I just badly need to air this one out. So before the weekend, I was in a meeting with a new client and one of the junior associates. We were going over some discovery documents, and I was explaining a particularly complex production that was coming in from the opposing counsel. It was a significant detail and would impact our next steps.
After I finished, the client looked at me and said, "That's good information. I appreciate you finding that." Then, turning to the associate, he added, "It's nice to have her around to do the grunt work." The associate just kind of nodded uncomfortably, and I just froze for a second.
I know the client probably didn't mean anything malicious by it, but being referred to as just someone who does "the grunt work" after all the effort and expertise I put into my job, was a punch to the gut. I felt so dismissed. It made me feel like all the strategic thinking, critical analysis, and long hours I put in were invisible. We're more than just document handlers, and it's frustrating when it feels like some people don't see that.
I don't want to even be affected by this remark but it's been living in my mind for a couple of days now. I enjoy my job, never thought lowly of it but in hindsight I wonder if I should've defended my role. How would you have handled that moment?
After I finished, the client looked at me and said, "That's good information. I appreciate you finding that." Then, turning to the associate, he added, "It's nice to have her around to do the grunt work." The associate just kind of nodded uncomfortably, and I just froze for a second.
I know the client probably didn't mean anything malicious by it, but being referred to as just someone who does "the grunt work" after all the effort and expertise I put into my job, was a punch to the gut. I felt so dismissed. It made me feel like all the strategic thinking, critical analysis, and long hours I put in were invisible. We're more than just document handlers, and it's frustrating when it feels like some people don't see that.
I don't want to even be affected by this remark but it's been living in my mind for a couple of days now. I enjoy my job, never thought lowly of it but in hindsight I wonder if I should've defended my role. How would you have handled that moment?