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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 122 Comments · by

Tuesday’s TPS Report: ‘Painted Parsival’ Sweater

Fashion· The Personal Shopper (TPS)· Wear to Work | · · · · ·

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Classiques Entier® 'Painted Parsival' Sweater iconOur love affair with Classiques Entier continues with this sweater. Love. Love! Love the inset waist, the shawl collar, and yes, the three-quarter length sleeves. It strikes us as the kind of sweater that would look amazing with a pencil skirt, on top of a sheath dress, or with trousers — or on the weekend with jeans. We might pair it with a bold tank or tee beneath it — perhaps a red? The sweater is $178 at Nordstrom.com. Classiques Entier® ‘Painted Parsival' Sweater icon Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail editor@corporette.com with “TPS” in the subject line. (L-2)

Sales of note for 9.30.24

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

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Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  3. KelliJ

    I love this! I have an appointment with a Nordstrom personal stylist on Friday and I will be mentioning this sweater.

  4. Nancy P

    Ooh. What color would people wear it with? Seems like it could go with grey, brown OR black.

    • surrounded by lawyers

      Yeah, that was a deal-breaker for me. If anyone has info to the contrary, please post, but my impression was that it isn’t safe.

    • Anon

      I saw that too and was majorly disappointed. I had planned to grow my pixie cut out and get a Brazilian Blowout. Now I guess I’ll just stay with the short hair… It’s way too much trouble when it’s longer.

    • fresh jd

      Not all of them use that chemical. I had it done and it was a natural formulation of keratin (which is the real active ingredient in the treatment). You just have to do your due diligence and ask the salon. Mine showed me the bottle and it is a brand known not to use it (Coppolla? can’t recall).

      • Suze

        Wait, I thought you hated it b/c it didn’t do well on fine/thin hair…did you change your mind?

    • lawDJ

      I had prepaid a treatment on Groupon with products from that company and I am now going to complain and get them to refund my money. The “Brazillian Blowout” company claims they don’t use formaldehyde, the point is that it was found that they do (by a state agency in Oregon). They did their own testing and still say they don’t (and their bottle claims as much), but it seems like the jury’s still out on what’s going on there. I predict some lawsuits.

  6. Anon

    Nordstrom threadjack:

    I like this cardigan (featured in stripes several posts ago) –

    http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/3064181?origin=keywordsearch

    I’d like to swing by my local Nordstrom to look at it in person but I’m always completely befuddled by their departments. Any clue where to locate this sweater in the actual store? I’ll be pressed for time so don’t really want to spend 20 frustrating minutes hunting…

    Thanks in advance – I figured someone here would know as it seems many people frequent Nordstrom!

    • KelliJ

      It’s in their POV (Point of View) Department or Petite Focus (if you are petite). I would go to that department and simply ask the associate to see it. You can also call ahead. I’ve done that before (with dresses and shoes) and the item has been waiting for me.

      • Legally Brunette

        I don’t think that is correct. All of the Classiques Entier clothing that I have ever found is located in the Individualist department. I’ve seen this sweater there as well. There is also the pricier Classiques Entier Atelier line, which is located in a different department.

        • Legally Brunette

          Oops, didn’t realize that KelliJ was answering the question about the Halogen cardigan, not the one that Kat featured. Sorry about that.

  7. Parisienne

    This sweater supposedly needs dry-cleaning, but I’ll bet you can hand wash it. On the other hand it seems a bit bulky to handle in a basin. I like a sweater that is washable and that is not made of a blend of fibers. There’s always something about these blends that I do not quite like.

  8. L

    I like this, but it seems like pulling on over the head would stretch out the middle/waist area.

    Shopping threadjack! Could anyone suggest for me a good source for the following items:

    – Black knee high riding boots (or somewhat flat boots) – need to be wide in the ball of the foot for bunion
    – Black pencil skirt for winter (tall size?)
    – Chocolate brown blazer for work

    • Anon

      The description says front button closure so I’m assuming it’s a cardigan not a pull-over.

