Career Center: Last Call for Summer Associates, and What Are the Odds of Making Partner?

With more summer programs getting the axe (including even non-firm summer programs), we want to remember what the summer of 2009 was like, so we can pass on the advice to the summer associate class of 2012 (or whenever they decide to have summer programs again). So please take a minute and tell us what you think about your summer associate experience. Click here to take our short survey.
For those of you who were summer associates years ago, perhaps you’re more focused on making partner. Check out this week’s review of survey data from the Career Center, brought to you by Above the Law and Lateral Link, in which we tell you which firms were most queried regarding the prospect of partnership. Remember that, in addition to the information here, you can see how associates at over 100 top firms feel about the chances of making partner at their firm by visiting the Firm Comparison section on the Career Center.
The partnership survey info, after the jump.


Hands down the place where readers are most curious about the chance of making partner is Kirkland & Ellis LLP — though based on today’s news, some Kirkland associates may be less concerned about making partner and more concerned about keeping their jobs. Based on our associate survey, 43% of Kirkland associates who responded said that making equity partner is a long shot no matter how hard you work, but “non-share partnership prospects are generally very good.”
Following Kirkland is Ropes & Gray LLP, where more than 10% of our readers checked out our survey results on partnership prospects. A full quarter of the Ropes associates surveyed in the spring said there is virtually no chance of making partner.
Rounding out the top five firms users most compare on partnership prospects are Covington & Burling, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. Comparing the responses from associates at these three firms, it appears that attorneys at Covington are most confident about their chances for making partner. Supporting that position is the fact that in January 2009 Covington made 12 partners, twice the number it did in 2008.
Looking for information about a firm not listed above — perhaps the firm you work for, or aspire to work for? Just visit the Career Center homepage, then use the dropdown menu to find the profile you’re looking for.
As always, we encourage to send information about your law firm experience to careercenter@abovethelaw.com.
Career Center [ATL / Lateral Link]

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