Smaller Firm Question - how long do you give associates to start making a profit (i.e. doing sufficient billable time that is collectible) before you begin with warnings or termination?

Scenario: 1 Senior associate transferred laterally but did not bring business (this was known), 1 Junior is 3 months in, but seems unable to bill even his own salary, no less enough to cover other overhead. I am billing more than both combined (both hours and $$) and it is driving me crazy.

Thoughts?

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How many years experience do they each have? I have a six yr associate and a 1.5 yr associate and I bring in more than double them combined.

Very similar, 7th year associate (only 9 months with us), who appears interested in doing every type of law other than that which he was hired to do, and 2nd year (1 year experience) who is still slower than molasses.

lol, this is life. We are going to stop hiring fresh associates and look for solos with 1 to 2 years of experience where they are making it work, but we can increase their productivity and decrease their stress having no senior guidance (that part of my rise from 1 to 11, especially the several years at 1 with no guidance, aged me badly, would have killed for that life line at the time). Shows hustle and entrepreneurial spirit.

Sadly, I'm growing tired of this truth. For a smallish firm, the fact that 3 partners are killing themselves and 3 of 4 associates are barely covering their salary & benefits, it gets old QUICK.

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I pay my associates a fee split. I don't need to worry about profitability or productivity. If they want more they have to work more

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