NYT - At Well-Paying Law Firms, a Low-Paid Corner

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/At-WellPaying-Law-Firms-a-nytimes-1899956294.html?x=0&.v=1 WHEELING, W.Va. — The nation’s biggest law firms are creating a second tier of workers, stripping pay and prestige from one of the most coveted jobs in the business world. Make no mistake: These are full-fledged lawyers, not paralegals, and they do the same work traditional legal associates do. But they earn less than half the pay of their counterparts — usually around $60,000 — and they know from the outset they will never make partner. Some of the lawyers who have taken these new jobs are putting the best face on their reduced status. “To me there’s not much of a difference between what I’m doing now and what I would be doing in a partner-track job,” said Mark Thompson, 29, who accepted a non-partner-track post at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe when he could not find a traditional associate job. “I still feel like I’m doing pretty high-level work — writing briefs, visiting client sites, prepping witnesses for hearings.” Asked whether he hopes someday to switch onto the partner track, given the higher pay for this same work, he is diplomatic. “I’m leaving all my possibilities open,” he said. Lawyers like Mr. Thompson are part of a fundamental shift in the 50-year-old business model for big firms. Besides making less, these associates work fewer hours and travel less than those on the grueling partner track, making these jobs more family-friendly. And this new system probably prevents jobs from going offshore. But as has been the case in other industries, a two-tier system threatens to breed resentments among workers in both tiers, given disparities in pay and workload expectations. And as these programs expand to more and more firms, they will eliminate many of the lucrative partner-track positions for which law students suffer so much debt. [article continues] Sounds like back office to me haha But at least these back office law monkeys get to do front office work.

I think this problem spurs from too many grads fighting for the few coveted jobs. These big law firms are becoming greedy, and came up with this scheme. If they make half the pay, andonly work slightly less hours, the firm can hire 2 and get much more productivity out of the 2.

In the past, law firms would kick you out if they decided after a while that you were not going to make partner. Career associate positions are generally a way to hang onto the less talented but still useful lawyers. Edit: At least this is what my law school acquaintances tell me.

This is the reality in the current economic situation but like all things this is subject to change. It may seem bleak for these guys now but there are reasons for all of us to be optimistic. First of which is that eventually the recession will end and the employment situation will improve. Second is the demographic shift with much of the baby boomers retiring in the next fifteen years.

couldnt such guys transfer to smaller firms and get on partner track. could be a good move in taht sense, get good big firm big client experience

Unemployment is largely structural I believe, but it is principally among the less educated or recently incarcerated. So, if you have a college degree and have not been convicted of a felony you have a substantially better shot at a job and should quit whining.

Besides making less, these associates work fewer hours and travel less than those on the grueling partner track, making these jobs more family-friendly. And this new system probably prevents jobs from going offshore. Not bad for a second income earner. Why not?

anything that speeds up the legal bubble bursting is a net positive for this country. talk about non productive use of assets.