legal sanity

This WSJ.com article discusses the Dilemma of the Third Years; the tendency for associates to leave law firms by the end of their third year of practice. After outlining the costs of such premature attrition – (1) “the average big law firm doesn't start recouping its cash flow investment in an associate until about midway through an associate's fourth year” and (2) the fleeing associates need to be replaced with more costly lateral hires – the article asks “Can law firms change the status quo?” Answering with a stirring “Maybe,” the piece goes on to highlight the part that partners play in the attrition dilemma. It seems that many associates today are opting out of the law firm tenure track because they see just how grueling and unhappy partner life is. While it refers to one firm’s “balanced hours” response to the call for reform from the top down, the article doesn’t mention another, very viable approach to stemming the tide of associate attrition: firm-wide and one-on-one initiatives like the ones discussed in this overview of law firm coaching programs.