Law firm partnership has long been the brass ring for young lawyers seeking prestige (and the accompanying seven-figure compensation plan.)

But a new report from Above the Law suggests that associates seeking to climb the ranks at their current firm are now firmly in the minority. 

Instead, these lawyers are fed up with law firm life and on the hunt for greener pastures, according to the “Associate Perspectives on the New Normal” report, which drew from a survey of around 500 U.S. associates at firms of all sizes. 

So where are they looking for their dream job? 

Forty percent — the largest cohort — are planning to seek an in-house position for their next role. Meanwhile, less than a third of respondents plan to stay at their current firm with the expectation of joining the partnership. 

Here, we look at this surprising dynamic and consider what it could mean for in-house lawyers. 

Advance the Quest for Work-Life Balance

For in-house law departments, creating an environment that addresses the complaints made clear by the Above the Law report will be a key part of attracting and retaining this generation of lawyers.

The survey respondents indicate, for example, that work-life balance is far and away the most important factor in their decision to leave their current position — a full 69 percent said it was their main motivation.

Of course, corporate law departments are facing ever-increasing workloads themselves, to the point that “do more with less” has become an industry cliche in recent years.

But this doesn’t mean these lawyers’ aspirations should be dismissed. 

Regardless of its success as a recruiting strategy, any effort to create an attractive, balanced working environment will ultimately benefit current legal team members as well. 

One consistent complaint, especially from associates who work remotely, is the blurring of the line between work hours and personal time. Even the anticipation of having one’s personal time interrupted by work can lead to significant stress and burnout, according to a study conducted in 2016.

The study’s authors recommend that managers “establish formal policies and rules on availability for after-work hours, such as weekly ‘email-free days’ or specific rotating schedules that will allow employees to manage their work and family time more efficiently.”

A key aspect of making these policies work is putting the burden of enforcing them on leadership. 

“Supervisors — regardless of how close they are to the C-suite — represent the organization at large in the eyes of their teams,” write professors Marcello Russo and Gabriele Morandin for Harvard Business Review. 

“They have the power to encourage (or discourage) employees from using family-friendly policies through their attitudes and behaviors, which can signal (or not signal) that there will be consequences for those who prioritize or provide equal importance to family and work responsibilities.”

Listen, Learn, and Act Accordingly

In addition to seeking work-life balance, many associates also say they’re looking for a workplace where they feel heard and respected by more senior team members. 

An important (but often neglected or only superficially addressed) issue likely related to that feeling of having one’s concerns dismissed is the near-universal relative lack of job satisfaction felt by women and people of color when compared with their male or white colleagues. 

As one female associate put it in the ATL report, “I have raised my concerns to a couple of partners and have been told some version of ‘that’s how this business is.’”

The ATL survey laid out a high-level demonstration of these disparities: Women rated every area of job satisfaction covered by the survey lower than men did, and not a single Black or multiracial respondent said they intend to stay at their current firm to become a partner.

To address these disparities, legal department leaders should prioritize impactful, easily accessible support for career advancement and professional development. 

For example, establishing a robust mentorship program can play a huge part in fostering the relationships that make attorneys — including those belonging to historically marginalized groups — want to stick around at a law firm.

“Mentoring programs provide associates a personal connection to the firm when someone is charged with keeping an eye on their work assignments and work environment,” writes attorney-turned-consultant Ida O. Abbott for the Minority Corporate Counsel Association.

“Too many minority associates run into problems early in their law firm experience that, if left unattended, lead to high rates of attrition,” she adds. “A well-designed and carefully implemented mentoring program for minority lawyers, with clear, specific, and realistic goals, can support a firm’s objectives of retaining and promoting more lawyers of color.”

For law departments, it is essential that GCs create real progress and demonstrate leadership’s understanding and concern for the issues raised by less senior attorneys — especially those whose voices have historically been ignored in and out of the workplace.

Focus On Your Team, Too

Despite the large number of associates looking to move in-house, many legal departments are experiencing high levels of turnover as well. 

According to a report from Wolters Kluwer, around 70 percent of current in-house attorneys are looking to leave their current positions.

So while opportunities abound to recruit top Biglaw associates, retaining talent should also be a key concern for GCs.

Many attorneys already working on an in-house team share the concerns voiced by law firm associates, and the Wolters Kluwer report highlights the importance of career development opportunities and feeling heard by leadership for legal department team members

In-house attorneys also consistently value the effective use of legal technology. 87 percent of respondents say it’s “extremely” or “very important” to “work for a legal department that fully leverages technology.”

To make the most of new tech, general counsel should consider bringing on experienced help. Alternative legal service providers (ALSPs) are frequent early adopters of new technologies such as blockchain and AI, and they are increasingly valued for this expertise.

“ALSPs are no longer merely low-cost providers of services for firms and corporations to outsource, such as document review,” says Lisa Hart Shepherd, VP of Research Strategy at Thomson Reuters. “The focus of ALSPs on technology innovation gives them a critical edge and makes them ideal partners to take on increasingly important tasks, such as project management and consulting on legal technologies.”

It’s a virtual certainty that members of your law department are looking to contribute to efforts to aid victims of the many humanitarian crises that are proliferating today. 

Here, we look at how your organization can use its resources to bolster charitable giving, helping your team’s contributions achieve the maximum benefit.   

Creating an Office Program

One way to encourage philanthropic endeavors is to set up a charitable giving program in the office. These programs offer several advantages. 

