Big Law Life #96: When Your BigLaw Firm Stops Valuing You: Signs Partners Often Miss
In this episode, I tackle a critical question for many partners - how to tell when your firm no longer values you and what steps you should take next. I've seen too many strong, capable partners blindsided by subtle shifts that signal declining influence, reduced credit, and a fading role in firm strategy. Drawing from my own experience as a BigLaw partner mentoring and managing other partners, as well as serving on executive and other firm leadership committees, I walk through six clear warning signs, from being left out of key decisions to watching your client relationships being reassigned without input. I also share practical ways to assess your standing, gather data, and take deliberate steps, either to reassert your value internally or to plan a confident move elsewhere.
At a Glance: 00:00 Introduction and why this topic is difficult for many partners to face 02:14 Sign #1: You're no longer invited to key meetings or included in major firm decisions 03:00 Real-world example of a partner sidelined after years of practice growth 03:46 How to reassert your relevance and get back in the room 04:05 Sign #2: Your clients are being shared or reassigned without your consent 05:41 How to document your client contributions and credit 06:27 Sign #3: Declining origination credit or compensation without clear explanation 07:37 What early questions to ask to prevent surprises at comp time 08:54 How to use firm metrics to track and present your value 09:15 Sign #4: Your practice isn't being supported with people, budget, or visibility 10:12 How to connect your requests to firm goals and growth priorities 11:24 Sign #5: Your internal visibility and influence are fading 11:50 How to rebuild influence through mentoring and collaboration 12:14 Sign #6: You're doing heavy administrative work with little reward 13:34 Setting boundaries around internal service work and when to pull back 15:12 How to assess your data objectively and start reclaiming or rebuilding value 16:29 Preparing to have candid conversations with leadership 17:21 Knowing when it's time to test the market and plan your exit 18:09 The bottom line: clarity is not failure, it's power
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Show notes: https://www.lauraterrell.com/podcast