For many years, the rigidly hierarchical nature of major commercial law firms – supported by the non-negotiable lockstep pay ladder determined by length of service – meant that junior lawyers simply had to keep their heads down, work hard and wait to be admitted to the partnership.
However, factors such as high assistant attrition rates, lawyers leaving the profession and the growing pressure on traditional part-nership structures have caused an increasing number of firms to reassess the career options currently on offer to junior staff.