First, the program manager can remind everyone when it’s time to give. Second, the chosen donations can come directly out of payroll, making it extremely convenient and consistent.

Third, the company can match contributions. Fourth, giving programs are an excellent recruitment tool, given that job candidates these days often inquire about corporate responsibility.

Get leadership involved and you can create a culture of largesse and civic mindfulness in your workplace that will influence and impress everyone who joins your team.

Numbers show these programs work. A recent study by the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals found that workplace giving brings in about $5 billion per year. Also, thanks to software options, you can obtain a turn-key solution. 

A successful push toward corporate giving can make you feel good about your department and your company, and help your people feel that way, too.

The Right Expertise With the Right Tools

Specialization is essential these days and charitable giving is no different. If at all possible, add a corporate social responsibility (CSR) professional to your human resources department.

Realistically, of course, only large firms can bring in a person to work solely on an in-house giving program. But even if a person’s duties must be split, it’s best to put someone in charge who has some knowledge in the field — and perhaps more important — the will to make it a success. 

Fortunately, plenty of software platforms are available to help your CSR director administer the program.

Generally, these software packages offer a mini-site or portal. Employees log-in to choose how much they want deducted from their paychecks and the nonprofit to which they want to give it. 

Many of these charitable giving software packages can generate detailed reports for administrators. Some allow your generous employees to check on company matching funds and get news about the impact of their contributions. There are few better ways than the latter feature to keep your people engaged.

Although this blog is focused on monetary gifts, software packages are available that match professionals with volunteer opportunities and allow companies to develop grant-making programs.

As you might expect, the array of software choices is bewildering. To help companies wade through it all, an organization called Re:Charity — which describes itself as “a collaboration . . . to make high quality educational resources available to the community” — compiled a list if its top-reviewed giving platforms. They include America’s Charities, Benevity, Bright Funds, CyberGrants, and Millie. The article offers a description of the software, a break out of Re:Charity’s favorite feature of each, and a “verdict” on its efficacy.

You may find there is an even more convenient way to launch a charitable program. Make sure to check with your existing software vendors to see if they offer a giving platform. It might be reassuring to extend your relationship with an already trusted partner.

Salesforce is an example of a company whose main product does something else, but who eventually developed a giving platform. About five years ago, the nonprofit arm of the software giant teamed up with the United Way to develop Philanthropy Cloud. This meeting of the titans was unsurprising given that the United Way was a trailblazer when it came to setting up corporate giving programs connected to payroll.

Philanthropy Cloud can be presented as a workplace add-on, so the charitable-minded in a company don’t have to seek it out. According to the United Way announcement, the platform syncs with QuickBooks and TurboTax for ease of use at tax time.

As more people use it, the application is supposed to adapt, allowing co-workers to learn from each other and stay informed. Givers can choose from a selection of pre-vetted charities and respond in real time to major crises. 

Let Givers Choose Their Passion

Speaking of a selection of pre-vetted organizations, any workplace giving program is bound to be more successful if employees can follow their passions with confidence that their money will be used properly. Some people want to protect the environment or wildlife, while others aim to support people suffering through natural disasters or war. 

Offering them a wide-array of trustworthy nonprofits from which to choose will make them more likely to commit to a recurring payroll deduction. Their commitment lasts only as long as they choose, and can be made even more effective with company matching.

Don’t underestimate the importance of vetting 501(c)(3) nonprofits, whether your software provider does this for you or it’s handled by your in-house CSR professional.

A workplace giving program that engages in a proper examination of its nonprofits makes the decision to give that much easier. Pre-vetting helps your team feel even better about supporting their chosen worthy causes.  

The Beats of Generosity 

While a program of consistent small donations deducted can be the bread and butter of your program, Benevity, a Canadian company that develops giving platforms, recommends special campaigns a few times a year to really get people excited. Such a campaign certainly makes sense in the face of specific crises, such as the 2021 earthquake in Haiti or the current war in Ukraine.

Benevity cautions against leaving your announcement of the special campaign to a dry email. People receive so many emails per day in a busy law department that it may get lost in the digital flotsam. Make the kick-off of a campaign an event. Get together in a conference room or kitchen, and encourage people to discuss the best way to help and the most effective organizations.

Be creative. If appropriate, run a trivia contest about the region or cause connected to your campaign, complete with small prizes. Prepare a video presentation. Anything to make the effort seem vibrant, serious, and above all “just what you do.” 

For example, on the day one of Benevity’s clients launched its giving campaign, a staff member rode a bicycle around the campus ringing a bell shouting out the effort and asking people to “make sure you give in your account.”

Something called “friend-raising,” is another way to bring campaigns to life and increase donations. Walks, bike rides, or swimming marathons that raise a few cents per mile or pool-length can be a great way to gain attention and build enthusiasm.

Your team might also respond well to a co-worker’s challenge. Called “peer matching,” this happens when an employee offers to match all funds donated by the other members of their team in addition to the company’s matching contribution. Aside from a way to increase the funds given, it allows team members to talk about the causes that are important to them. 

Last but not least, you can always provide incentives for giving in whatever way you deem appropriate. Drawings for gift certificates, paid time off, or even lunch with the boss.

With the right tools and attention, you can foster a culture of giving in your department. Not only will it gather the funds necessary to solve terrible problems and help those in need, it will build morale among your team and leave your people feeling good about their workplace.