What questions should senior associates be asking to get a better assessment of partnership prospects? For context, I’m eligible this year as an 8th year, but it’s more common to make it around years 10-11 at my firm (only equity partners), and I’m trying to determine whether to stick around or lateral before I’m too senior. I’m in a smaller group that historically promotes only one new partner every few years, and there are several others also eligible. Any questions I should avoid asking?

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Do you have a mentor or partner you trust? I would just ask them to chat about your future. Then tell them that you want to be partner and that you’re working toward it. Identify your sponsors and what you think your business case will be. If you don’t have that, ask them to help you develop it. Ask them if there’s anything else they think you should be doing. Ask them point blank if they will support you when you are up and get a verbal commitment of “yes”. Ask them when they think you will get put up. Basically turn them into your voice and ally in the room where you aren’t. If they won’t commit to that, then you have your answer about your prospects.

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Thanks!

I don’t see why asking about this would get you fired. It’s definitely worthwhile to have an honest conversation with the head of your group about where they see things going over the next few years and how might you fit in. Better to know than be blindsided two years from now. If they wanted to fire you they would have done it by now. You just be of some value (even if not partnership material) otherwise they would not keep you around.

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I would frame the questions around what you need to do to get advanced (given where you are now) and when — if you do all of those things — it would be realistic to expect advancement.

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Continued: I realize this could lead to negative news, so I also want to avoid getting myself immediately fired. Ideally, if partnership isn’t in the cards at my current firm, I can stick around until I find a new firm. Currently, my group doesn’t really offer senior counsel positions, and I’m not interested in going in-house. Thanks in advance for any advice!

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