I work for a firm where the partners are attorneys in their late 60s and early 70s—and rarely come in. But they do have a caseload and have their paralegals handling it unless it has to go to litigation. Then the files are assigned to the firm’s associates. Can the partner do this or is their conduct unethical?
Samuel C. Stretton.
The question is an interesting one and depends on what perspective one looks at it. From the perspective of the young lawyers who are doing all the work, it can be very frustrating and at the same time maddening that they feel the partners aren’t carrying their workload. On the other hand, from the partners’ standpoint, presumably they have worked many years building the practice, some are the rainmakers, they put the monies out, they take the financial risk, and, therefore, from their perspective, as they get older it’s nice to turn the matters over to the younger lawyer while still maintaining control.
