Associate turnover hit near-record levels last year amid an explosive amount of corporate demand and lawyer burnout. At the same time, however, partner attrition sunk to low levels within law firms, according to new figures that suggest partners may have seen too much client work to focus on a job hunt.

This year, both partner and associate retention could hold or even increase, some industry observers predict, as both demand and profits dip and uncertainty reigns in the economy. Still, the retention numbers may also ultimately depend on whether firms structure return-to-office policies successfully.