Associates Left Law Firms In Droves Last Year. Why’d They Go?

NALP Foundation for Law Profession Analysis and Education launched an update on associate attrition. And, as hinted at by the very hot lateral sector for associates in 2021, attrition was also at a higher.

So, about that attrition price — it was 26 p.c in 2021, which, it was 16 % in 2020… yup, that’s a rather stark change. In truth, it was the maximum attrition charge recorded in the history of the study, which began in 2006. Associates of shade ended up even more very likely to leave their regulation corporations, with an attrition fee of 34 percent final year, when compared with 18 % in 2020.

In general, 7,278 associates have been employed in 2021 — compared with only 2,772 in 2020. And, when, of course, some were being part of the normal affiliate churn that involves firms roll out the crimson carpet for regulation students in the hopes they’ll be part of the organization write-up graduation, a whopping 53 % ended up laterals.

All this attrition chat is definitely noteworthy, but most startling are the associates that remaining their corporations fewer than a calendar year after getting employed. That determine clocked in at 8 percent, damaged out into 10 p.c of laterals and 6 % of novice legal professionals.

So why are associates bailing on their companies? The survey lists the pursuit of distinct practice pursuits as the major motive at 19 percent of respondents, a career change to yet another form of lawful occupation came in next at 17 %, third was the respond to we’ve all not-so-secretly been waiting around for — greater payment at 12 per cent, and seeking to shift to a new geographic locale came in at fourth with 10 percent of respondents.

Whatsoever motives associates still left their companies in 2021, here’s hoping their new occupation is a better in shape.

Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Previously mentioned the Regulation, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Imagining Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the finest, so please hook up with her. Experience no cost to electronic mail her with any tips, inquiries, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).