How likely is it to make partner at biglaw? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Generally, how likely is it to make partner at biglaw?

[84651846190]

between 0 and 100 percent, depending on the firm

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

between 0 and 20 percent, depending on the firm

[Anonymous User]

if you bill out 2000+ hours for 10 years, go to every networking event, and become best friends with the largest clients in your practice group ~30%

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Sorry, I should have clarified. I was wondering percentage wise. I guess it truly does matter what firm you go to. I'm new to looking into law as a serious career, so I was not sure. Thank you.

[84651846190]

if you bill out 2000+ hours for 10 years, go to every networking event, and become best friends with the largest clients in your practice group ~30%

seems high to me

[JamMasterJ]

if you bill out 2000+ hours for 10 years, go to every networking event, and become best friends with the largest clients in your practice group ~30%

seems high to me

Well, I've heard numbers like 10% thrown around. So assume that 1/3 of the people quit by year 5. I'd bet another bunch leave before year 10. So if you're one of 1/2 the people left, your odds are like 20% now, and add to that doing all the right things (assuming the quality of the work is there), I can imagine bumping that 20% up a few more points. So at least 25% if not 30

[wert3813]

if you bill out 2000+ hours for 10 years, go to every networking event, and become best friends with the largest clients in your practice group ~30%

seems high to me

Well, I've heard numbers like 10% thrown around. So assume that 1/3 of the people quit by year 5. I'd bet another bunch leave before year 10. So if you're one of 1/2 the people left, your odds are like 20% now, and add to that doing all the right things (assuming the quality of the work is there), I can imagine bumping that 20% up a few more points. So at least 25% if not 30

Right, there is plenty of voluntary attrition, so if you were just positive you wouldn't leave your odds are a little higher. But that leads to the question of why are so many people voluntary removing themselves from an opportunity to make $700k+.

[megagnarley]

if you bill out 2000+ hours for 10 years, go to every networking event, and become best friends with the largest clients in your practice group ~30%

seems high to me

Well, I've heard numbers like 10% thrown around. So assume that 1/3 of the people quit by year 5. I'd bet another bunch leave before year 10. So if you're one of 1/2 the people left, your odds are like 20% now, and add to that doing all the right things (assuming the quality of the work is there), I can imagine bumping that 20% up a few more points. So at least 25% if not 30

Right, there is plenty of voluntary attrition, so if you were just positive you wouldn't leave your odds are a little higher. But that leads to the question of why are so many people voluntary removing themselves from an opportunity to make $700k+.

Marrying a baroness and taking up pre-clovis art collecting as a vocation has to be near the top of the list.

Edit: accidental anon.

[SLS_AMG]

if you bill out 2000+ hours for 10 years, go to every networking event, and become best friends with the largest clients in your practice group ~30%

seems high to me

Well, I've heard numbers like 10% thrown around. So assume that 1/3 of the people quit by year 5. I'd bet another bunch leave before year 10. So if you're one of 1/2 the people left, your odds are like 20% now, and add to that doing all the right things (assuming the quality of the work is there), I can imagine bumping that 20% up a few more points. So at least 25% if not 30

Right, there is plenty of voluntary attrition, so if you were just positive you wouldn't leave your odds are a little higher. But that leads to the question of why are so many people voluntary removing themselves from an opportunity to make $700k+.

From what I've gathered it seems to be some combination of:
1. Associates realizing they're unlikely to make partner even if they do stick it out, and their prime years as a lateral target may have passed around the 4-7 year mark

2. Associates want to have a family, and they realize that making partner is, as has been described many times before, the equivalent of winning a pie eating contest where the grand prize is more pie (i.e., more work)

3. They can often lateral out with cushy six-figure salaries and reasonable working hours (related to 1 and 2)

4. They never wanted to be at a firm in the first place and just used it to pay off debts

[Nomo]

Depends somewhat on the firm. But regardless, certain traits seem to be key. You need to be an extroverted people-person. You need to be willing to work harder and longer than the majority of biglaw associates (who as a group are very hard workers). You will need to be assertive. But you also need to be able to put up with verbal abuse, getting yelled at, being given assignments on Friday afternoon that must be finished by Monday morning, etc. You need to be OK with putting family and friends on the back-burner. You'll need to be willing to screen friendships, hobbies, and volunteer work for networking potential. You'll need to be comfortable looking and acting like a biglaw partner whenever you're in public.