      Nordstrom and Macy’s would have a good selection of boots. I’m not sure about the best places for tall sizes as I’m petite.

        • KW

          L – I’m assuming you’re tall since you asked for tall sized pencil skirts…where do you find blazers/jackets that fit? Are the sleeves on normal jackets long enough for you? I am 6′ and have a terrible time finding jackets that will fit my long arms, so I’m always on the hunt for new places to try. Thanks!

          • JJ

            Talbots offers suit jackets in long lengths. Their pants have a long inseam option, too. Just bought a suit there with a “tall” jacket and the regular length pencil skirt is long enough for me (I’m 6′ tall, too).

            I haven’t ordered any, but I’ve also seen tons of “tall” options at Eddie Bauer.

          • MsZ

            I’m 6′ as well – I normally wear a 6, but the Banana Republic tall jackets in 8 fit wonderfully.

          • L

            I am tall on the bottom end – only 5’8″, but I have long legs. I do get BR tall for dresses and skirts though.

          • emulaw

            I have had good luck with J Crew tall – I am usually a small or a medium in my tops, but always fit comfortably into their size 8 Tall blazers. I am relatively small-chested, though. Hope that helps!

    • Anonymous

      Try Eddie Bauer for the black knee high riding boots. I’ve also seen some that may fit the bill on the LL Bean website, and I have a pair from last season by Naturalizer.

    • M

      1. DSW — huge selection (I just bought flat black Steve Madden riding boots for $79!)
      2. Ann Taylor — best winter-material skirts! And I believe they do have petites/average/tall (at least in pants, they do …).
      3. ??? I am also looking for more work brown (it is evidently impossible to find a decent brown pencil skirt!). Try The Limited (although their browns tend to have patterns/pinstripes/a tweady look/etc.).

      Good luck!

    • a

      They are spendy, but I love, love, love my Paige boots from Frye – I am wide in the calf and I can pull them on easily (though I don’t dabble in the jeans under boots thing, so can’t comment on that).

      • Anonymous

        I have these too – I adore them, but I think they are a little too casual for work most of the time. They are perfect if you are looking for boots to go over jeans and are great for walking, but if you have a professional office, I might go with a more tailored pair.

    • eyes

      Recently, Talbots has put out a variety of pencil-esque skirts in different weights and colors. Boden USA (or intl) may also be a spot to find a blazer if you want something with a little flair.

    • KZ

      depending on how riding boot you want your boots to look, ariat’s boots are amazingly comfortable–but they are actually riding boots, so you may have trouble finding some that look like fashion rather than riding. I also got a nice brown blazer at j.crew on sale a while ago–they may still have some.

      • KZ

        ok just noticed the ariat site says they sell them at nordstrom now. guess they’re officially ok to wear while not on a horse.

  9. anon

    Love this! Only thing tenuously from purchasing is already have a lot of CE and don’t want to be too similar. Would ot hand wash. CE items keep their shape so nicely, would fear washing might not sustain. The key to CE for me is that it dresses up an otherwise casual-like item.

  10. emulaw

    Love. Love. Just ordered it and cannot wait ’til it gets here so I can retire some gray cardis that have seen MUCH better days.

  11. CJ

    This may be one of my favorite items ever featured here!! Unfortunately $178 for a sweater is just not in my price range no matter how much I love it!! Sigh, maybe someday!

    • anon

      The last time I fell for a CE sweater it was in a similar price range but fell 50% after 2 months, so keep an eye out. I waited until 50% off because I wasn’t sure if I’d wear it to work (like this piece, a hybrid) but was so nicely structured that I wear it with Armani dress pants frequently. Love CE.

    • Carrie

      I’ll be staking this one out too. With two kids in daycare, I balk at that price, yet I know I’d get a lot of wear out of this piece.

    • Been there, done that...

      Call the Nordstrom personal stylist. Mine will track certain items and let me know when they go on sale!

