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Most lawyers like their jobs, are financially stable and enjoy working at firms with collegial and collaborative cultures, according to the 2024 Law360 Pulse Lawyer Satisfaction Survey.
The survey found some differences between the ranks, with equity partners being the happiest in just about every area of the workplace. Nonequity partners were visibly less satisfied than their equity counterparts, especially with compensation. Associates were less satisfied than partners on a number of fronts and the most inclined to be moving on. About a quarter said they were likely to look for a job at another firm within the next year.
Such divisions are relative, however. The survey received largely positive responses from attorneys at all levels on questions related to their firm's performance. In write-in comments, attorneys touched on the collaborative nature of legal work, the excitement of engaging with legal questions, and the rewards of helping clients and earning their trust. On the other hand, not all were happy about the need to be business-minded. The volume of the work is intense, clients can also be difficult, and making partner won't change the long hours.
Stress remains a problem across the profession. While many are fairly content with their hybrid work schedules — lauding firms for being considerate of their family obligations — more than half of respondents expect to take a mere two weeks or less of vacation.
Check out our analysis of these and other findings in the coverage below.
Are Attorneys Happy On The Job?
The legal industry is notoriously high-pressure and competitive. But most attorneys report high levels of job satisfaction, even with pervasive stress in the profession, according to a new survey.Collegiality Is Now The Norm At Law Firms
In books, television shows, and perhaps a few news articles, law firms are dens of treachery — places where, as one California federal judge recently put it, "partners stab each other in the back every day and move on to the next one." But reality for most lawyers does not reflect that cynical view, Law360 Pulse's survey shows.Attys Not Loving Their Firms' Tech — AI Aims To Change That
Lawyers' satisfaction with their firms' investment in technology has declined over the past year, according to a new Law360 Pulse survey, but new artificial intelligence tools could provide a solution.What Attorneys Really Think About Their Profession
Law360 Pulse asked respondents to our Lawyer Satisfaction Survey for their thoughts on misconceptions about being a lawyer, what the best parts of the job are and what they would tell newer lawyers. Here's what they said.For a reprint of this article, please contact reprints@law360.com.
