers. Firms aren't pushing outsourcing, it is the clients/corporations. You have no idea what you are talking about.

Anonymous said...

it's site, not cite.

Anonymous said...

Oh really. Why use you at $60 per hour when we can use Indians at $25 per hour and bill you out at the same rate.

It is you, my friend, who does not know what you are talking about. Keeping crying because the American firms have had enough of your crap -- YOU ARE OVER PAID!

Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

It's about time that associates and partner at NYC firms started weighing in on this "debate". Fact of the matter is . . . temps in America are spoiled, but those days are coming to an end . . . you think you are poor now? Just wait for a month or two because my firm passed an internal resolution yesterday and well will not be using American temps at all as of the first of the year. So, as Justin Timberlake would say, "Cry me a River" you bitches.

Anonymous said...

I just think the clients should move all the doc. review in-house and cut out the law firm middle men.

Anonymous said...

Why are 1st and 2nd year associates being stuffed onto many of these projects? It is monkey work. In-house temps can do it for much cheaper and many of them have tier 1 credentials! CUT OUT THE LAW FIRM MIDDLEMEN! WAKE UP CORPORATE AMERICA!

Anonymous said...

They can't, and if the reason is not evident to you then you are the dumbest temp in NYC. We will just call Update and ask them to get is temps in India!

Life is wonderful, and I can't wait until the day we no longer have to supervise you lazy assholes!

Anonymous said...

"They can't"

Oh, yes they can, and they do. It is often in-house counsel that dictate to the firms that they utilize temps. You, asswipe, have no idea what you are talking about. Corporate America values our services much more than an overpaid 200K a year 24 year old spoiled, snot-faced associate.

Anonymous said...

4:52 -- Oh really. Then why are you a temporary employee. Certainly corporate America can direct where their temps come from . . . fact of the matter is they CANNOT bring them in-house. They do not have the HR resources nor the space for it, and it's cheaper and much easier to get Lex, Hudson or Update to employ Indian attorneys to perform this monkey-like function,

Face it -- you will be out of a job, even a temp one, soon.

Good night.

Anonymous said...

Well, they can get Lex, Hudson, or Update to run the projects and cut out many of the wasteful 1st and 2nd year associates. Why have multitudes of partners and associates billing on these projects.

Anonymous said...

They won't. We will be doing useful functions rather than babysitting a bunch of you temps as you talk on the phone, surf the internet and sleep while claiming to bill.

That's the beauty of it all!

Trust me. My firm and a number of the other large ones in this country are done with you . . . you are not worth the headaches you cause.

Anonymous said...

"as you talk on the phone, surf the internet and sleep while claiming to bill."

That's what you do, not us.

We? Oh, now you have an equity stake in "your" firm? Wait till they push your overpriced ass out the door next spring.

Anonymous said...

Don't put words in my mouth you useless fucking dumbass temp. I NEVER said I have an equity stake in my firm. I am an associate making $190K per year (before bonus), and I, like the rest of us, am tired of listening you why and your friends cry for no good reason . . .I want a car . . . whay can't we surf the net . . .I need a nap . . . my butt hurts, I need a softer chair . . . blah blah blah. It's over. Your function will soon be performed by paralegals in America and Indian lawyers, so thank yourselves for eliminating your own positions.

Anonymous said...

"listening you why"

Poster is an elaborate flame.

Anonymous said...

Well, whatever you have to tell yourself, but you will soon see. Once your you are unemployed you will know who the real "flame" is.

Anonymous said...

I can't wait till the doc reviews move to India. The writing is all over the walls. We will finally be able to claim our Friday breakfasts back! No more dealing with disgusting temps who take not one bagel from our platter, but 7 or 8 so they can feed all their fat illegitimate children for the week. And our secretaries can keep candy on their desks again! Ever since my firm brought on temps, those ungrateful, self-entitled, pieces of lazy shit have been stealing my secretaries candy. Temps ruin everything! INDIA HERE WE COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Amen!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Is anyone hopping on that 40 hr a week Lumen Legal gig?

Anonymous said...

It will be so wonderful for all of the associates to travel to Mumbai and Bangalore twice a month to manage the temps on site.

It's going to be a shock to these firms when the same complaints are made by these foreign attorneys. Does it make it more acceptable to treat Indian attorneys despicably?

Already Indian tech workers are demanding and getting comparable pay to Americans. Soon the attorney will demand more as well. Then where will you go?