    • Legally Brunette

      CE always goes on sale, both online and in the store. You could also try Nordstrom Rack in a few months ago, although I find that Rack prices and Nordstrom sale prices to be pretty much the same. I love this sweater too! I wish it came in a different color though — not sure if the beige would wash me out.

  14. Midori

    Oooh, this is precisely what I was looking for to go with my brown dress pants. Love it!

  15. KW

    LOVE this! Love the versatility of the color as it looks like it will go with brown, gray, and black. Great pick!

  16. Anonymous

    Aw, man. Like everyone else, I love this but can’t wear it as it’s partially made out of alpaca! I’m allergic to both alpaca and angora (but not wool or cashmere, oddly enough) and it really interferes with my ability to buy cute sweaters these days. :(

    • JJ

      Soooo allergic to angora and it seems to be every cute sweater that I find this season. I can usually tell in-store because I’ll start sneezing immediately, but it’s rough when I fall in love with a sweater online to only find out that it has angora in it.

  17. Lawgirl

    Wasn’t “Wowed’ by this until I kept reading the exclamations. I guess I’m generally not a “sweater” chick — I don’t feel chic in them, just librarian-ish and dumpy and chubby. I much prefer the sleeker look of a blazer/jacket, but Corporette is beginning to show me the light…. :-)

    • Shayna

      I was over it the first time I tried one on and couldn’t figure out why anyone would want to look like they were wearing something that had accidentally shrunk in the wash

    • MelD

      This “trend” had been going for decades now. It’s not going to end anytime soon.

      • JessC

        This. I distinctly remember 3/4 sleeve shirts my freshman year of HIGHSCHOOL. 10+ years ago.
        Eventhough I have short arms, I still prefer 3/4 sleeve shirts as I have a tendency to just push the sleeves on my long-sleeve shirts up around my elbows.

    • Elle 2

      Bracelets are my favorite go-to accessories, so I really like the 3/4 sleeve “trend.” Plus, I find myself rolling up full length sleeves because they bother me – so, the 3/4 is perfect for me!

    • eyes

      Ditto. I can’t write all morning long with 3/4 sleeves as they get dirty quickly and frayed. Besides, if I wore bracelets as people suggest to “fill the space on the arm/wrists,” then it’s uncomfortable to be writing as well.

      Can’t wait for the trend to be better balanced in stores as I think it’s now a permanent style. Witness it’s integration into the lady-dress, 1950s and 19602 retro and highlighted in all the multiple layers of torso pieces a la BR windows.

      Must be getting old…er.

      • eyes

        oops – 1960s

        and really, at my age, I don’t want multiple layers to make my “hourglass” shape into a blobby rectangle…any thoughts on how we can take the trend and make it more approachable?

    • Anon

      I have very long arms – nothing fits me in the sleeve, so I LOVE 3/4 length sleeves.

  19. Anon L

    PSA: Gilt has some great French Connection basics on sale right now. I just got two long-sleeve cowl neck sweaters for 39$ each.

  20. rebecca

    Threadjack: shoe advice!

    Yesterday I got a pair of patent leather Cole Haan Nike air pumps I ordered from Gilt. They fit perfectly everywhere except for the toe box on the right side. (I banged up my big toe pretty bad two years ago, and only realized I had probably broken it after it healed into a different shape than my left toe …) Is it possible to stretch patent leather?? They’re not unwearable, but definitely tight enough to defeat the purpose of buying Nike air pumps.

    I’ll willingly find myself a cobbler rather than risk messing the finish up … I just wanted to get some advice from something more reliable than Yahoo Answers before I decide whether to send the shoes back or not, because other than that I love them!

    • SF Bay Associate

      I’d be very interested in knowing the answer to this question. I have the Fiona in black calf in the low heel and love them, and the Fiona in black patent in the mid heel and can barely stand in them, the toe box is so tight. I find myself putting them on, walking to get my purse to go out the door, starting to hobble, then walking back to the closet to get other shoes.

