Does the title “senior associate” mean anything?
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I just got a quick question email while sitting on a beach in Hawaii and I’m about to throw my phone into the Pacific. I explicitly put my Out Of Office message up, transitioned all my files to a co-counsel, and told my team I would be completely off-grid for my first vacation in three years. Yet, a partner still decided that their inability to find a document on the shared drive constituted an emergency that required disrupting my family time. I haven’t replied. What would you do?
How much does which judge you clerked for matter? Got an offer from a federal district judge in a pretty competitive district, but the judge is appointed by the current president - would that have any reflection on me when applying for future jobs? (And would that hurt my chances for nonprofit / impact litigation work?) I’m not sure if I’m just overthinking it at this point…
Yea it means you have all the responsibilities and pressure of the first level partners without the title and slightly less money. And then the added benefit of thinking everyone thinks you have something wrong with you for not being partner yet. Hah
At our V25 firm it’s a formal up or out advancement gate at year 5. Most people make it but a fair number don’t.
Not at our firm. More of an informal way to designate an associate's experience level.
We can bill higher rates with some clients.
At my former firm (a well respected regional firm), it is a formal title awarded (or not) 5 years in. With that title, the associate gets certain additional benefits (dependent care coverage, some other minor benefits) and rights and responsibilities (the ability to open and bill files, an annual overview of general firm financial information).
I could not open new files during my first 5 years as an associate I could bring in clients and get credit for those clients, but a senior associate or partner would need to open the file and take on billing responsibility. Once you are a senior associate, you can bring in clients AND open files and bill them independently.
Senior associate, or managing associate, is a standard title in London. Matters will routinely be staffed with a partner and a senior/managing associate, with junior associates then used for grunt work. Over here, therefore, senior associate, or managing associate, is part of the normal progression with seniority.
At my firm, it means you “should” make non-equity partner the next year. So, no it doesn’t mean anything
It means something at my firm. Bonus potential increases greatly and is based on collections rather than hours worked.