The Ethics of Making Partner

The path to partnership is not for the faint of heart. The leap in your paycheck corresponds to soaring liability. Like associates, a partner must hunt for clients, rack up billable hours, find time to mentor, do pro bono work, and represent the firm to the profession and the community. As a partner, those obligations expand: There is a partnership contract to honor, management and supervisory responsibilities to undertake, and fiduciary duties to the firm.