      Actually, a lot of my CH are too narrow in the toe box. It makes me so sad to have all these nice shoes I can’t wear. I don’t know what I was thinking when I bought them. Can stretching help that much? I’m afraid that maybe CH runs a half size small for me (though some of their shoes are great in my usual size), or maybe just too dang narrow.

    • anon-ny

      If you have a Cole Haan store near you, just take them in and explain the fit problem and they will stretch them. A couple of years ago I splurged on my first pair of nike air pumps and the toe box was too tight, when I tried to return them the sales person offered to stretch them and said if they were still too tight they would take them back. The stretching worked and now I am a loyal customer. Oh, and the stretching was free. Give it a shot!

      • rebecca

        Interesting – do you think it matters that I bought them off Gilt Groupe, not via Cole Haan or a department store?

        • E Anon

          I too have been offered free stretching by Cole Haan. Just give them a call.

        • anon-ny

          I don’t think they would care where you bought them – just call the store and see what they say.

    • anon-ny

      also – I subsequently discovered zappos frequently carries CH shoes in wide sizes. I’ve never worn any pair of shoes in wide but theirs are narrow enough that if I order half a size up and a wider width, then the stretching isn’t necessary.

    • MelD

      I have a pair of patent peep toes that were a little too tight the first time I wore them, but now 4 wears in they seem to have stretched out a bit.

      • AIMS

        This is obviously not as good as taking them to the store/cobbler, but for shoes that are a bit snug, I just wear them at home for a while. This way, I can take them off as soon as I feel discomfort, but little by little they become less tight.

    • i'm nobody

      send them back. cole haan shoes generally run narrow in the forefoot and toe box. you can have patent leather stretched, but it’s hard to find someone who can do it well. even then, you’re likely to have more leather abrasion in the stretched area because the sole hasn’t changed shape and might not be right for your foot.

    • BigLaw Refugee

      I had a similar problem and took my CH shoes to be stretched (sadly I paid someone instead of taking them back to CH). The cobbler shook his head and did not look optimistic. They stretched just a tiny bit and never became comfortable.

      • BigLaw Refugee

        Should have said – they were patent leather. Normal leather would probably stretch more.

  21. kellyn

    Threadjack: Currently (impatiently) awaiting the release of the bar exam pass list in my state. Freaking out, predictably. Any advice to calm the eff down?!

    I’m sure I did fine, but I can’t get that evil MBE out of my mind….!

      • SF Bay Associate

        When is it supposed to come out? Today? At what time? Are you at work? If the answer to these questions is yes, not for several hours, and no, I’d go to the gym and work out really hard, or take a yoga class. Or, as some of my friends did, start drinking early.

        • kellyn

          It was supposed to be posted on line and at the supreme court (where I have several clerk friends waiting to see for themselves) at noon. It is now 20 of 1. At least the annoyance at being late is taking over my fear and inadequacy!

          I’m at work, and forcing myself to work on an important project right now. I’m only now clicking refresh every 10 minutes…baby steps.

          I feel like I need to go old skool and “shake my sillies out.”

          • v

            Try cleaning your office – dumping stacks of paper into the recycle bin can be enormously satisfying!

          • i'm nobody

            is shaking your sillies out old school? i thought that was new school, but only because i know it from my niece’s raffi CDs.

          • SF Bay Associate

            i’m nobody – I saw Raffi in concert when I was a little kid in the early 80s. Raffi is definitely old school. Glad to hear his albums are still making the rounds!

          • Lawgirl

            I went to a show (“Stomp” in San Fran) while waiting for my bar results, 1998. First year CA posted online (@ 5pm, I think). Server crashed for hours… Came home, with shaky, trembly (sp?) hands and learned I’d passed. Thank ya Lord! And I’m not half as smart as HRC or Mrs. O, so I considered myself blessed.

    • Anon

      Close your browser and let yourself check every hour, on the hour. No more.

      Deep breath. Cup of tea?

    • Anonymous

      No matter what happens you have an excuse to have your favorite treats/drinks tonight! I’ve got my fingers crossed for you.

