rateaPartner

Repulsive character. Pretends to know everything. Extremely arrogant and unpleasant to work with.

As a finance associate at Mayer Brown I have had the misfortune of working with him. In my opinion (and it appears that everyone in my group think the same), he is revolting and very difficult to tolerate (not sure how clients put up with him). He is full of attitude, is always putting others down, thinks he knows it all (when he clearly doesn’t!) and walks around like he owns Mayer Brown. Avoid him like plague.

I agree, he thinks very highly about himself. From my experience, the only thing he’s good at is boasting and he should be rewarded for it with an MBE!

I am a finance associate at Mayer Brown and as I understand he is very popular (I get on with him). Clients in particular really rate him. You don’t get promoted to partner at 6 years PQE if you cannot do the job.

I agree with my colleague OW. He is a superb lawyer and very well liked within the firm. The only people who don’t like him are associates he leapfrogged to partnership.

On a separate note, what is this website for? Is it a place for disgruntled individuals to vent their spleen or a half-baked alternative to Chambers?

Looks like everyone is finding out about this blog.

I agree he is a fantastic lawyer and a nice guy. Not someone who tries hard to be friends with associates but is courteous to them.

It seems that someone has taken it upon himself to salvage his (non-existent) reputation by writing self-congratulatory feedback (come on this website isn’t that popular that three different people will leave feedback within one hour – I wouldn’t be surprised if another self-congratulatory feedback follows this comment). I was debating whether I should leave feedback but on seeing the above misrepresentation I am forced to act. Repulsive, revolting, pompous, child of a man who pretends he knows everything – not one person in the finance group tolerates him, forget liking him. I understand that my colleagues from other departments have similar views.

Just saw his name in popular partners, and was surprised until I read the feedback (seems that popular here means popular and unpopular)! I haven’t had the opportunity to do any detailed work with him, but the feedback above is consistent with what I have heard. From experience, he became a different person from the moment it was announced that he would become a partner. I wasn’t actually aware that he made partner at 6 years PQE (at the expense of some other lawyers who are actually very good) – an incredible achievement given that only he rates himself – it means that serious questions have to be asked of our firm and our promotion critera.

As someone who has consistently argued for a upward feedback mechanism in any work place (especially a law firm with an unfortunate partner-associate-trainee hierarchy), I quite liked the idea of this website except that now, on the above evidence, I don’t. There is a fine line between malicious, sadistic and vengeful vitriol and constructive feedback. That thin line is drawn by integrity, generosity and most importantly conscience. Unfortunately most of the above feedbacks seem to be written by people who do not have the spine to relate to the latter attributes.

Having worked with this partner quite closely I can claim to know him as well as any of the above “finance” and “corporate” associates who claim to be able to judge his competence. Let me set the record straight. He is technically very very good period. He works hard and expects people working with him (either above him or below him in the hierarchy) to do the same. Sticks his neck out for people he believes are competent. Good mentor and teacher. Delivers high quality work to clients on time every time. Was made partner at 6 years PQE – not at all undeserved, he was doing the same level of work before he was made up. Now the negatives, the shock of “I made Partner” has not worn off so his behaviour towards associates is sometimes very abrasive and sometimes bordering on the unacceptable. In my view it is not intentional and certainly not malicious. Secondly obsessed with his transactions and the quality of work (a good thing of course) which makes him micro-manage at times until you win his trust. In conclusion, excellent lawyer, good mentor and friendly (most times) person who says it as it is. His clients rate him as do associates who work with him.

If some junior corporate or finance associate takes affront to the negative points (fairly minor I must add when viewed as a whole), I am afraid it reflects their emotional stability. If any of those people who have spewed vitriol think otherwise, disclose your identity and I will do the same. At least that would be the honourable thing to do and there would be more credibility to these comments.

If the site administrator is reading this, I request that registration is made compulsory before posting comments. At least it will somewhat regulate feedback. If however raving and ranting is what this site invites, my apologies for not toeing the line.

Not a bad guy. Though this website is a good idea, I have to agree that the feedback should be regulated for it to achieve its purpose and for it to be truly effective and also to perhaps prevent some partners who can’t handle criticism from responding in the guise of someone else (above is the perfect example where that is blatantly obvious – a page long passionate defence where the associate knows the partner as well as the partner himself – wonder who it could be! ).

Not a bad guy. Though this website is a good idea, I have to agree that the feedback should be regulated for it to achieve its purpose and for it to be truly effective and also to perhaps prevent some partners who can’t handle criticism from responding in the guise of someone else (above is the perfect example where that is blatantly obvious – a page long passionate defence where the associate knows the partner as well as the partner himself – wonder who it could be! ).

In my view, I would never hire this guy as a lawyer. If you can’t get along with folks, you shouldn’t be in a service oriented business. Being a good lawyer is not about being technically brilliant. It’s about finding the right answer for the client and addressing his or her needs. That fact that this guy walks all over associates, very troubling indeed. I’d look for someone else. They’re are plenty to choose from these days.

I’d never hire him. Plain and simple.

He is a great lawyer.

Incapable of sustaining a conversation without proclaiming that he made partner at 6 pqe. Arrogant, self obsessed individual with a bloated estimate of himself. Generally disliked by associates. Otherwise a nice guy.

A man with a mouth bigger than his physical stature!

I find these posts bizarre. No one disputes that he is a superb lawyer. But why are people blogging about him? He is not in one of the large transaction groups and generally keeps to himself unless you are working with him. There are some other partners who generate more animosity than this guy ever could.

When you do work with him, he is very amiable and always tries to help if he can. I can only assume his success has upset some of his former peers, particularly those who have been shown the door in recent months.