By any other name

I've been getting positive attention at work lately, which means more and more assignments are being deposited at my desk. I cannot lie; I love it. Of particular awesomeness is the fact that I'm getting to do a great deal of legal research and writing. I know, a lawyer, writing legal stuff. Mind blowing. But there is one tiny detail about this arrangement that bothers me. Or more accurately stated, there is one tiny detail about this arrangement that bothers my inner narcissist. I never get to put my name on my work. All the pleadings, advice letters, legislative analyses and case law synopses that come from my desk are signed by a partner. At some level, I suppose this makes sense. Big deal corporate clients really like to see a name they know and trust affixed to the bottom of a letter containing advice on how to manage their legal affairs. Preferably a name that is also on the wall in the lobby of our office, in big shiny letters. As a student, to me the best part about writing something amazing was putting my name on it and declaring to the world that the novel ideas on that paper had their genesis in my brain. But as a second year associate, I guess the ideas spilling from my brain are still considered a work in progress. I do find it exciting that established attorneys who have been successfully practicing law for longer than I have been alive trust me to come up with legal solutions that will ultimately go out to our clients and shape the way they do business. But this is one of those instances in which the practice of law is annoyingly idiosyncratic. I'm pretty sure in any other context, putting your name on something you did not write is more commonly referred to as plagiarism.