Ask Ash

Dear Ash,

I have been working very hard on a recent project at work and have put in long hours. However, although my boss recently recognised the effort being put in by our department by taking us all out to an expensive restaurant, he suggested, after a few glasses of wine, that the “star” of the department was a junior solicitor who had also assisted with the project. I feel quite irritated at this as I had to supervise this solicitor and I rectified a few mistakes she had made, mainly due to her inexperience. However, as my boss was not aware of any errors on the part of the solicitor he seems to think she sailed through the project. I am not sure whether to speak to my boss about this to clarify the position?

Ash replies:

“Credit where credit is due” is not always strictly practised in the world of work. You will often experience inequalities of praise or recognition in the workplace, especially where you work as part of a team on projects where the tasks are not necessarily defined.

If you attempt now to specifically illustrate the failings of your junior colleague, this could be viewed as sour grapes on your part and consequently your boss may assume that you are not a good team player.

I would suggest that instead you highlight some of your own good qualities and successes within the project through passing comments, when speaking about a particular aspect of the project with your boss, or at your next appraisal, or even suggest a meeting with your boss with regard to the project and ask if there was any particular feedback about your role to allow you to improve for the future.

Also do bear in mind that your boss may have deliberately highlighted the role of the junior solicitor to provide her with a confidence boost due to her inexperience and he may have assumed that the more experienced solicitors would not have required or indeed expected such direct praise. The fact that your boss trusted you to supervise the work of the junior solicitor speaks volumes about his confidence in your ability and it would therefore be advisable for you to take some satisfaction from this and to put away that green eyed monster!

• “Ash” is a solicitor who is willing to answer work-related queries from solicitors and trainees, which can be put to her via the editor: peter@connectcommunications.co.uk, or mail to Studio 2001, Mile End, Paisley PA1 1JS. Confidence will be respected and any advice published will be anonymised.

Please note that letters to Ash are not received at the Law Society of Scotland. The Society offers a support service for trainees through its Registrar’s Department. For one-to-one advice, contact Katie Meanley, Manager in the Registrar’s Department, on 0131 476 8105/8200, or katiemeanley@lawscot.org.uk