Who Gets Fired for Non-Work-Related Behavior, Who Gets to Stay - Immigrants Matteo Godi Still at Paul,Weiss, Melat Kiros No Longer at Sidley Austin

 One's actual work is usually a defensive move in getting, holding, and moving on to better professional opportunities. Rarely does it put you on the offense.

THE VERY LIMITED ROLE OF THE WORK PRODUCT

Essentially, the work product functions as what is called "the price of entry." Without it you probably won't get in to play the game (unless you have the pedigree of a nepo baby). Also, it has the role of being a place-holder. If it drifts below a certain level of expectation that slot could close up. You’re out of the game.

So, to attempt to make sense of why one junior member in large law firms can retain the job and why another got the boot has little to do with focusing on the work product per se. 

TWO IMMIGRANTS TO AMERICA

Here we have the situations of two immigrants to America who were able to be hired by elite Big Law firms and then what happened afterward. There can be profound implications for how we view employment recruiting, hiring, promoting and terminations in professional services.

MATTEO GODI, FROM ITALY, ASSSOCIATE AT PAUL,WEISS

One of the immigrants is from Italy. That is Matteo Godi. As the website profile indicates, Godi is still employed at Paul,Weiss. That is even though, as Politico broke the story on February 4, 2022, he tampered with the Wiki profiles of possible competitors to Katanji Brown Jackson (as well as herself) for the nomination of US Supreme Court Justice. A former Jackson clerk Godi had made her come across on Wiki as more liberal and the competition as less so. 

Initially, wearing my journalist hat (which reaches back to the late-1970s), I delved into the story. I even called Godi. He hung up.

Later I pitched this mystery to investigative reporters but there have been no takers, at least not yet. Obviously, I remain curious about why Godi has been able to hang onto this plum position. 

Given recent developments such as Sidley Austin associate Melat Kiros' getting the boot for a non-work product related reason there might be fresh interest in Godi's sustained employment. I have some hunches I can share. Several months ago, I did email Godi for an interview, but received no response.

MELAT KIROS, FROM ETHIOPIA, FORMER ASSOCIATE AT SIDLEY AUSTIN

In contrast, immigrant from Ethiopia Melat Kiros is no longer employed as an associate at elite law firm Sidley Austin. (Her LinkedIn profile continues to list her in that job.)

Here is the tale of that termination. In response to a letter sent by law firms such as Sidley to a variety of law school deans about antisemitism she composed and transmitted her own letter- it was  of criticism of the law firm letter - to Medium. That communications received quite the attention on LinkedIn. That platform has become the global water-cooler for professionals to gather and jaw-jaw. Sidley requested she delete the letter. She refused. She got the boot.

On LinkedIn, my response, originally posted on my communications blog, to this seismic event is also receiving attention. I agreed with the Sidley decision. The news of the termination on Reddit Big Law has resulted, so far, in more than 500 comments. Here is the coverage on Law.com.

NAVIGATING THE ESTABLISHMENT

Should the fact that both are immigrants have influenced the assessment of their professional behavior in America? Not really, given that they made it jumping through Establishment hoops like being admitted to law school and getting through that well enough to be hired by prominent law firms. Obviously, they understand the system. They not only got through it. They were winning in it.

THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE OR MAYBE NOT

But what remains this puzzle is: Why did the behavior of one not be a Career-Interrupted and of the other what could well be a severe setback, at least in the legal sector? Kiros could possibly make it big in a cause-related association or as a political activist. However, many doors in the legal sector have slammed shut, short-term. Only the future will tell how far Godi will proceed in his legal career. Does he have a shot at partner at Paul,Weiss or anywhere else? Are government slots closed to him? Could he be admitted to the bar in other states?

Meanwhile as a professional and as now a full-time intuitive career coach, I know this: There are ways back from setbacks. You bet, it's the old adage: It isn't what happens to you. It's how you handle it. 

MY EXTREME INTEREST IN THESE STORIES

Full Disclosure (about any nuance of a lack of objectivity):

In April 2022 I was thrilled that Paul,Weiss put me on a monthly retainer for, I guess, communications assignments. Quickly that mutated into what I still can't connect the dots on.

There were no NDA (and that is a giant law firm and stand-alone me caught in total ambiguity, including legal), no contract specifying my duties or how long this supposed piece of Paradise would last (should I continue to chase other work) and no metrics on how my performance would be measured. But the latter didn’t really matter because there was no real work.

To simulate a work product, I hustled to find topics to blog about. Overseeing my non-work had been chief marketing officer Luke Ferrandino.

After two months of non-work, at the end of May 2022, I, with a brutal case of angst and confusion and soaring blood pressure “at my age,” pulled the plug. Bye-bye PW.

I have not given up on being able to figure this out. Interestingly on its Job Portal Paul,Weiss currently has a help-wanted for Content Assistant. It is Entry Level, but I could have at least done that kind of work. Now? Smirk. I wish the applicants the best of luck. No, I won't be submitting an application. 

On a concrete level, my way of "handling" the that was to exit doing assignments for law firms. As I tutor my coaching clients: There is no one absolute solution. It’s what seems the least self-destructive, at the time.

One more thing: The maternal part of my family immigrated to America from Poland, the paternal side from Italy. When I did couch time in therapy in my early 20s, I reflected on how much easier my life might have been had the universe assigned me WASP parents. Time has lifted the self-pity. But I sustain the hunch that I could have bypassed some heavy-duty lifting if blessed with pedigree. Of course, I have compassion for Godi and Kiros. Their journey probably was difficult.

Data or the gut for your careers and communications? Both of course. Complimentary consultation with intuitive coach, content-creator, and Tarot reader Jane Genova (text 203-468-8579, janegenova374@gmail.com).