If all that sounds terrible you have about a 0% chance. If doing all those things comes naturally then you have a good shot, though luck still plays a huge role.

[Nomo]

From what I've gathered it seems to be some combination of:
1. Associates realizing they're unlikely to make partner even if they do stick it out, and their prime years as a lateral target may have passed around the 4-7 year mark

2. Associates want to have a family, and they realize that making partner is, as has been described many times before, the equivalent of winning a pie eating contest where the grand prize is more pie (i.e., more work)

3. They can often lateral out with cushy six-figure salaries and reasonable working hours (related to 1 and 2)

4. They never wanted to be at a firm in the first place and just used it to pay off debts

5. They thought they wanted to be at a firm (even after their SA) because they wanted the prestige, money, etc. But after 2-3 years they felt completely burned out, and that they had wasted multiple years of their life. They decide to leave and take a big pay cuts despite still owing over 100k in student loans because they need to "get their life back." I know many people who fit this description.

[Frayed Knot]

Depends somewhat on the firm. But regardless, certain traits seem to be key. You need to be an extroverted people-person.

I'm not sure that's really true—at the very least, a lot of BigLaw partners aren't classic extroverts.

I think it's true that you need to be able to relate to people in some way. That could be traditional life-of-the-party, work-the-room extroversion, but it could also be an ability to maintain a network of contacts via email/build a reputation through work, etc.

[mvp99]

It's risky to stay and try to make partner. You also have to realize that you're competing with senior associates from other classes. If there a "rising star" behind you, they might make him or her partner first. In addition, there are a bunch of factors that are just out of your control. (source: talked with many, many partners)

[lawyerxxx]

If your dad works there, 99%. If not 1%

Brutal honesty=Reality

[Law Sauce]

ITS A LOCK BRO




...sorry couldn't resist

[911 crisis actor]

#Lifehack: If you start your own firm and charge biglaw rates, you'll have made partner.

[lawyerxxx]

#Lifehack: If you start your own firm and charge biglaw rates, you'll have made partner.

Isn't that declaring yourself king of your moms closet?

[911 crisis actor]

Wow, sounds like someone's mad for not having made partner

[lawyerxxx]

Wow, sounds like someone's mad for not having made partner

nah, just don't calling a sockpuppet a girlfriend is all

[84651846190]

Wow, sounds like someone's mad for not having made partner

nah, just don't calling a sockpuppet a girlfriend is all

(not Manti Teo)

[lawyerxxx]

Wow, sounds like someone's mad for not having made partner

nah, just don't calling a sockpuppet a girlfriend is all

(not Manti Teo)

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=man ... tedIndex=0

[Nomo]

Depends somewhat on the firm. But regardless, certain traits seem to be key. You need to be an extroverted people-person.

I'm not sure that's really true—at the very least, a lot of BigLaw partners aren't classic extroverts.

I think it's true that you need to be able to relate to people in some way. That could be traditional life-of-the-party, work-the-room extroversion, but it could also be an ability to maintain a network of contacts via email/build a reputation through work, etc.

That's fair. Though I would at least say that I don't see any younger partners who are obvious introverts.

It's also worth noting that we are talking about "partners" as if there is no distinction between equity and non-equity partners. But that's a big distinction. And while its a bit of a black box I think its clear that its harder to become an equity partner than a non-equity partner. I think it's also fair to say that the key to becoming an equity partner in this day and age (and the key to remaining one) is to constantly generate work.

[06102016]

..