Younger Lawyers: Tell Us About Your Career Goals
Career goals today are more individualized and self-defined. Tell us about it.
Once upon a time, not so long ago, the “career path” for newly minted lawyers entering a large law firm practice was fairly well-defined. Put your nose to the grindstone for a set period of years, absorb as much legal know-how and build as strong a network as you can. Eventually, get tapped for partnership and you’re set for life. In the alternative, perhaps you might transition over to the legal department of one of the firm’s clients. In any event, such was the extent of most people’s career goals as they entered Biglaw.
Today, the longstanding social compact between firms and incoming associates has largely withered away. Today, we are all more mercenary and the number of possible career paths is nearly as varied as the number of careerists. Of course, the brass ring of partnership is still the goal for a select few, but for most, career goals are more individualized and self-defined.
In partnership with our friends at Major Lindsey & Africa, we wanted to dig deeper into the dynamics of this apparent cultural change in law firms. We are running a series of (very brief) surveys designed to capture the perspective of lawyers in various stages of their careers. What differentiates them from both their generational peers and their older colleagues? Today’s survey (the second of four) concerns “Goals.” Please take a couple of minutes and share your thoughts here. (Please note we are not exclusively interested in hearing from millennials; lawyers of all ages are encouraged to take the survey.)
If you have not taken the first survey in our series, “Priorities,” please feel free to do so here.
