The legal profession at a crossroads: Balancing tradition with the aspirations of tomorrow's lawyer

The legal realm has recently been stirred with debates and discussions, sparked initially by an article detailing the frustrations of partners with "Zoom Associates'' - young lawyers who began their careers amidst the pandemic. Criticism against this new generation of lawyers ranged from their having “lack of initiative, ownership and personal responsibility” to some believing that they “lack some skills necessary to succeed”.

While this was set in the American context, the concerns seem to resonate everywhere. Soon after, a resignation letter from a young lawyer at a top law firm began making waves across professional circles. 

Beyond these immediate triggers, there's a larger context to take into account. Since the onset of the pandemic, global professional landscapes have been rocked by what's termed the "great resignation." Although this phenomena has had a significant impact on many different fields, the legal field is particularly affected. Legal services follow a very strong link with clients. As this HBR article describes it:

“A practice’s ability to deliver value to clients rests on the skills of its professionals, and the skill set of those professionals affects the choice of clients. In turn, the clients being served affect the development of the professionals’ skills. The strategy of a practice therefore is tightly linked to its clients and the professionals serving them. Whom a practice hires affects the clients it can serve, the clients it serves affect how the skills of its professionals evolve, how the skill set evolves affects the clients the practice can acquire in the future, and the cycle keeps repeating.”

In this backdrop, how do stakeholders in the profession recalibrate their strategies to attract and retain fresh talent from the younger generation?

Differences in ascribing Value

The Boomers and Gen X have been the cornerstone of conventional ideals in the legal profession, influenced by their distinct socio-economic experiences. Gen Z and the Millennial generation, by contrast, provide new viewpoints that place emphasis on holistic development, mental well-being and a nuanced sense of work-life balance. As this article in the Ken on the changing contours of Indian law firms quotes:

“The new generation of lawyers rightly indexes on work-life balance and value alignment. It is not a cohort who will put their heads down and follow the conventional methods and chase promotions.”

Redefining ambitions

There’s also the difference in how young talent views partnership. In a survey conducted by Above the Law, less than a third (28%) of associates surveyed planned to stay at their current firm with the expectation of joining the partnership.

The allure of the partner's chamber, while significant, now has massive competition. Younger lawyers, with their vast experiences, are prioritizing mentorship, continuous growth and work-life balance more than traditional career milestones. Even in the absence of this, the appeal of partnership at law firms and everything it involves is gradually fading away because it now takes much longer to become a partner.

Recognizing diverse aspirations

The career path of a lawyer is no longer linear as the field develops. The traditional trajectory, which once saw attorneys seamlessly transitioning from law schools to courtrooms, is undergoing a significant transformation. Many of today's lawyers are exploring realms beyond traditional law – from legal tech and policy advocacy to finance and entrepreneurship. This isn’t unique to the legal profession, and it's imperative for law firms to recognize and nurture these varied aspirations.

Understanding work environment expectations

The young lawyer now looks beyond a physical workspace. For law firms aiming to attract and retain the brightest minds, it's important to establish a culture where young lawyers feel genuinely supported, continuously engaged and can see a clear pathway for skill development and personal growth. Some firms, like Morrison & Foerster, are creating reimagined physical spaces like the “lounge-braries” — a hybrid lounge and library where lawyers and staff can work and socialize together.

Embracing empathy

Lawyers are known to be perfectionists and mistakes are often not dealt with kindly. Couple this with the psychological changes and threats that everyone experienced during the pandemic - isolation, distressing news, loss - and you have an entire workforce returning to office with completely changed priorities. As Dr Larry Richard notes, “people have grown sensitive to little things, or hyper-reactive to things... It's [the pandemic] distorted- people."

Now, as we attempt to navigate the intricacies of this new normal, there is an urgent and pressing need to rekindle our collective sense of empathy, not just towards each other, but also towards ourselves.

Communication styles

The traditional mode of communication, often characterized by formality and hierarchy, is being challenged by younger generations who advocate for transparency, open dialogues and a flatter structure. The impact of digital tools and social media has also catalyzed this shift, making it essential for law firms to not just rethink and adapt their communication channels (whether physical or virtual) but also foster a culture an environment where every member feels empowered to share their insights, voice their concerns and contribute to the broader organizational vision.

It’s all happened before

This is not the first time the legal profession is witnessing generational tension. A similar thing occurred between 1970 and 1990, where an older generation was replaced by a younger generation in law firms. The last documented record of this is for the US, where the legal profession became much more populous, more business-oriented and much younger in a very short period of time. If you read the paper by Marc Gallanter on this topic, a lot of what has been documented will ring a bell: reformed demographic of law firms, changing demand cycles for legal service, changing form and structure of the law firms, new entrants (non-lawyer advocates, banks and trust companies and paralegals) competing for significant chunks of the business, the list goes on.

The legal profession is undergoing a paradigm shift, and denial is not the way to go anymore. Leaders in the profession will have to navigate this complex, ever-evolving terrain, ensuring they're not just reacting to change, but actively shaping it.

As Jordan Furlong puts it,

“Your law firms are becoming something different, in real time, and it’s perfectly natural that this transition creates tension and upheaval. But the more you fight it, the longer it will take and the harder it will be."

A version of this article first appeared as a LinkedIn post.

About the author: Shreya closely tracks the evolution of the legal profession. As a member of the the Innovation team at Khaitan & Co., she works on the intersection of law and everything else; focusing on identifying, building, and promoting better solutions with the aim of improving the practice of law.