    • Shayna

      I did the same thing while waiting for the CPA exam results last month – Honestly, just isolate yourself from family/friends so you don’t snap at them and give yourself permission to freak out about them – it’s important to you, so it’s okay.

    • Jen L

      I don’t have any advice for you, but I’m interested in what everyone else says. My state doesn’t even tell us what date they will be available. I’ve been stressed for weeks.

      Good luck!

      • L

        Good luck!

        I passed the bar before they published online lists, so we all got the news via letter (!). How old-school!

        • jcb

          Ha! Remember the rumors – if you get a little envelope, you passed; if you get a big envelope, that’s bc it contains the application for the next bar exam! I could barely look in my mailbox.

          There is nothing you can do – it is stressful, you are dying to know, and that is that. Though I do like the clean-your-office idea, doing something physical could be soothing. It will be over soon, good luck!

          • Anon

            Caveat: If you get your results on a day when it is pouring rain and humid, the mail will swell in the mailbox. I passed, but the puffy envelope had me thinking otherwise!

  22. arg too!

    I don’t find out until Monday. Or Saturday if the mail is super fast (WA-they mail letters Friday and post on Monday). But I’m in central WA so I doubt my letter will arive by Saturday. Going a little crazy. Everyone in my office asking me does not help! Also, I think my dad is more worried than I am and my fiance is just ready for it to be over. Arghhhhh!

    • kellyn

      Man, waiting on mail sucks! My second bar doesnt come out until Nov some time, and they only mail results. Boo. The suspense is too much!

      • sittininla

        Mine doesn’t come out until November 19. Weekend before Thanksgiving. The waiting is horrible. :(

  23. kellyn

    Thanks for all the support, ladies. The list was posted.

    Not on it.

    Dammit. Holy humiliation, Batman!

    • Blonde Lawyer

      Ugh, so sorry. I hope everyone at work isn’t asking you for your results! That was my biggest fear with the published online list. Boo.

    • happyness

      NOT AT ALL- Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, many many other HIGH POWERED LADIES did not pass 1st try- you will be FINE! {{{HUGS}}}
      Just take some time to de-compress and shake out the shock and get back on track!

    • Anonymous

      Oh, I feel for you. Ouch.

      Don’t feel humiliated, though. Many great lawyers didn’t pass the bar on the first try, from Hillary Clinton to my kickass litigator coworker. It’s a setback, not a failure. Now go have a drink :).

    • JJ

      Oh, so sorry. Just remember that this too shall pass. I have many friends that didn’t pass the first time around and were able to pass with flying colors in February. Go have a drink (or 10) tonight, because there’s nothing you can do about the July 2010 bar anymore.

        • kellyn

          Thanks for all the support ladies! It’s definitely a sucky thing. Mostly embarrasing because, yes, people are/have been asking and now I just want to crawl in a hole. I clerk for my state trial courts, so breaking this to my judge(s) will be awful, surely. They are cool people, so hopefully that helps. Any advice on that difficult conversation is welcome!

          After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, I got real, printed out the bar application (all cavity-search-like 25 pages of it), and called BarBri to discuss my options. Hubs is away on business this week, so no going home to a nice long hug, but we chatted over the phone and he was awesome about it. He’s been there, done that– missed his PhD comps by a hair, with no recourse/reconsideration option.

          • jcb

            Oh, sorry to hear that. FWIW, I think someone from my summer class didn’t pass on the first try, and I cannot for the life of me (1) be certain that that was the case or (2) remember who it was. You will pass next time, and this will all be a distant fuzzy memory.

          • kellyn

            I did just call and chat with the bar administrator, who is a lovely woman. She was super understanding and helpful, and even had some “good” news. I only missed by 5 points. FIVE. Interestingly enough, that used to be my lucky number haha oh well.

            I just have to resubmit a check and a letter, not the whole application. She was awesome about breaking everything down for me, which really helped. I am one of those people for whom information is the best cure.

