I'm wondering whether to raise some issues I have with a boss at work.

It's a law firm and I work in a small office within a very large firm. I mostly work for one partner (who is universally recognised as difficult and bit of a tool, but I can just about manage without walking out) but have recently done a bit for another partner (who makes the former look like the best boss in the world).

He acts all chummy, knows **** all about the relevant law, and gives you a hard time about the most trivial things he can find – presumably to show his "authority". (He's also made trainees cry etc)

I am wondering if I can raise these issues in a tactful way, like: "You have raised various issues with my work that are in my view are trivial. This had made working with you an unhappy experience."

Hopefully there's not much he can do – if he continues or gets worse then I can escalate it. It may also occur to my boss that I may not take the seemingly infinite amount of crap he dishes out. However they are both very authoritarian (which is 180 degrees out of line with the firm's management policy).

WCS I suppose is they say "if you don't like it then leave"…which I will, the moment I get offered a decent job.

Any thoughts?

wee on his desk.

If he is in the clique with the other partners then you will be in the wrong regardless. I say this from experience from the first bunch of masonic w@nks I worked for.
Bite your tongue and tread carefully until you have something else lined up, and even then, don't tell them to stick their job where the sun don't shine- its a small world and best not to burn your bridges. Again I learned this the hard way.
It's infuriating I know but worth it in the long run. Once your at his level or above then the shoe will be on the other foot

You've nothing to lose by raising the issue. You'll always come across folk like that who will try to exert their "authority" over you until you stand up to them. Usually, they'll respect you more as a result and the shit will stop. Don't save them up though. Each time it happens, react to it immediately. Point out the area of concern and try to resolve it.

Escalate it as a last resort. That's more likely to make you look like a bit of a wimp by going behind his back.

Do you have any form of written appraisal/assessment? If not, try to instigate one. Document all the issues (you with him, him with you) and work together to resolve them. If you do have to subsequently escalate, at least you'll have some audit trail of your attempts to work around this situation.

jambo has it.

Thread closed.

Intersting. I burned my bridges at my last place and it's yet to hurt me. This place is a total backwater in comparison.

Will def think about it tho, partners often get away with anything.

people get treated the way they choose to be treated. raise it with them and keep doing it. and put a prawn in the frame of their chair.

Druidh has good advice I think.