Big Law Life

Even when partners understand feedback, are open to change, and engage in partner development programs, it may not  be enough to actually how they are able work under pressure over the long term. As just one example, a junior partner knows they need to delegate more effectively, but when a demanding matter arrives, they may keep work themselves because it seems faster, involve associates too late,...

One of the critical issues for BigLaw firms is what happens when partners receive feedback, but rather than listening to it and considering what it might suggest, they instead jump immediately to defending their work. For instance, I discuss the example of when a practice leader raises concerns that efforts to bring one partner into other partners' client relationships are not progressing well, wh...

BigLaw attorneys can spend a great deal of time doing work that is valuable in the moment but costly over the long term. Some of these habits generate billable hours, praise, and even a reputation for being indispensable. The problem is what they may prevent you from developing next. You can become exceptionally good at work you should eventually grow beyond, become overly dependent on one partner...

BigLaw associates are often frustrated doing what feel like routine assignments when they feel ready to move into what they see as more challenging, complex and even more important work. But some of that work that seems tiresome is in fact an important opportunity to develop the judgment they will need for more senior work. Updating exhibit lists, drafting meeting agendas, checking citations, prep...

Copying the business development habits of successful BigLaw rainmakers can sounds great but more often what works for someone else won't work for you if all you do is directly replicate it. Taking clients to dinner, attending conferences, hosting events, sending client alerts, or playing golf may all be effective approaches, but how you execute on those or choose other ways of connecting may depe...

One of the most revealing business development metrics in BigLaw is when something happens with a client, who do they call? Revenue, origination, pitches, and repeat matters all matter, but they do not always tell you how deep a client relationship really is. A senior associate may be trusted to run an important matter, a newer partner may be the person a client calls when a problem arises, and an...

How BigLaw firms actually measure a book of business matters, and a $1 million book can mean very different things depending what sits underneath that number, as well as where you are in your partnership tenure. A homegrown partnership candidate, a newer partner, an established senior partner, and a lateral partner may all report the same amount of business, but the firm is evaluating something di...

Why do some negative professional impressions fade quickly while others can follow a lawyer for years? And what can you can do when an outdated reputation begins affecting your opportunities? In BigLaw, reputations are often formed from relatively small samples of behavior, particularly as teams become more distributed and partners have fewer repeated interactions with individual associates. A sin...

There is an under-rated skill that can make lawyers significantly more valuable to partners and clients: being easy to brief. This does not mean knowing everything about a matter or immediately having the answer. It means being able to enter an unfamiliar conversation, listen through incomplete or disorganized information, identify what actually matters, and determine what still needs to be known...

In this episode, I discuss what actually happens when a BigLaw lawyer's name goes before a partnership promotion committee and the decision points that illustrate what this group is seeing and concluding about you. By the time a senior associate, counsel, or non-equity partner reaches serious partnership consideration, the firm already knows the basic metrics: billable hours, utilization, realizat...

Practical business development in BigLaw begins much earlier than most associates think. Mid-level associates are often told to focus on doing excellent work, meeting deadlines, and learning how to become strong lawyers, while client relationships and business development seem like responsibilities reserved for partners and senior associates. But even before BigLaw attorneys are expected to bring...

Business development in BigLaw begins much earlier than most associates thinkm but not in the way you might imagine or that your firm is suggesting. Junior lawyers are often told to focus on doing excellent work, meeting deadlines, and learning how to become strong lawyers, while client relationships and business development seem like responsibilities reserved for partners and senior associates. B...

In this episode, I discuss five things BigLaw attorneys often spend too much energy worrying about early in their careers and why those priorities should change as they become more senior. Office location, titles, billable-hour comparisons, being copied on important emails, and proving you are the smartest person in the room can all feel like important signals that you are succeeding. Some of thos...

In this episode, I discuss what happens when your final day at a BigLaw firm arrives and you haven't landed your next role. The concerns in this situation can extend beyond the potential financial impact. Lawyers also often worry that clients and colleagues will assume something went wrong, recruiters will view them differently once they are no longer attached to a major firm, and an employment ga...

What happens when you're told, often indirectly, that your future is no longer with the firm while receiving little clarity about when you are actually expected to leave. A practice group leader may encourage you to explore opportunities, a managing partner may suggest thinking about your next chapter, or attorney development may offer to help with a transition. The language can sound supportive,...

One of the biggest compensation frustrations for junior partners is how to move your comp meaningfully as you are still working to grow your practice and especially to originate work and land new clients. At the same time, compensation is no longer driven primarily by hours worked, responsibility assumed, or even the importance of the matters you manage. Instead, compensation increasingly reflects...

One of the most overlooked skills in BigLaw is understanding law firms actually solve problems. Many associates, and even some partners, assume that if they raise an issue with the "right" person and nothing changes, it means no one cares or the firm is unwilling to help. In reality, many workplace frustrations stem from misunderstanding who has the authority to solve a problem, how responsibility...

Billable hours are far more than an administrative task in BigLaw. While most associates focus on meeting annual hours targets, the way you record your time in fact directly influences how partners, clients, and firm leadership evaluate your judgment, efficiency, and long-term value. Every time entry tells a story about the work you performed, the problems you solved, and whether your time was spe...

One of the biggest mistakes associates make when evaluating their careers in BigLaw is relying on signals that often have little relationship to long-term success. Many lawyers constantly compare themselves to their peers, wondering whether they're receiving the right staffing opportunities, enough client exposure, meaningful feedback, or visible recognition. Those comparisons can create unnecessa...

One of the most common reasons lawyers struggle with business development despite investing significant time and effort is that they confuse activity with strategy. Many attorneys draft business development plans filled with networking events, coffee meetings, conferences, articles, and visibility goals, only to become frustrated when those activities fail to produce meaningful client relationship...

In this episode, I discuss one of the key structural shifts facing lawyers today: the gradual transformation of the traditional BigLaw career model. For decades, attorneys could rely on a relatively predictable system with clear promotion paths, stable expectations, and well-understood definitions of success. Today, however, technological change, evolving client demands, alternative pricing models...

In this episode, I discuss one of the most challenging transitions in BigLaw: becoming a partner and discovering that legal excellence alone is no longer enough. Many lawyers spend years focused on producing outstanding work, developing technical expertise, and meeting the expectations required for partnership. Then, almost overnight, they find themselves responsible for understanding firm economi...

In this episode, I discuss one of the biggest misconceptions about confidence inside BigLaw: the belief that confidence comes from having more certainty, more answers, or complete mastery of every situation. In reality, legal practice is built around ambiguity. Clients face evolving risks, litigation strategies shift as facts emerge, deals change direction unexpectedly, and lawyers are often asked...

In this episode, I discuss one of the most overlooked skills inside BigLaw, the ability to accurately read strategic and emotional signals that are rarely communicated directly. While junior lawyers often focus almost entirely on legal analysis, assignments, and technical execution, sophisticated lawyers are constantly evaluating something happening underneath the surface of every interaction. Thi...

Many lawyers think about influence inside BigLaw through formal titles, originations, or technical expertise. But in practice, some of the most trusted and influential lawyers inside firms are the people who consistently help teams maintain clarity and coherence when stakes are high and information is incomplete. In this episode, I break down how sophisticated BigLaw teams are actually assembled d...