Women lawyers often have the added challenge of balancing significant responsibilities at home in addition to those at work. As the saying goes, “Law is a jealous mistress.” The profession is demanding of all of its participants, but the burden seems especially heavy for women lawyers. In 1989, for the first time, the plight of…
The traditional law firm pyramid model is under pressure. Historically, to support partner salaries at the top, firms continually added increasing number of associates at the bottom. Every year, big law firms hired troops of new associates and assigned them to high-volume but relatively low skilled projects to gain experience. Although contract lawyers, or, in…
When evaluating an offer, determine what is and is not negotiable. Find out whether your target employer has a lock step or merit-based compensation system and where you might fall within their scheme. Many law firms have an established base or narrow range of compensation for each class year within their associate ranks, while others…
It’s not when you graduated, but what you know. Most law firms, unlike other businesses, categorize associates by JD graduation year rather than level of expertise for purposes of hiring, compensation and promotion. Until recently, the lockstep model made some sense, assuming that associates who enter law practice at the same time gain like experience…
Law schools don’t teach you everything you need to know in order to succeed in today’s legal marketplace. As the legal profession increasingly becomes more business-oriented, successful lawyers need to know more than just the law. Business and management skills are becoming essential to advancement, whether you practice in a law firm or an in-house…
Now that you are not working night and day to keep up with the business crossing your desk, what should you be doing to make the most of these slow times? Besides catching up on your sleep and getting reacquainted with family and friends, there are specific steps you can take to position yourself to…
