I think lawyers, generally speaking, are used to being graded all the way through high school and college and law school. They feel they need the feedback of ‘tell me I’m doing well.’ When you get to a lot of firms, that feedback is often how many hours you’re billing. It’s a tough line to walk and make sure you’re successful at many law firms. You feel like you’re competing with other associates. You want to send everybody the message that you work hard and should be valued. I think the culture is a product of the business model, and I don’t think it’s going away soon.
— Darwin Conner, chief diversity officer at Eversheds Sutherland and former attorney at Boston-based firm Sullivan & Worcester, commenting on associates and firms that use billable hours as a “yardstick” for measuring success on the partnership track.
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Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.