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Kasowitz Benson - what is your opinion of them?
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Insight on Kilpatrick Townsend NY?
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I did, along with 3 others in my biglaw partner class (2 from my summer, 2 from the next summer).
An easy majority of new partners make partner without lateraling.
Lol A5 just “plz fix”-ed P1
Coach
I made partner at the firm I summered at. I don’t know the stats, but it seems to me like it would be harder to make partner by lateraling (aside from the jump from 6+ year associate to Kirkland NSP). In my experience, partnership election for income partners is a mixture of politics and internal reputation. If you lateral into another equally situated firm as an associate, you have to start over building internal relationships. I would think that makes it more difficult to make partner at the new firm.
Coach
This is why I haven’t left my firm since I started 8 years ago!
Our recent partners are a mix of never lateraled, lateraled once (to us), lateraled to another firm and then came back, and lateraled in house and then came back. So yes
Subject Expert
Depends....
Mentor
You can. It has always been uncommon and it still is.
Mentor
First, it’s possible, so I have to say you can make it without lateral. That said, just on the numbers it’s rare that someone makes partner in biglaw. The vast majority of people who start at a firm aren’t making partner at that firm, and the large majority in general aren’t making partner in any large firm. Lateraling might help your chances, but it also might hurt you. It really depends on your individual circumstances.
Mentor
If you are a drinking or golf buddy ie. WM
Partners at my firm are mostly folks who started here or joined early. It’s a sign of stability and one of the reasons I joined my firm in the first place. I started my career at my firm and made partner here.
Coach
This is an interesting question, I think that it's possible, but probably unlikely, so much has to go right. I'm class of 2017, and I know there's some folks in my class who will make partner at the firm they started. May also some others in 2018.
But, just anecdotally the lateral madness of the last several years captured a lot of the top talent, so I think It has become even more rare and unlikely for class years below 2018. But you never know, market conditions will probably result in a very cool lateral market for the foreseeable future in most practice areas.
Ultimately, I would think of this similar to a professional athletes, spending their entire career for one organization. It has to be within the mutual interest of each party, but even then still very unlikely.
Does anyone ever lateral straight to non-equity partner from senior associate?
Or is it always the case where they come in as senior associate or counsel with maybe "a clear path to partnership" (which I've actually never seen work out)?
Mentor
Yup seen it at Kirkland
Subject Expert
Yes, that’s the best way to make partner. In my practice, I feel a lot of homegrown associates may end up not as sharp as their peers because their viewpoint on how to complete matters is limited. At the end of the day though, who cares? It’s better to be partner and be able to use the homegrown goodwill to your advantage.
At my firm “lifers” get partner 1-3 years quicker than laterals generally
Mentor
Most of the partners at my firm (that are made partner not lateral partners) started at my firm or joined early