By Fiona Craig -
Dear Fiona,
I think I’m having a mid-career crisis. I’ve put in many years of hard work as a lawyer and am now a senior associate at my firm, but I’m looking forward to the future and wondering what is next. The logical step is for me to aim for partnership – but is this something I really want? I’m worried about work/life balance and the sacrifices I might have to make in order to get there. Can you help?
Thanks,
Sabrina
Dear Sabrina,
This is a question I am frequently asked and, unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Nowadays, the path to partnership is longer and harder than ever before, particularly within large law firms. The pyramid structure of firms, coupled with tricky economic conditions and the emergence of competition via international markets and “new law” entrants, makes the path to partnership seem windy, weaving, and potentially fraught with challenges.