          • Anonymous

            Your judge will be understanding, and thankfully your job doesn’t require a license to practice so you don’t have to worry about losing it. The situation could be far worse. It sucks, but you’ll get through it. My advice for telling your judge is just to do it informally, perhaps at the end of the day when you stick your head in to say goodnight. You don’t need to make a big production out of it.

            Lots of people fail the bar, and everyone who takes it thinks they might have failed. No one is going to judge you or think badly of you for this.

    • Anon

      Oh Kellyn. I am so sorry to hear that. I have totally been where you are. (I actually failed twice!) It was totally humiliating. First time, it turned out no one who took my particular barbri class passed. I got to retake it for nothing. Then, the weekend before the second time around, my then BF was arrested for soliciting a prostitute. (I guess I was too busy studying to give him any so he went elsewhere.)

      I worked with geniuses (advanced research lab) who passed every test they had ever taken. And of course, I couldn’t explain the actual cause of the second failure, so I had to just look stupid.

      It sucks, but you know what you have to do. Fill out the application and do it again. In years to come, no one will ever ask you about the Bar. No one I work with now (12 years later) even knows or cares I suspect.

      • Anon for this

        Ugh- that’s horrible! My practice essay grader the my first try also phoned it in and I ended up bombing the real essays despite getting stellar grades on the practice. It’s so frustrating to pay that much money and then have people on the other end who don’t take the job seriously.

    • Anon L

      Happened to me. Chin up. Take a weekend to grieve, a week or two to relax and regroup, then get on it. You’ll pass next time.

    • Meme

      So sorry to hear. My husband failed the first time too and then smashed it on the second try. You’ll get through it. Hugs.

      • Suze

        Oh, Kellyn, so sorry you have to go through this. Big {HUGS}. The good news is that your judge just won’t care, really. The other good news is that you will ‘smash it on the second try’ (per Meme, everyone else and I agree). The *bad* news (hate to be the bearer of same) is “do you want to do this bad enough that you care?” Just a thought…..if I knew then what I know now about the law biz, the answer would have been RESOUNDINGLY “NO!” Just a quick gut check from an old gutted chick….

        Don’t despair, seriously, it’s just a biz thing – not a life thing. Hope that makes sense and helps :).

        • kellyn

          Thanks. I chatted with my judge, who was wonderful about it. Understanding and appropriately sympathetic, but still eager for me to get back on the horse and win.

          I figure that I can’t let one bad (albeit really important :/) day of my life overshadow three amazing years of law school. Graduated cum laude from a well respected school in my region, executive editor of my law review, published twice, lots of great jobs and experience. THIS is a fluke, and I’ll get past it. You’ve all been what I’ve needed– people who have BEEN THERE and can be realistic about it (not the platititudes like”you’re so smart! everyone passes!” from those well-intended but no-clue people out there).

    • anonymous

      Knowing you were close has to count for something-you’re on the right track, it seems. But that’s why I prefer to let colleagues/acquaintances tell me their status on promotions, other boards, etc., rather than me ask about it. Having been through the “swing and a miss” myself work-wise, it’s tough to be breezy about it w/people I don’t know well, while co-workers are celebrating succeeding at said event. If they want to tell me, they’ll tell me- and I will empathize or celebrate with them accordingly.

  24. jcb

    Love the sweater! Has anyone seen it in person? I love the shape and weight, but am wondering if the horizontal weave across the midsection is noticeable enough in person to be unflattering?

  25. atty

    Need some quick advice here re: partner stuff. As frequently happens, I had finished my draft of a document that the client wanted and sent it off to be reviewed by the partner. Didn’t hear anything for a couple days, so left a voicemail bc I knew the client wanted it. Still nothing for 2 days until the client sent another email asking for it today, which got the partner’s attention and we got it out the door. However, a different partner is responsible for the client, and he got the email from the client today, and I didn’t copy him on my initial email to the reviewing partner, so he thinks I’m responsible for the delay. He wasn’t mean or anything about it, but called me and emphasized that we need to make sure we move this along (implying it was my fault for the delay). I should have copied the responsible partner on the first email so he knew I was on the ball and the delay wasn’t my fault, but I didn’t, and now I’m annoyed that he thinks I’m at fault, when I took care of my part ASAP. I don’t work w/this partner a lot, but it still bugs me. Should I let it go? I’m tempted to forward him the email w/the draft to the reviewing partner that I sent last week, saying something like “I thought I copied you on this but here is what I sent to [Joe] last week.” Or would that be overkill? Ugh! Thanks for your advice…

