Many attorneys spend at least a portion of their career practicing with a law firm. Given the shared risk, the resources, and the support, some attorneys may even stay in private firm practice for their entire careers.

However, working in a law firm can also create some challenges in light of the potential issues triggered when one attorney observes another attorney acting unethically. In law firms, there is often a clear distinction between partners and associates—and those attorneys’ roles—that can add to the complexity. Indeed, the dynamic between partners, who act in a supervisory capacity, and associates, who generally act at the behest of the partners, can lead to tricky ethical questions.