As discussed previously with respect to mentoring, my team has a very flat structure and managers are not accessible. my best mentoring, feedback and recognition has come from relationships that i have proactively sought out in the absence of an effective formal management system. there is a degree of luck involved with finding someone willing to mentor you, as the availability of feedback and coaching depends on the work that gets assigned to you (which can be very random as all junior lawyers sit in a general pool, with no direct reporting lines). my formal performance coaching is done with someone i have never worked with and who i see very infrequently. the partner in my management stream on paper does not know my name and has mistaken me for a different junior lawyer (that he appears to also not be able to identify, given that he mistook her for someone with no visible likeness, despite working with her multiple times).
Some mentors are very friendly, others (i.e. certain partners) don't even respond to your "hello" when passing them in the hallway/in the bathrooms. more likely than not, you will not work with your supervising partner. i personally have barely had any contact with my supervising partner, except one 10 minute meeting in relation to a matter with another associate present. i expect my only one-on-one meeting with my supervising partner to be at our end of seat review.
The perth partnership has grown so much in the short time i have been with the firm, which is exciting and the growth mindset definitely trickles down to juniors, who are continuously encouraged to get involved with new tasks and ask questions along the way. the passion and knowledge my mentors have for their work is amazing, and really fosters a great learning environment.
