Another Day in HappyFunVille

So the tedium continues in HappyFunVille, a/k/a my current workplace.  Two inescapable and intertwined conclusions have become quite clear.  (1) I will never like working in this office, and (2) it is the most inefficiently run, badly organized law office on the face of the earth.

The attorney in charge likes to create chaos for the purpose of chaos.  He thrives on it, and sadistically enjoys how much his chaos drives the rest of us nuts.  He’s constantly changing how things are done, usually without bothering to tell some or all of us about it.  If we ever do stand up to him, he just looks incredulous and acts like we have terrible memories and things are always supposed to have been the way he wants them at this particular minute.  The other attorneys appear to live in fear of him, and won’t stand up for us when he’s being cray-cray and contradicting the instructions he gave just a few days ago.  How such experienced attorneys can be so utterly spineless escapes me.

He has a dedicated assistant, who seems to think she is God’s gift to legal staffing, despite not knowing anything about our specific practice area.  Considering her general attitude, along with other not-so-subtle things she does to try and exert psychological dominance over the staff, it all makes me think there’s another potential UnManager in the making should she get any actual authority.  She’s already the office tattle-tale, which I confirmed with a purposeful and well-timed “outburst” about something trivial that only she overheard, but still got me an “attitude adjustment” lecture from the attorneys.  A little discomfort endured, a big chunk of potentially valuable information learned. 

Most of my co-paralegals have less experience in this practice area, but they are hardworking and fast learners, not afraid to ask questions or help out when needed.  That’s the one bright spot in this whole environment.  The paras have to stick together against the maelstrom of nutso that is our daily working life.  Granted, I’m still not sure if they’ll throw me under the bus if they need to, but I’m working on how to figure that out, too.  The chief problem is that it involves me somehow under the aforementioned metaphorical bus. 

Is it any wonder this industry creates alcoholics?  More to come, so stay tuned!  (Promise it won't be another month.  Really.  I mean it this time.)