Maya and Priya are both lawyers in a law firm. Priya is a partner at the firm, while Maya is an associate. Raj is a client of the firm who is currently being represented by Maya. How would the professional relationship between Maya, Priya, and Raj be characterized? Can Priya take over the case from Maya without consulting her?

Respond briefly.
Maya, being an associate at the law firm, is likely a lower-ranking lawyer than Priya, who is a partner. As a partner, Priya would have a senior position within the firm and likely has some supervisory or leadership responsibilities over associates such as Maya. Raj is a client of the firm who is directly represented by Maya. This means Maya is the lawyer responsible for Raj's legal representation.

Since Priya is a partner, she would generally have the authority to make decisions about the distribution of cases within the firm. Partners often have the ability to reallocate cases as they see fit to manage the firm's workload and the use of resources effectively. Therefore, Priya could potentially take over the case from Maya, but professional courtesy and standard practices within law firms typically require that partners discuss such changes with the associates handling the case before making a decision. This would usually be to ensure a smooth transition and maintain good internal working relationships, as well as to ensure that the needs of the client, Raj, are adequately served without disrupting the legal representation he is receiving. However, Priya's decision to consult Maya would likely be based on firm policy, the specifics of the situation, and common professional courtesy, rather than an absolute requirement.