Good Riddance - "Partner Track" Goes Kaput on Netflix

No surprise, the adaptation of Helen Wu’s 2013 novel “The Partner Track” isn’t making it to another season on Netflix. Most of the responses on Fishbowl Big Law weigh in that the series had been a clunker. Here is the thread.

Essentially the novel and how Netflix depicted the content is a vilification of the ethos of Big Law (what muckraker hasn’t been there including most recently “Servants of the Damned” and a bit before that "The Caesars Palace Coup”) and, specifically, the treatment of minorities. The setting, predictably, was New York City. 

The way the series had been promoted it was probably expected that fear would be struck in the hearts of the leadership of Cravath, Paul Weiss, and the Big Apple office of Kirkland & Ellis.

Instead there was probably no interest from Big Law NYC brass. From the initial episode, the Netflix offering was an insult to everyone in the loop of the business and culture of large law firms.

To begin with, none of the associates looked sleep-deprived. That was also a major flaw in that earlier TV series “The Deep End,” which also folded – fast. 

Big Law isn’t alone in inflicting long hours and all-nighters. Wall Street also plays the game that way. Big Consulting is quite demanding too. 

However extreme hours have become a signature of Big Law. In the first episode the associates didn’t exhibit that expected wear-and-tear.

Another unreality were the copious and too-open casual interactions among associates on-site. The game is up-or-out. The office is an arena of fierce competitiveness. It’s smart to play your cards close to your vest with those competing with you. 

In those days the novel was published, what associates needed to know about what was going on had been covered on Abovethelaw. No, you didn't chat up those kinds of things with other junior associates. Now that insider information and those perspectives primarily come from professional anonymous networks. There is even one for NYC Big Law. 

In addition, the leadership in Big Law has become increasingly transparent. Paul Weiss chairman Brad Karp, for instance, analyses macro and firm-dependent trends in interviews ranging from Bloomberg Law to Insider. 

Another issue is that since 2013 diversity has moved forward. No, it's not where it should be but there are plenty of initiatives and implementations. There is deep respect for the talent and unique contributions of minorities. 

In addition, absent in "Partner Track" was the aura of intense involvement with the complex work. Sure there is all that power. But usually that Divine Right of Kings overlay serves to get the work done, on time, and perfectly. The pressure is the driver for the typical tense, demanding, often abrasive behavior of many partners.

Like voters in the recent midterms, viewers on Netflix think for themselves. “Partner Track” indictment of large law firms didn’t resonate with them. Unlikely any production team will not try again this sort of. unobjective featuring of any institution. This one - the large powerful law firm - is necessary for the operation of US system of justice. Without a reliable justice system capitalism couldn’t survive. 

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