Mind the Gap

Mind the Gap

Mind the Gap

Laura Uberoi, Senior Associate at Macfarlanes, wrote about “The Missing Middle” in LegalWomen’s August edition 1 . She was referring to the noticeable scarcity of Senior Associates, Junior Partners and aspiring General Counsels at training and networking events, and on committees and boards. This she attributed to the many competing pressures on time for those at these stages of their careers. She made some insightful recommendations for actions to encourage participation by those who are juggling multiple responsibilities including young families, care for the elderly, and running a home.

I would argue that thinking and acting on this situation should start at an even earlier career stage. From an organisational perspective, research shows that 81% of entry-level Associates leave their law firm within 5 years and this results in substantial costs to any firm. We know that the Covid-19 pandemic, and how firms have responded to it in terms of working practices, has arguably led to higher attrition and staff turnover, as well as lower engagement and less team cohesion. All of this is in the face of workloads increasing by the day.

I have often thought that mid-level Associate years could benefit from more support. At 4 PQE, Associates are on a steep learning curve in terms of technical knowledge. Business development expectations ramp up as they look to make Senior Associate within the next year or so. Even though not yet leading on deals, mid-level Associates are expected to be project managers. They will almost certainly be responsible for the delegation to and supervision of trainees and NQs, sometimes without much training on what effective supervision entails. The extent to which these arrangements are formalised can vary greatly.

If we want to ensure there is a “middle” to participate in law firm life, and crucially, to build a pipeline to partnership, we need to ensure that we’re looking after our people before they get to the point where competing pressures on time are at their maximum. Key here, of course, is to remember that whilst this tends to happen in our thirties, there will be solicitors for whom caring and household responsibilities start much earlier. I have had countless conversations with female Associates who, seeing the pressures their senior colleagues are under, are no longer sure they can “have it all” and so are limiting their aspirations even at a relatively junior stage in their careers.

There is much discussion in the legal profession of “work-life balance”. A salary increase or retention bonus may be seen as the counterweight to the “work”, but there may be more effective ways to get the balance right. In a “Roll on Friday” survey at the start of 2022, a junior Associate at a US firm asked “What’s life?”.

Here are some recommendations for decision-makers which might lead to more stable, engaged and productive teams.

1. All those with supervisory responsibilities should be trained to manage inclusively, that is, with an understanding of an increasingly multi-generational, multi-cultural workforce comprised of individuals whose goals, challenges and needs are likely to have shifted considerably over the last few years. In this I include not only those who have leadership positions, such as Partners and Senior Associates, but anyone who delegates and gives feedback to others. Much of the time training on supervision is given to those who are responsible in name, but not to those who are actually “at the coal face” and supervising others on a daily basis.

2. Supervisors should be coached to understand the importance of getting to know their team members and how their work fits into their wider life commitments and/ or aspirations. There are some solicitors who will be on a steeper growth trajectory, who want to make Partner, and will be willing to do longer hours and compromise other elements of their life to achieve their ambition. Others will not.

3. Firms should provide as much support as possible to aid solicitors in growing their developmental networks and having access to role models. The more they have access to role models, and the more they understand what the firm has done to support those at more senior levels to reconcile work and home life, the better things will be. We should actively encourage those who have had positive experiences combining client work, corporate citizenship for the firm, and home life to be visible at events and on committees – and find ways to recognise and reward their contributions accordingly.

Laura Simpson

Laura Simpson

Laura Simpson is an accredited Executive Coach, Inclusive Leadership Development Facilitator, and Founder of Altura Coaching. To find out more about her work, please go to www.altura-coaching.com.

1. https://issuu.com/benham/docs/legal_women_ august_ 2022/11