Lateraling as a senior associate? Forum

[nmr00]

Hi everyone,

I am not in the legal profession myself and I am asking these questions as they pertain to my husband. Any help would be appreciated.

Was wondering what the general landscape/prospects are like of lateraling as a senior associate? I am also wondering how salaries vary amongst big law firms in different cities - would one take a significant hit in salary in going from a top tier city to a secondary city like Philadelphia for instance?

Additionally, at what point in one's career do you start to figure out partner prospects? It is my understanding that people are up for partnership around year 8 - is that correct? Do people typically get told indirectly at a certain point if they will likely be made partner? And if not, should one try to get out and move somewhere else?

Any help would be appreciated!

[grand inquisitor]

ur husband is fucked

[rpupkin]

Hi everyone,

I am not in the legal profession myself and I am asking these questions as they pertain to my husband.

I don't mean to be rude, but is there a reason why you're not asking your husband these questions? He should know the answers.

[Anonymous User]

Not to discourage you/your husband, but my friend is a senior associate (about to begin 8th year), and towards the beginning of her 7th year she was having difficulty getting any interest from firms at all. HYS ugrad, HYS law school, federal clerkship, Vault T25 firm.

Regarding the partnership question, she heard some rumblings about her chances at the end of year 6. But she was not up for partner yet at that point, just in discussions.

Unless your skill set is a 100% perfect fit you're probably going to take a discount in class year.

[nmr00]

Um, because I wanted a variety of opinions? Since Im assuming there isnt one obvious answer to these questions

[lolwat]

biglaw->biglaw may be difficult
biglaw->boutique might be better, but it all depends on firms' needs (my firm hired a bunch of senior associates in the last few years because that's what we needed--people who generally knew what they were doing, could run cases with some supervision, but wouldn't demand high salaries or partnership)
yes, probably pay cut from large market to smaller market (unless it's a firm that pays the same across the country), biglaw salaries are something you can sort of look up generally
partnership prospects vary by firm.

[Anonymous User]

biglaw->biglaw may be difficult
biglaw->boutique might be better, but it all depends on firms' needs (my firm hired a bunch of senior associates in the last few years because that's what we needed--people who generally knew what they were doing, could run cases with some supervision, but wouldn't demand high salaries or partnership)
yes, probably pay cut from large market to smaller market (unless it's a firm that pays the same across the country), biglaw salaries are something you can sort of look up generally
partnership prospects vary by firm.

Can you elaborate on "wouldn't demand partnership"?

[nmr00]

when does one reliably start figuring out partnership prospects?

[rpupkin]

Um, because I wanted a variety of opinions? Since Im assuming there isnt one obvious answer to these questions

Your assumption is off, especially with respect to your question about partnership prospects. Yes, there are--hypothetically--various answers to your question about partnership track in the sense that there's variation among firms. But your husband is already a senior associate at a law firm. He knows (or should know) what his firm's approach is to partnership promotion, as well as when and how senior associates are expected to move on. I'm not sure what the point is of a bunch of law students and junior associates speculating about the practices of some unknown firm. A senior associate who works at the actual firm (i.e., your husband) will of course be in a better position to answer your questions.

[mabia lajora]

just for context, pup, a previous thread by this poster: Husband just fired from large law firm after less 1 yr?!

[perfunctory]

Um, because I wanted a variety of opinions? Since Im assuming there isnt one obvious answer to these questions

Your assumption is off, especially with respect to your question about partnership prospects. Yes, there are--hypothetically--various answers to your question about partnership track in the sense that there's variation among firms. But your husband is already a senior associate at a law firm. He knows (or should know) what his firm's approach is to partnership promotion, as well as when and how senior associates are expected to move on. I'm not sure what the point is of a bunch of law students and junior associates speculating about the practices of some unknown firm. A senior associate who works at the actual firm (i.e., your husband) will of course be in a better position to answer your questions.

Wow, ever think a good spouse might want to do some searching on her own, with the good intent to help her husband? "Your assumption is off," "why don't you ask her husband," chill.

[A. Nony Mouse]

It is kind of a weird thing to ask, though; it makes it sound like trying to get info that the husband won't give (though that may of course not be the case).

Also that didn't need to be anon.

[perfunctory]

So used to pressing anon here. I mean, if he knew, why wouldn't he give it to her?

[rpupkin]

Wow, ever think a good spouse might want to do some searching on her own, with the good intent to help her husband? "Your assumption is off," "why don't you ask her husband," chill.

I don't doubt that the OP's intentions are good, but TLS speculation about OP's husband's partnership prospects will range from worthless to misleading.

[A. Nony Mouse]

So used to pressing anon here. I mean, if he knew, why wouldn't he give it to her?

That happens a lot (the anon, no worries). And no idea, it just doesn't really make sense that she would have to ask here when her husband is going to have better info about any of this, it seems.

[JusticeJackson]

.

[BlueParrot]

Some senior associates are able to lateral to another biglaw firm but a firm has to have a real need for them and they will generally want a few years to evaluate before making any partnership decisions.

[lolwat]

biglaw->biglaw may be difficult
biglaw->boutique might be better, but it all depends on firms' needs (my firm hired a bunch of senior associates in the last few years because that's what we needed--people who generally knew what they were doing, could run cases with some supervision, but wouldn't demand high salaries or partnership)
yes, probably pay cut from large market to smaller market (unless it's a firm that pays the same across the country), biglaw salaries are something you can sort of look up generally
partnership prospects vary by firm.

Can you elaborate on "wouldn't demand partnership"?

Kind of a tangent here but all i meant was a 10th year lawyer (sr.assoc level) will have a good base of experience but wont ask to join the firm as a partner while a 25-30th year lawyer who might have been a partner at previous firms and/or have ability to bring business are way more likely to want to join as a partner. So the partners @ the firm get experienced people they want without having to share profits or control/mgmt.