legal sanity

The shifting of law firm demographics and in lawyers’ definitions of success are among the topics discussed in this interesting article from the ABA’s Law Practice Magazine. The piece considers how law firms can “bridge the generational divide” between associates and partners who have values and expectations that are “poles apart.” Unlike “Traditionalist Lawyers” (born before 1946), the legions of “Generation Y (or Millennial) Lawyers” (born after 1980) now entering the extremely competitive legal workforce are laden with student loan debt, tech savvy, impatient to progress and define rewards “in terms of financial success, flexibility, freedom, autonomy and increase in opportunities.” The article sets out a few pointers and recommendations on meeting the unique needs of this new breed of lawyer. It also cautions that firms failing to do so will “stay stuck in old-school, passé management modes and face problems with recruitment, retention and other issues.”