What Associates Want

By Valerie Fontaine –

Associate attorneys are the unhappiest workers in America, according to a 2013 CareerBliss study reported in Forbes magazine. Citing the structured environment, heavy emphasis on billable hours, and the long and uncertain path to partnership, associates ranked their satisfaction with the way they work and the rewards they receive lower than workers in any other industry.

According to the National Association for Law Placement (NALP), more than 40% of associates change jobs within their first three years of practice. Since associate turnover has high costs in terms of lost productivity and hiring and training replacements, it’s worthwhile asking, “What do associates want?

Many of those who leave are looking for a place where they believe they can make a successful and secure career for themselves, and can play a part in shaping not only their own futures but also that of the firms of which they are a part. They want to feel like a valued part of an organization or team.

Associates want the opportunity to develop their skills and grow as lawyers. They want training, mentoring, and exposure to a variety of tasks and subject matter so that they can progress in their careers. In many cases, they want the chance to follow their interests to develop a niche or specialty to add value to the firm and enhance their ability to serve clients. They want to develop their “soft skills”, as well, by taking on increasing levels of responsibility, managing teams, and supervising more junior lawyers as they gain seniority.

Associates want their work assigned on a timely basis whenever possible. Except in unavoidable circumstances, they should not get assignments at the last minute, at the end of the day, or on a Friday or holiday eve with impending deadlines. And, if possible, they want work distributed on a relatively even basis, rather than feast or famine—a number of projects all at once, and then periods with no work at all.

Associates want to know that the work they do matters. Help them understand where their assigned task fits into the big picture and why it is important to the overall case strategy or in achieving the clients’ goals in a transaction. Moreover, once the work is completed, associates want partners to review it within a reasonable period of time and to give them constructive criticism (or even praise, when earned). An occasional “thank you” goes a long way.

Associates want clear feedback, early on and regularly, in order to nip any potential problems in the bud. They want to know honestly, and several years ahead of their partnership eligibility, what their realistic chances are for making partner, and if there are any steps they can take to increase the likelihood of getting the nod. If they are not on partnership track, associates want to know what their options are, and whether there will continue to be an appropriate place for them at the firm in the short and long term. They want to know where their careers are going.

Associates also want support in building their rainmaking skills. In this bottom-line oriented legal marketplace, associates know that bringing in clients equates with power and security in the firm. Give them formal business development training, significant client contact, case or deal responsibility, and mentoring in this area. It’s important that a firm be open to the smaller types of clients and matters that an associate can generate at the outset, and allow flexible billing rates for these clients. Furthermore, associates want their firms’ backing with marketing support and realistic client development budgets.

Associates realize that their primary function is to work and not to govern, but they also want to play a role in shaping the future of their firms. They want involvement in the firm’s business development and planning. They want representation (if not votes) on the firm’s important administrative and governing committees.   Some law firms have instituted formal review of partners’ performance by associates, and allow associates to sit on committees that have the authority to set compensation. Associates also wish to take part in hiring, training, and mentoring more junior associates. And, when the firm is doing well, they want to be rewarded with extra bonuses so they feel that they are sharing in the profits they helped create.

Associates, like most workers, want a stable and at least respectful, if not friendly, office environment. Regardless of the firm’s fortunes, a little fun and shared laughter can lighten the atmosphere and make everyone feel like part of a team. Many associates seek a culture that values diversity and promotes community or bar association involvement and pro bono activities.

Associates expect to bill lots of hours, but they want to feel like they are being treated as adults, trusted to get their work done without micro-management. According to the 2015 AmLaw midlevel associate survey, overall satisfaction of midlevel associates was strongly correlated with their law firm’s scores for technology. The ability to work from home occasionally with the necessary technological backup, flexible work hours, and reasonable part-time and family leave policies go a long way towards helping associates achieve a satisfactory work-life balance, a priority for the Millennial generation.

Investment in associate happiness is good for the bottom line because happy associates are less likely to leave. They keep billing hours and, with proper guidance, grow into productive partners who bring in fee-paying clients. So, what do associates want? In short, in addition to the tangibles—fair compensation, interesting work, and reasonable hours—associates want to feel respected, appreciated, supported, and in control of, or at least informed about, their career options.

Blog Author

Valerie Fontaine is a partner in Seltzer Fontaine Beckwith, a legal search firm based in Los Angeles (www.sfbsearch.com). She can be reached at vfontaine@sfbsearch.com or (310) 842-6985. The second edition of her book, “The Right Moves: Job Search and Career Development Strategies for Lawyers,” was published in 2013 by NALP.