Workplace Coach Offers Legal Assistant 3 Tips for Handling ‘Annoying’ Attys

Workplace coach Marie G. McIntyre fielded a question from a legal assistant for a district attorney's office, who's been feeling put upon by her J.D.-carrying colleagues.

The assistant writes in, "The attorneys constantly talk about their new homes, fancy cars, lavish vacations and plans for early retirement. That's OK, but they also seem to enjoy making fun of our low pay and inferior benefits.

"They say things like, 'You’d be better off working in fast food' or 'You won’t be able to retire until you’re 80.' "

McIntyre, in a column distributed by McClatchy News Service, responds that while the pay for the attorneys in question may be high, "their maturity level is awfully low."

"Flaunting their superior compensation is not only juvenile and rude, but also self-defeating," McIntyre observes.

She advises the legal assistant to consider three options:

• Form a group of aggrieved support staff and try to enlighten "clueless" colleagues, then enlist those who get it to make your case.

• Take a group complaint to the appropriate manager.

• Ignore them and be glad you were reared with better manners.