Transcript
"What percentage of associates at big law firms make partner?"
That's a difficult question, depends on the firm. In the biggest law firms it's very low and depends on the maturity of the law firm. The answer to that question is whether they're not two tiers. That means equity versus non-equity. If there is non-equity, it's not that difficult to make a partner comparatively, but it depends on the maturity of the firm. So more mature means they've been around longer, et cetera. It's more difficult. It also depends on the attorney to be considered, which comes down to the factors like who your competition is. If you were to join an average law firm and stay there your whole career, like an average big firm and not bringing any business, then your odds would be something like between 15%- 20%. Maybe a little bit higher, 15 to 25%, that would be, if you did worked really hard. There's so much that goes into it. There's the economic health of the firm; there are the hours you build, there's your practice area. So it's very hard to understand that, but what I recommend, if that's something you really want, then you tend to try to learn about that stuff very early. And the only way to make a partner the law firm is to bring in business. You're typically dependent on other people that bring in business for you to become a partner, and what they think of you. That can go both ways. I've seen people that are dependent on that, and then they're up for a partner. And they're told that they did something at the firm four years ago, by turning down some assignment or something. If you're dependent on others and you need their business, then it's difficult. Unless your work is unbelievably good, and you're offering something extraordinary to the firm, and you're able to look like you're going to bring in clients, they have no incentive to advance you to be a partner. That's just how it is. The better you do at this stuff, the better you'll be. But it's very difficult to make a partner unless you bring in business. That's a skill you need to learn, but you can also get very close to people that have business, and they can make you partner, but then you always depend on them.
