The annual tradition my friends at The American Lawyer have of asking third-, fourth-, and fifth-year associates at large law firms about how satisfied they are with their work life is both apt and cruel. 

I think it’s apt because these midlevel associates are precisely the type of worker bees law firms need to retain to pound through all the discovery, staff all the less glamorous litigation tasks, and do the necessary due diligence for all the big deals that keep the lights on and the partners paid handsomely at big law firms. Midlevels are not wobbly-kneed baby lawyers fresh out of law school trying to find a clue—the types of folks clients don’t like seeing show up on their bills. But they’re also not senior associates—folks likely facing an up-or-out partnership decision that could color their whole view of the profession, let alone their firm.