I just got fired.

[derpyderpins]

I'm a lawyer. I had little-to-no warning and they made me leave immediately. In law, you have to bill hours for the firm to make money, and mine were always on the low side, but it was never asserted to me that this was a major issue. (My bosses talked to me once in the summer about it but it was not disciplinary in nature, just "we'd like to see you get your bonuses, how can we help you get your hours up?")

About a month ago, I had to ask for more work, as I was running out of tasks to complete. Some were added . . . but not really a lot. I took a two-week overseas trip that had been planned for a long time. They had a ton of notice of this, and I told them I'd be working remotely on the trip to keep billing. No objection, no issues. However, I stopped getting new assignments. Then, when I got back to the office from that long trip today, they told me it's my last day, pack my things.

I've never been fired. I never made any major mistakes. They were happy with my work, they just wanted me to put more hours in, which I would have been completely willing to do had I been told it was such a huge issue. There was no warning. There was no, "hey you've got to at least hit X hours," "your hours are too low and must be improved within x time." Nothing like that. These are people who had always been "friendly" to me, but I guess that didn't mean shit. No loyalty in at-will employment.

I'm devastated. I hate myself so much. It's going to be so hard to get another job now with this blemish on my resume. I can't believe they let me spend all that money to go on that trip just to come back jetlagged and get blindsided. It was so cold and heartless. No discussion, just like I was trash to be disposed of.

 

[Celerity]

I wouldn't have what it takes to make it in that field. Seems pretty cutthroat and like it requires an insane number of work hours.

 

[derpyderpins]

I wouldn't have what it takes to make it in that field. Seems pretty cutthroat and like it requires an insane number of work hours.

I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

 

[just_a_guy]

Sorry about your setback and I really hope you can bounce back quickly. Maybe it's better this way because if they were willing to do that, who knows how many other ways they could have screwed you

 

[voyager]

I'm sorry, that's really mean of them. It's rather demeaning, isn't it? Don't hate on yourself though or take it personal, you're perfectly fine and it's them who are just assholes using one.

Spoiler: TL;DR One big family 🙂

Remember my first job, was minimum wage so nothing special. Had two bosses who were a couple. The first thing she told me was we're all on a first name basis here, like one big family.

Did the night shifts. It didn't pay more, but coldn't sleep anyway and it wasn't so busy. Plus, a buddy would hang around until the early morning hours. We'd usually have a few drinks and talk when there was nothing to do. Was a good worker overall and put some effort in, because it was nice making my own money and we were one big family after all.

My other boss would come in to relieve me for the morning shift. Since we were friendly I'd help him out for an hour or two, meanwhile chat a little with my other boss when she'd come in her for her three hour shift. He'd also often come by on my days off and ask me to fill in for others. Didn't want to, but would give in anyway, being one big family and all.

After a few years it got a bit much working 10-12 hour shifts. Was also rather miserable privately. Drinking a lot, and apart from that, gaming and smoking didn't really know what to spend my money on. But fortunately, didn't have to worry too much about that issue since the bosses would just take customer's tabs out of my wage. When I'd be busy in the back kitchen baking and customers out front would speed away, that too came out of my pocket. My work ethic declined a bit and ultimately decided to switch to the day shift. The following week we got robbed on my former night shift. The bosses hired security but they were too expensive so they let them go again and we got robbed another couple of times. The bosses would reprimand me for my poor work effort. Things went on like that for a while and one day I found a nice letter addressed at my surname in the letter box, "dear mr voyager, you're fired, you can pick up your outstanding wages in the office". Guess, we weren't one big family after all...

 

[Praestat_Mori]

I'm sorry that happened to you. But you are a lawyer! Were you employed or "freelance"? If you've been employed you should be able to appeal and go to court? Ofc depending on the country you live in and according to law there.

 

[derpyderpins]

I'm sorry that happened to you. But you are a lawyer! Were you employed or "freelance"? If you've been employed you should be able to appeal and go to court? Ofc depending on the country you live in and according to law there.

For young lawyers where I live it's all "at-will" employment. No contract so they can dump you at any time. So while they would say I was employed because I was salaried, it's effectively freelance. I have 0 chance of any relief.

 

[Kattt]

In the UK, it's illegal for a former employer to give a bad reference. They can refuse to provide one, but unless you have no other options for a reference, then forget about it. You don't have to explain the reasons and circumstances for leaving the job. People leave jobs all the time, perhaps because they feel their efforts are not appreciated, they don't believe it offers sufficient opportunities for advancement, because of an unhealthy workplace environment, maybe there's a culture of prejudice.
It sounds like they did you a favour, because this was not a place in which employees were recognised based upon their contributions and loyalty.
Give yourself a short time to recover and move forward. Too often people find themselves in a position they hate, with little or no prospects, the wrong side of 35 and scared to face the likelihood that they will have to endure it until they can retire.
You wouldn't be the first to lose a job because you presented a threat to senior colleagues. It's their loss.