I worked at Connell Foley for less than a year, enduring and *reporting* both unacceptable verbal harassment and harsh treatment—specifically, by a partner who I was told has run off so many employees that they previously removed her from the Executive Committee, and yet management knowingly continues to send her new employees for her to berate, abuse, and scream at openly in the workplace (though it definitely helps when the harasser’s best friend is in charge of the grievance procedure). I later endured sexual harassment of myself and one of the paraprofessionals I worked with with one of the partners I was reassigned to. The company did not seem to care (it’s obviously an old boys’ club even with a female partner in charge of the grievance process), so I ended up reporting the investigation and giving my resignation after experiencing a completely one-sided and insulting reporting/grievance process. Because of this Firm, I actually nearly chose to stop practicing law altogether. Luckily, I went elsewhere and realized that several of these egregious conditions are specific to Connell Foley, not to the profession at large.
Save yourself - this company has an above average billable hour requirement (1950), a well below market salary ($125k starting when I began in 2022), a hostile and toxic work environment, and many dumpster fire partners who are allowed to treat the firm like their own personal jungle gym and treat employees like punching bags and footstools, provided of course they bring in money to the firm. I am sure you could find employees that will tell you how HR openly boasts about these things, when they manage to make it in to the office.
There is no mentorship, instruction, training or structure. Connell Foley has all of the negatives you might expect at a big law firm, but without any of the accompanying benefits such as a high salary, reasonable bonus structure, decent technology, or the actual size of a big law firm such as Lowenstein, among others. Plus, I’ve heard they’re now making employees come in 4 days a week. Based upon the constant plumbing issues, exploding toilets and occasional green drinking water at the Roseland office, I personally would not come in 4 days per week, as I often questioned when I was employed there if it was safe, healthy or sanitary place to work. Because of all these issues, and more, Connell Foley is unable to retain good employees; it is a rapidly-spinning revolving door to and from Hell.
I implore all young attorneys, certainly young people of color and young women, to seek employment elsewhere. I would not let anyone I care about work at this law firm.