With hit Netflix legal drama Partner Track released just months ago, depicting a young M&A lawyer in her quest to become a partner at a top New York firm, the matter of the ‘partner track’ has never been more prominent. Far less visible, however, is the actual process that lies behind it.
An associate ‘on the partner track’ is someone who has been identified by firm partners as suitable for the partnership. Sometimes from very early on in their careers, they can expect greater exposure to clients, more time working with a wider range of partners, be it through mentorships or other ‘priority’ programmes—all in preparation for what Addleshaw Goddard partner William Smith calls “the biggest promotion you will ever have”.
