Skipping a level? Forum

[Anonymous User]

In the lateraling process and there may be a chance I’m able to negotiate coming in as a year higher than based on my grad date.

Does anyone have experience with how such a deal affects group dynamics and career arc? Any animosity from partners or associates? Were there heightened expectations that were hard to meet?

Thanks in advance for any insight.

[mvp99]

In the lateraling process and there may be a chance I’m able to negotiate coming in as a year higher than based on my grad date.

Does anyone have experience with how such a deal affects group dynamics and career arc? Any animosity from partners or associates? Were there heightened expectations that were hard to meet?

Thanks in advance for any insight.

Don’t and ride the biglaw train

[Anonymous User]

In the lateraling process and there may be a chance I’m able to negotiate coming in as a year higher than based on my grad date.

Does anyone have experience with how such a deal affects group dynamics and career arc? Any animosity from partners or associates? Were there heightened expectations that were hard to meet?

Thanks in advance for any insight.

Don’t and ride the biglaw train

TITCR. If you want to become partner, then a longer runway (especially at a new firm) will give you more time to set that up. If you don't want to make partner, it's a bit less important, but if the firm is an up or out firm in any sense then you'll want to drag out the gravy train for longer by joining at your class year.

The only reason I'd say make the jump up is if you're planning to leave within a few years. In that case, the extra pay would outweigh these other considerations.

[Anonymous User]

I know a lateral who negotiated a class bump for compensation but stayed at their grad class year for partnership promotion purposes. No idea how common this is but might be worth considering.

[objctnyrhnr]

Don’t do this.

Your 8th year self will thank you.

Advice doesn’t apply if you’re gonna be 3 years and out.

[Anonymous User]

Don’t do this.

Your 8th year self will thank you.

Advice doesn’t apply if you’re gonna be 3 years and out.

I’m interested in all of the negative replies here. I could see the “bump” giving the firm a reason to delay your partnership app by a year (in which case you’re in no worse position career-wise than if you had come in the year below) but are there people who really feel unready/look unready on paper to go through the partnership promotion process in year 8 but don’t feel like they’ll have job security until year 9? This seems like an easy yes to me. You get the benefit of higher comp. If you do decide to stick it out at the firm, you can make the decision to try to make a go at it during your class year, hold off til the next year, or (firm dependent) off-ramp to counsel for a few years while you decide. If you’re going in-house the higher class year as a midlevel/early senior may help you negotiate a better title/comp structure.

Idk maybe I’m missing something that is obvious to everyone else ITT.

[Anonymous User]

I thought we decided that up or out doesn't exist anymore and that besides nobody should ever plan on making partner? The difference in salary over 5 years for a 3d year is 222,500. It's more than 60k for each of year 3/4 and 4/5. That's a lot of money to say goodbye to because maybe as a 9th year you'll have better chances to make partner.

[veers]

In the lateraling process and there may be a chance I’m able to negotiate coming in as a year higher than based on my grad date.

Does anyone have experience with how such a deal affects group dynamics and career arc? Any animosity from partners or associates? Were there heightened expectations that were hard to meet?

Thanks in advance for any insight.

As long as you are ready to handle the expectations of a higher class year, I would absolutely go for it. The whole idea of "runway" or what not is a joke. The main thing is to come in and do fantastic work and convince the powers that be that you are worth keeping around. Might as well make more money and get to do more interesting senior-level work in the process.Idea of convincing you to come in at a lower class year level is just a way to make you cheaper for the clients and shaft you in the process.

[Anonymous User]

I thought we decided that up or out doesn't exist anymore and that besides nobody should ever plan on making partner? The difference in salary over 5 years for a 3d year is 222,500. It's more than 60k for each of year 3/4 and 4/5. That's a lot of money to say goodbye to because maybe as a 9th year you'll have better chances to make partner.

Agree with this - always take the money.

Up or out is basically gone at most places (there are many paths to partnership that take longer than 8-9 years).

[Anonymous User]

Take the money and don't worry about how it affects your partnership chances. If the firm wants to keep you around then it's not going to matter.

[nealric]

Take the money and don't worry about how it affects your partnership chances. If the firm wants to keep you around then it's not going to matter.

I agree with this perspective. I don't think you actually get any more "runway" by coming in at a lower level. Making partner is no longer a one shot up or out type of thing at the vast majority of firms. If they think you are a promising candidate but you need another year, they wait another year and evaluate then.

Turning down a class bump is just turning down money for no reason. Expectations may be *marginally* higher for the higher class year, but I defy any attorney to parse the difference between "5th year work" and "6th year work." One thing they are very unlikely to do is put you up for partnership before your indicated class year (unless you have some crazy book of business you've developed). So you actually may have a shot of making partnership a year earlier with a class bump you wouldn't otherwise have.