I got this from BritLawyer who is a Junior Partner at this point in his career....


I am working my way through a report on a VERY big project prepared by someone else. I am about to tear a gentle strip off them for having the most disorganized report in the world. Ever. Some poor person (probably me) is going to have to re-write the thing in English. In sentences. That make sense. (Weeps silently and bemoans the modern education system.) [Note: the lack of sentences in the above is not because I can't do sentences, but because I don't want to, just in case you worried.]

I suddenly feel better about my idiot clients because I don't exactly expect them to be able to function, you know? When you work in a law firm with an international reputation you expect your associates to be able to write. In fact, you expect them to be able to write well. Its always harder to have your expectations not met, than to have no expectations and to be pleasantly surprised should some unexpected competence arise.