The Game of Law: Winners, Losers, and What It’s Really About
Law is an elite profession. It attracts the most ambitious, talented, and high performers.
So why is it that, once inside the system, so many fail to get promoted, fail to make partner, and ultimately fail to understand what it’s really all about?
Spoiler: being a great technical lawyer won’t cut it. But firms also need to do more.
The Best Kept Secret in Law
When I was a junior lawyer, I had little clue about the business side of law. Starting out at a Magic Circle firm, I knew I had to work (very) hard, be super keen, and take on as much responsibility as possible. To me, this meant being well-organised, delivering great work, being a solid team player, and building a reputation as a ‘safe pair of hands’. I did all of that (as so many do), and it got me pretty far.
But after a few years, I realised this wasn’t enough. If I wanted to make partner, or even just serve clients in a truly meaningful way, I had to understand the business side of law.
Of course, it’s a complex matrix. Law firms provide business advice aligned with the law. But where many lawyers go wrong is focusing too much on the law and not enough on understanding; (i) their clients’ businesses, and (ii) how their law practice works as a business.
The best kept secret in law? That law is actually a business. Go figure.
Law as a Business
- Be good at what you do. Obviously, you need to provide sound legal advice. But that’s just table stakes.
-
Make yourself indispensable to those above and around you. Buy-in from your team and your superiors is the invisible currency of long-term success.
- Get clear on the business you want to build. What’s your practice area? Where do you want it to go in the future? Who are your ideal clients?
- Stop just doing the work, start generating it. Networking is your lifeline here. Internally, build your reputation within the firm and strengthen your personal brand. You’ll need senior buy-in if you want to make partner. Externally, build client relationships. Law is a high-trust, high-value service, and clients won’t just show up overnight.
- Find mentors and sponsors for yourself early on. Mentors help you learn and avoid common mistakes. Sponsors? They’re the senior players in your firm who will actually get you promoted. Without them, you’re going nowhere.
- Build a loyal team by investing in those coming up behind you. The loyalty and support of those junior to you is invaluable as you advance. These individuals will help expand your influence, take on work, and back you when it matters most. In return, you gain a network of trusted allies who are invested in your success.
- Build emotional intelligence. Law is a people business. The better you are at reading people, navigating internal
politics, and turning situations to your advantage, the better you’ll do. Some people won’t admit this, but
they’re not the high-flyers. - Adapt or get left behind. The legal world is changing fast: client demands, technology, AI, and the rise of
alternative legal services are reshaping the landscape. If you don’t evolve with it, you won’t be at the top of
your game, which ultimately means being left behind.
This all ultimately raises an important question: is partnership at this firm even what you want?
Partnership isn’t for everyone. Some don’t want it, and others, truthfully, aren’t really cut out for it (as it often heavily relies on business development and sales skills, which require different strengths from being a good technical lawyer). Firms should support these lawyers by helping them develop and play to their strengths in other areas, such as leadership or becoming subject matter experts. But above all, firms need to be transparent and honest about their prospects, whether they’re on track for partnership or if, in their opinion, another path would suit them better.
Associates should also question: Does the firm align with your values? Do you like the people? If not, jump ship early (before you hit 6-7 years PQE). It’s easier to build your profile and client book at a firm where you have a future. Otherwise, in my experience, heartache and disappointment often ensues.
Where Associates Stumble
I see it all the time in coaching, where associates:
-
don’t understand the business side of law
-
keep their heads down and focus on the technical work at the expense of building a personal brand
-
avoid networking; both internally and externally
-
send emails instead of making calls or meeting in person (hint: relationships are built face-to-face, or at least on video call as a second best)
-
don’t make a plan for how they’ll win clients and grow their practice
-
don’t ask about the ‘path to partnership’
-
even worse, they don’t ask if they’re on that path.
This leads to a lot of frustrated, stuck associates. These are often highly skilled, technically brilliant lawyers, but they simply don’t understand how to pivot from doing the work to generating the work, leading teams, and building long-term client relationships.
How Honest Should Firms Be About Career Progression?
Let’s not sugarcoat it, the lack of clarity around career progression only benefits one party: the firms. It serves firms to keep the path to partnership vague. This keeps a steady stream of highly competent associates racking up billables. To keep them motivated? They dangle the partnership carrot.
In most firms, the path to partnership is anything but clear. Firms do a poor job of communicating where you stand on that path, if they communicate at all. Associates deserve regular feedback. If someone isn’t on track, they should know what to change. If they’re not the ‘right fit’ (dreadful term, but often used), they shouldn’t have their precious years wasted. Let them thrive elsewhere.
The truth is, partnership is primarily political. Yes, you need to bring in clients, but navigating the internal politics and getting senior stakeholder buy-in is essential. Many associates realise this too late, often when they’re many years in with no book of business. At that point, you’re at a significant disadvantage. Firms need to explain the rules of the game from the start.
The Changing Times (AI and the New Generation)
How firms treat their associates has never been more important. A successful firm balances three key currencies: revenue, reputation, and relationships: internally, with clients, and with suppliers. As artificial intelligence (AI) begins more and more to handle much of the routine work and with Gen Z lawyers seeking purpose and transparency, the traditional law firm pyramid is becoming outdated. This shift doesn’t just affect how firms are structured but also how associates will move up the ladder. Lawyers must now ‘re-focus’ on becoming trusted advisors, not just billable workhorses. Yet many firms continue to lack transparency with associates about their career paths, relying on old models that don’t reflect the evolving profession. Firms that fail to adapt risk losing talent and falling behind.
Building a Better Culture
More transparency in law can only be advantageous. Being open and honest about career progression builds trust and loyalty. Even when lawyers move on, they’re more likely to speak positively about the firm and could send work back if they go in-house. Cross-referrals can also come from maintaining those relationships. In the current war for talent, treating human capital as the valuable asset it is has never been more important.
Law is a people business, and the firms that understand this, which cultivate strong client relationships and build a reputation beyond just the bottom line, will be the ones that not only survive but thrive. High associate churn and a narrow focus on billables (and squeezing out every last six-minute increment) won’t cut it anymore. The future belongs to firms that get the balance right: investing in their people, operating with integrity, and building a culture of transparency. These are the firms that will command financial success, influence, and enduring respect in the legal industry and beyond.