    • E Anon

      Or how about play dumb – “I was thinking about what you said and next time there is an urgent client request and I haven’t heard from Joe, should I just go ahead and send the draft to the client?”

      Maybe the right thing is to let it go, but man, I’d be very frustrated in that situation too.

      Honestly, I’ve had similar happen and while it’s not an ideal response, I usually just burst right out with “oh sorry, I had it done days ago but Bob has been busy.”

      • sittininla

        I like this tactic, and it may happen again so good to know what to do when it happens.

    • Midori

      Gah. Had this happen this week, except that the draft was sitting on my assistant’s chair for 3 days. Boo! I hate getting all defensive and passing the buck, though. Most of the time the partner doesn’t really care why it happened, just wants it done. Which is fair enough.

    • Anonymous

      Let it go. Write a memo to yourself about it, and if this is brought up in your performance review, then bring up that it was not your fault. If you bring it up now you just look a bit petulant.

      If the partner who caused the delay is a really great guy, you could mention to him that the other partner blamed you for the delay. If he’s not a jerk then he’ll own up. But 9 out of 10 partners I’ve worked with wouldn’t own up.

      • BigLaw Refugee

        I agree with this. Getting defensive will just make you look bad and make this “mistake” more likely to stick in the senior partner’s mind. Part of being a successful associate is figuring out how to manage up, so he may continue to blame you anyway. Or he may not actually blame you – the partner between you may be known for being unreliable – but rather be trying to get you to push the other partner harder. It doesn’t matter to the sr partner whose fault it is; it just matters to him that the client be taken care of.

        Sounds like you had the right instinct about needing to get it done; now that you know the partner directly above you can’t be trusted to stay on top of things, you know you should be even more aggressive about bugging him. Normally I wouldn’t cc a senior partner on a draft, but in light of this experience go ahead and cc him next time. If the partner above you does not respond to your (more frequent) voicemails and emails, *then* you can affirmatively raise both the ongoing and past issue with the senior partner and ask for his advice about how to make sure the client’s needs are met given that the other partner is “so busy these days” and doesn’t seem to be able to review things promptly.

    • atty

      Thanks all. The reviewing partner didn’t own up, at least not to me; maybe he did to the client. It was really bugging me and although I didn’t say anything to the responsible partner on the call because I’m wary of throwing others under the bus, I ended up emailing him and forwarding my prior email asking for review from the reviewing partner. I did it in a non-accusatory way, and said I should have cc’d him, that the reviewing partner was a bit hard to get ahold of, asked if there was anything I should do to prevent client delays in the future, and emphasized we would do all we could to meet the client’s timing needs. The responsible partner later stopped by my office and made it sound like the delay was not as big of a deal as it sounded on the phone (we weren’t too much at fault because it was a client wait-and-hurry-up situation) and was not mad at all, so that was good. I didn’t want this to come up on my review because at my firm once someone says anything negative about you, your rebuttal isn’t worth much (even with proof).

      I hate to seem petty and defensive, but to me, better that than incompetent/irresponsible. I will and do own up to my own mistakes but am not cool with taking the blame for others’ (unless they are below me, or when facing clients).

      • a lawyer

        Good decision, in my opinion. I’ve also learned (25 years in a small firm) that much of what is thought/said about you is not said to your face, so you have little chance to rebut. Good possibility that no one would have brought up this specific incident in any kind of review, but it may have been in the back of their minds.

        Also, I agree with your decision to cc the responsibile partner with drafts, just an “FYI” to keep him posted on the progress of the project.

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