This month Kirkland & Ellis promoted 62 of its associates to the lofty heights of partnership. And while they dream of untold future wealth at the firm – assuming they make the far more selective cut to equity partnership – for some the promotion experience has been a bit of an anti-climax.

Excited new partners promoted at one New York giant several years ago were bemused when asked to sign a tatty document with a bic at their first partner meeting.