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Coach
Biglaw firms don’t want you to be a junior associate forever. Junior associates aren’t particularly profitable (low rates and only marginally lower comp than a mid level associate). Junior associate hours are essentially training hours designed to turn you into a quality mid-level associate at which point you become immensely profitable. Staying an associate forever may sound good right now, but in fifteen years time it will seem like a terrible idea—you’ll be living some particularly shitty version of Groundhog Day.
You may be able to find an in-house role where they are happy to let you not advance, but in-house will not be biglaw junior associate tasks (or pay).
Mentor
I'm sure you're aware this is the case - Even if a firm allows permanent associates that doesn't mean you'll remain a junior associate.... you'll basically remain a senior associate
Coach
Agree with A1: you can be a staff attorney forever if you don’t have any desire to do more than a junior. You’ll get paid less than a junior though, which I imagine you’re fine with based on your Q.
Mentor
This is not the big law model. Many firms allow you to remain a senior associate forever. There are some alternative non-partner track roles, but even those are not usually junior associate type roles.
Mentor
Being a junior is awful. I am really enjoying midlevel life and work rolling downhill.
Mentor
OP, no. The answer is just no.
Enthusiast
I think staff attorneys get paid like 80k - 150k, and just do doc review as a 9 to 5. Weil has some.
But be careful bc if you go down the staff attorney route you’re on the chopping block if a downturn comes, and it’ll be hard to switch out of the staff attorney role