Narcissism and the arrival of younger lawyers who are unhumble gifts to their departments

According to some research, the youth of America exhibit higher levels of narcissism, “a positive and inflated view of the self,” than do their elders. Younger lawyers joining law departments may well be more self-centered than lawyers of previous generations, if we extrapolate from comments in Atlantic, Vol. 300, July/Aug. 2007 at 30. A 40-question survey called the Narcissistic Personality Inventory places those who take it on a scale of narcissism.

Full-of-themselves lawyers may demand more training, greater responsibility, and faster development (See my post of June 24, 2007 on high-potential lawyer programs.). They may bluster about titles, complain about bonuses, and demand the best office space. It’s hard to manage overweening egos.