Boss life

When I was offered a position in one of the best law firms, I took it up without a second thought. The fact that the person who made the offer was, in the legal circle known, as a ‘toxic person’, did not deter me. This, I thought, was a very general description of a partner and I had spent enough time in law firms to be able to navigate this.

But I was not prepared.

As a matter of practice, we had to inform my partner every night before leaving early i.e. 9 p.m. And every time I would be summoned for a chat. This was his time to get to know us.

He would offer to share his dinner, regale us with stories from his associate days. Some stories centred around how he would leave his seniors’ cabin crying but would pick himself up and go back to the same office next day. All this made him what he was- a successful lawyer. For weekends, we had a protocol. If we planned anything personal, we were to inform him in advance. If we didn’t, chances were that he would call us to office for work.

I have had to cancel a vacation and sit in office without work as he assumed that a client would be sending work soon.

And then I got pregnant. After a few days I was sent on a diligence to client’s office and made to sit there everyday till after mid night. I finally had to take a call. Stay and risk my health or quit.

Looking back, I can see how toxic work culture can take different forms. Passive toxicity is tricky to even identify to start with. Sometimes one takes years to figure out. I finally quit and moved to a corporate.