Making partner at a law firm is no easy task. It takes years of hard work and dedication, and even then, you’re not guaranteed the position. One key component to becoming a partner is meeting billable hours requirements. In this blog post, we will take a look at what goes into billable hours and what it takes to make partner at a law firm.
For law firms, billable hours are the lifeblood of the business. This is the time that lawyers and staff spend working on matters for clients. The more billable hours a law firm can generate, the more revenue it can bring in. Thus, it’s no surprise that law firms place a heavy emphasis on billable hours when it comes to naming someone partner. The current number of billable hours required to make partner is 2400.
Training, knowledge management, pastoral care, pro bono work, and DEI participation hours are just a few things that may be credited toward the total number required.
Of course, meeting the billable hours requirement is just one part of becoming a partner. law firms also consider factors such as business generation, law firm leadership, and client satisfaction when making their decision. However, it’s good for associates to know what most firms expect in order to start seeing you as promotion material.
Firms that lay out what it takes to make partner and provide an honest depiction of what career progression within the firm looks like provide law students and young lawyers with a better idea of what their future may entail. This way, they can enter into the profession with realistic expectations and set themselves up for success from the start.
Do you have what it takes to make partner at a law firm? If you’re looking to make partner at a law firm, start by logging your billable hours. Make sure you’re meeting the requirements set forth by your firm. From there, focus on other areas such as business generation and client satisfaction. With hard work and dedication, you may just find yourself in the partnership ranks one day.
