For the two people who had to hear the long, drawn out story - SORRY!!! (Much of this will be a repeat for you - but not nearly as exhaustive as what you got.) ;-)

The best part, when I asked about edits to briefs, specifically for Yoda, the partner looked at her papers and said, "I don't have anything about anything like that here. "Yoda likes working with you." Yay! I said that was a good thing because he was my Jedi knight. (Since I've now told every other attorney I call him Yoda, should I tell him?)

OK. So, let me start by saying that it's not as if I don't realize the areas where I need development (cough emotional cough.) Still, I hate annual reviews. It's not that I mind the constructive criticism. It's more that I *hate* the feeling thatI've let someone down. That's one of the worst things for me.

But I have to set the day up. I've mentioned that I don't really feeling comfortable with my mentor before. He's part of the boys club, and he's belittling so I can't ask him dumb questions (part of having a mentor). He walks into my office and says, "want to go to lunch?" Well, no, but as technically we are supposed to talk somewhat often so that he can give me advice and direction (thus, the "mentor" part of our relationship), I went.

I get back, do a bit of work and around 4:30 or so being to think I'll leave early.) And then, I get the call for my review. As in now. As in, no fair, it's not Thursday, and didn't I already have enough tension for one day??

The review is given by three senior partners. They sit at this table, one across from you, one next to you, and the other next to you at the head of the table. So you are essentially surrounded, and you can't look at everyone. I felt like General Custer...

We have three categories: Exceeds Expectations, Meets Expectations, and Below Expectations. At our firm if you are at "Meets Expectations" then you are on the partnership track. All 14 graded areas were some sort of Meets Expectations. Two minuses and five plusses within that. So it's not like I'm out in left field being a lawyer I guess. I wasn't surprised that one of the negatives was dealings with opposing counsel. I was told to be less passionate, less emotional, less real, less political around clients. (Are we starting to think that perhaps my personality is a bit extreme?) They assured me that this is something that comes with practice, so they weren't too concerned at this time, but I have to be aware of it.

So nothing was surprising at all. No shockers. My strenths were what I suspected they were, the same with my weaknesses.