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Making partner at a law firm represents a major milestone in an attorney’s career. It’s a leap into firm leadership and ownership over the practice, an indicator that (former) superiors see a lawyer as an equal. It’s also difficult to achieve and comes with many responsibilities once reached. As a partner, increased compensation and reputation come with greater burdens of performance.
Not all partners take the same path, but they all encounter similar challenges along the way.
Below, we’ll provide comprehensive guidance on what partnership means for lawyers, how to make partner at law firms, what skills to prioritize in the process, and what the journey will likely look like.
A partner at a law firm is a business partner, an attorney who takes on direct responsibility for the firm’s revenue. Traditionally, partners are proven lawyers who are offered an opportunity to buy into the firm and become a partial owner rather than an employee. Full “equity” partners forgo a salary, instead receiving compensation via a prorated portion of the firm’s overall profit.
In recent years, firms have increased their use of a two-tier system in which “non-equity” partners take on the title of partner without actually buying a portion of the firm or sharing in its profits.1 This is often a transitional role in which senior associates are being prepared for full partnership, and the distinction is usually internal—to outsiders, all partners appear equal.
All partners take on significant operational duties, including client acquisition and overall revenue management. While these additional roles and requirements can create new challenges for an attorney, they also come with greater prestige, compensation, and influence.
Every law firm’s criteria for partners differs depending on its size, mission, clientele, history, financial outlook, and many other factors. However, certain elements are considered in more or less the same way by most firms. Namely, most firms consider an attorney’s tenure, performance, contributions to developing business with new clients and to expanding business with existing clients of the firm, and history of or capacity for leadership.
To be promoted to partner, an attorney typically has to have a long, successful, and valuable history at a firm. They need to bring in clients and retain them, ensuring satisfaction and success on that front. They should also seek out every opportunity to “go above and beyond” by engaging in special projects and investing time on firm committees, exceeding the minimum expectations of their associate job description.
The parties directly responsible for promoting attorneys to partners most often include
committees of current law partners and other executive stakeholders at the firm. These include both managing partners, who operate at a C-suite level, and senior partners, who are analogous to middle managers. If a committee identifies a promising associate on track towards a partnership, they’ll evaluate the candidacy together and determine whether, when, and how to promote them.
The criteria these committees use to make these partnership decisions vary. However, attorneys can give themselves an advantage by getting to know the committee members at their firm and learning what indicators they value—and taking every opportunity to demonstrate their business savvy.
The skills and qualities you’ll need to make partner are similar to the ones you need to advance as a senior associate in a law firm, with a more pronounced emphasis on the business of law.
To that effect, some of the most important qualities and skills to prioritize are:
Notably, two of the three key qualities here are less about legal skills and sensibilities than they are about business management wherewithal; legal partnership is about the legal business.
Firms promote attorneys to partner to increase their profitability. They want—and need—partners to bring in new clients as proof they’ll contribute to revenue growth. One of the best ways to set yourself up for a partnership track is to show that you have what it takes to do that.
However, many lawyers and law firms face challenges in bringing in new clientele.
Per The National Law Review, some of the biggest hurdles are simple errors like slow or missed responses to client inquiries, poor or nonexistent marketing, and inadequate lead tracking.2 There are also factors partially out of attorneys’ hands, like bad reviews. But firms and attorneys that do bring in clients consistently leverage all tools available to them, from Google Ads to lawyer directories. Avoiding unforced errors and paying attention to outreach go a long way.
Another key consideration is reputation. Aspiring partners need to engage in lawyer networking and build a legal network both inside and outside of their firm. Coming across as an authority has as much to do with your resume and work performance as it does with having other experts—or partners and executives across the legal industry—recognize you.
To that end, some traditional best practices include regularly attending bar association events and leading or participating in legal seminars and workshops. Forward-thinking lawyers at firms that embrace emerging technologies and trends should also make the most of LinkedIn and other social media platforms where their colleagues, clients, and other stakeholders congregate.
Lawyers and law firms with strong specialization in particular legal matters enjoy several benefits over their thinly spread counterparts. According to The National Law Review, specialization promotes better client relationships and satisfaction, greater visibility for prospective clients, and improved overall profits with less competition. It stands to reason that an associate who cultivates a specialized skillset would be a better candidate for partner than a jack of all trades.
In some cases, specialization requires certification via a national or local bar. The ABA accredits programs that allow individual attorneys and firms to claim specialization and authority within a specific field, such as the International Association for Privacy Professionals (IAPP) for privacy matters.3 But beyond certification, lawyers seeking out specialization should also pursue clients and legal matters pertaining to their target fields, prioritizing them within their caseloads.
Just as no two firms’ priorities or criteria for picking aspiring partners will be the same, no two lawyers’ paths to potential partner status will, either. However, most journeys share similar milestones and challenges.
Generally speaking, there are three main steps attorneys need to take on the path:
While this progression may seem straightforward, it should be noted that it is not exactly easy.
On the whole, it takes attorneys longer than ever to make partner. This is especially true in big law, where just under a third of recent partners said the accomplishment took them 11 or more years.4
Attorneys pursuing partner status will find themselves in direct competition with their peers and colleagues, all of whom are trying to achieve the same thing. Maintaining a competitive edge or making yourself stand out is important, but it should never come at the expense of teamwork and collaboration.
Remember that existing partners are ultimately committed to what’s best for the entire team. So, you want to show upper management that firm-wide success is your top priority.
Another major roadblock on the path to partnership is lawyer burnout. Early- and mid-career lawyers need to develop skills for balancing work and personal life to manage stress and maintain productivity even on the busiest days, weeks, and seasons. Some practical solutions include setting strong boundaries, prioritizing self-care, cultivating time management, and seeking professional help.
Making partner is a major milestone in a lawyer’s career, and it can seem daunting for early- or mid-career attorneys. But knowing what firms are looking for in terms of business leadership and prioritizing those qualities will set you on a fast track to success. Making partner takes determination and strategic planning—both of which a quality legal recruiter can help with.
E.P. Dine helps lawyers find the best opportunities for them to facilitate advancing their careers. We offer resources and consultation to help prospective partners take the next steps toward reaching their career objectives with targeted research, outreach, preparation, and encouragement.
To learn more about how we can help, explore our recruitment services—or get in touch today!
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At E.P. Dine, we are committed to delivering content that is not only relevant and insightful but also rooted in professional integrity and expertise. To achieve this, every article published on the E.P. Dine blog undergoes a meticulous review process by qualified professionals with deep knowledge and experience in the legal field and legal recruitment.
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