Anonymous said...

And just wait till Apeshit in Mumbai steals a disk and smuggles sensitive corporate information into northwest Pakistan.

Anonymous said...

My monthly student loan payments are $1200. I can't afford to drink. Usually, I just go home and breath into a brown paper bag full of Elmer's glue.

Anonymous said...

Without temps and staff attorneys to blame for their incompetence, what will the associates do?

The better solution for Corporate America is to outsource all of its legal work to Mumbai, especially big firm associates. The partners and temps do all the work anyway.

Anonymous said...

I used to work at that unethical cesspool, Milberg. A common practice of associates was to blame any errors on temp. attorneys or paralegals that had left the project.

Anonymous said...

I was once an associate too. Sometimes the mighty fall, and I have had to do temp work to make ends meet. The attitude of big law firm associates on here is absolutely horrific. You guys bitch and complain about temp's demands for better working condtions and pay, but you are the silver spoon succubi who have pushed the legal industry to the edge of the cliff. The same things that you claim temps demand are the same things that you and your butt pirate friends take part in every day. As for outsourcing to India dont' you fools know that if law firms do this, you may be next. Let's face it asscoiates do the same work temps do and make 100 k more a year. Wah wah wah i went to Harvard I deserve it. Colngratulations you were born a semi intellectual minority....cheers for you. I think the firms will wisen up and maybe cut you out of the loop. So before you go pissing and moaning about temps perhaps you should consider your own future. Not to mention the 10s of thousands of people you will put out of work, furthering the recess of an already defunct economy.

Anonymous said...

11:56

Oh honey, you must have been fired as an associate. Didn't make the cut did you. That's too bad.

Associate attorneys will not be outsourced, but you better bet your sweet little ass that these crying little over-paid temps will.

Have fun in Ohio or the scorching heat in India!!

Anonymous said...

Sorry no I didn't get fired, I did however get leukemia, and I quickly found out how quickly the whole industry is nothing but a bunch of leeches with black hearts and empty minds. I also learned that going to a teir 1 doesn't make you a good lawyer.....some of the stupidest people i know went to yale and harvard. Its all relative , I guess. What I do know and this is a fact what makes a good lawyer is not the school that you went to rather, its your willingness to continually learn, and maintaining your passion for a profession that oftentimes is very bleak.

Anonymous said...

I drink everynight because it is the only way I can stand to be in the presence of my wife anymore.

Anonymous said...

It's a sad fact that many lawyers fall into substance abuse (temps or otherwise) due to the job pressure, hours, and, often, lack of general job satisfaction. I think it is also often the case that temps do work in abhorrent conditions. The sad reality is that those associates who are staffed to supervise massive document reviews are often junior associates who lack the experience or maturity to lead a team effectively, or to bring concerns relating to workplace conditions or unusually long hours to the attention of senior associates or partners. Juniors are often afraid to advocate for themselves to a partner or senior, nevermind advocate for others. They also often equate their leadership role simply with power and end up trying to lead through inspiring fear.
My suggestion to all of you would be to bring your concerns to a more senior associate or a partner on your project in a concise, specific, thoughtful and professional way. Possibly you could document the conditions you are experiencing (locked doors, filthy bathrooms, rude emails from associates, etc) and write a short letter or email detailing the conditions and enclosing evidence to back up your concerns(by email attachment or in hard copy form with a written letter). Presenting this information to a partner on your project, without threats or hyperbolic accusations, as something you thought should be brought to their attention and which you are sure they would be concerned about if they were aware of it all might actually change your conditions. Partners and associates at biglaw are not inhuman monsters, but communication at such firms from juniors to the most senior people is often a challenge given the enormity of these firms and the complexities of many of the litigations in which temps are staffed to review documents. I wonder if any of you have as yet attempted this approach?

Anonymous said...

If you raise any of these concerns to any of the associates, you will get fired. Guaranteed. Better bet is to talk to the agency and have them contact the associates without mentioning your name. They have done this for me in the past and I didn't have to risk getting fired for being a rabble rouser.

Anonymous said...

It's sad that you would be fired for raising a legitimate concern. Fuck this industry.

Anonymous said...

You can get fired ANYWHERE for raising a legitimate concern. That's why we have whistle-blower statues!!

Anonymous said...

"I am an associate making $190K per year"

you are a fungible billing unit