Becoming a partner in a law firm is easy enough. You pay your money, you take your chances. But what exactly have you bought into?
We all know that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Partnership meetings are much the same. Partners can disagree in a meeting but when you leave the meeting room, everyone supports the decision. As far as the associates and staff are concerned, every decision is unanimous. That is the theory. Of course, theory does not always align with reality.
In the real world, people talk. They don’t only talk, but they advocate. They not only advocate, but they criticize. And politic.
And so it came to pass that in one firm that I am familiar with some of the associates not only knew what was being discussed in the partners meetings, but they also knew who was on what side of the issue, who respected who, and who despised who. Unsurprisingly, it was the brightest and most personable associates who knew the most. The type of associates who the partners wanted to have join the partnership. The sort of associates who politely declined because they knew that the partnership was dysfunctional. And yet, the partners did not see that coming or recognize their part in it.
In another firm, one of the founding partners who I will call Tom was so controlling that the firm had a history of young partners who would come up the ladder, develop a great client base and reputation, and eventually leave to get out from under him. At one point some of the partners became so disenchanted with Tom that they proposed a merger with another firm, just so that Tom’s control would be watered down. Of course, the proposed merger partner figured out what their motivation was and declined because they wanted no part of Tom. And of course, Tom would never have let it happen.
Of course, there are great firms with wonderful partnerships out there, and my intent is not to besmirch all firms. My point is that being admitted to partnership is the beginning of a journey, not the end of a journey. Young lawyers looking to join a partnership have to determine what type of pool they are about to jump into. Will it be a peaceful tide-pool, a turbulent whirlpool, or a stinky cesspool?
Law firm cultures are famously difficult to change. This is because they are established by partners, who are notoriously averse to change. Lawyers who seek to join a law firm partnership would be well advised to study the culture, which means studying the partners, and be certain that they know what they’re getting into.
A version of this article was originally published by Law360 Canada, part of LexisNexis Canada Inc.