Well, here's another AGI story for ya'll.

I work at a large law firm. Due to the economy, no raises were given this year nor 401K contributions to the staff. Key word "STAFF". Thats me. My division director reduced our staff pay for our litigation/legislative/telecommunications division by 1%. We are the largest earning division for the firm. Thus, we (legal assistants, secretaries, paralegals) are all a bit upset. Especially since tomorrow the attorneys will receive bonuses between $7,500 to $25,000 (about $350,000 total) and the attorneys in my division chose not to share their bonuses with the staff! I believe this is firm wide, too. How dare they! How dare they flaunt it in our faces and continue to give expensive parties. For admin day we were given faux leather notebooks with outdated calculators (from like the '70s). How cheap is that?

Oh, me and 2 of the other legal assistants were so pissed! They told us they would take the same sacrifice we've taken in which to stay employed. They lied. Arrgggh.

The hateful female atty I work for (I've mentioned her abuse and alcoholism b/4) said that the reduction in pay I took has been made up for with the new tax break. Oh, isn't she sweet.

Well heck, at least I've J-O-B.

I'm sorry to hear this Mustang. Yes, true, be grateful that you still have a job.

Hope you are still hunting around elsewhere.

Honest, I think the large private law firm culture just doesn't encourage the majority of lawyers to think about sacrificing their own bonuses to help even out the benefits for all employees in the organization.

It might be different working for a legal division in government or for legal aid, where lawyers are on set salary instead of bonus system. I have far more enormous respect for lawyers working in legal aid (which is non-profit) who are in the public eye a great deal because they are paid by our tax dollars but they alot less money than the lawyers working in large law firms.

Now that's is a bummer, MGal. Sounds like your firm is affiliated to the practice of Dewey Cheatum & Howe. Have you all considered challenging the bonus?