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Vote on Desiree Davidson's Story
Were they afraid we were planning a coup d'etat?
I spent my first summer during Columbia Law School at a firm in Philadelphia described as one of the best places in the city for black lawyers. I believed that if there was any place where I would have an equal chance at opportunities, be treated fairly and succeed, this would be it. There were three black female summer associates out of sixty that year but any time all three of us were in an office talking, one of the partners would knock on the door to see how we were doing. It happened too often to be a coincidence that sometimes we would purposely agree to meet in so-and-so's office to test our theory that we were being monitored. Like clock work, ten minutes after we would get together a partner would stop by.
She was an incredible attorney
- Workplace Unfairness
- Female
- African-American
- Law Firm
- Considering Leaving
- Bad Boss
- Company Response
- Coworker
- Giving Notice
- Personal Response
- Tradeoffs
It wasn't news to anyone that my supervisor was vicious. I would get cut off when I tried to talk about it because nobody wanted to deal with it. I think they let her stay because of money. She is really smart. She is an incredible attorney. I'd hire her and I would spend my last dollar too, because she fights like a bulldog. But I got to a point where I felt like I had no choice. I had to go because her attitude was so abusive. When I left, people said, "Oh, how could you do this to us? Now we'll have to deal with her by ourselves." I was disappointed because I wanted my job. I loved my job.