Big Law Life #102: The Most Dangerous Time in BigLaw - What Mid-Senior Associates Should Be Thinking About
After years as a partner inside global law firms, I've seen one stage of a BigLaw career quietly determine everything that comes after it. It isn't the first year, when everyone expects some struggle and a lot of learning. And it isn't partnership, when you've reached that tier and are now working to build your book of business and establish your role in that space. The most dangerous stage is the mid to senior associate years.
Years four through seven are where many lawyers stall without realizing it. They're billing hard, getting strong reviews, and hearing they're "doing great." But behind the scenes, their future is already taking shape. In this episode, I break down the shifts most associates never see coming: when technical excellence stops being enough, when your reputation gets fixed without your input, and when firm economics matter more than compliments.
I walk through why at this stage judgment matters more than output, how client readiness is built long before partnership, and why waiting to become strategic often means you've missed your chance to demonstrate what your firm needs to see. If you believe good work alone will carry your career, this episode explains why that mindset can quietly derail it, and what you should be doing now instead.
At a Glance 00:01 Why years four through seven matter most 02:50 When execution gives way to judgment 05:24 How reputations form without you 07:45 Why client work can't wait 10:04 How firm economics affect you early 12:02 How political capital can determine survival 13:59 Defining your value before others do 15:36 Managing matters and people 17:01 When non-billable work counts 18:10 The signals firms send before decisions 19:10 Becoming more than a technician
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Show notes: https://www.lauraterrell.com/podcast