The National Law Journal reported, “With law firms unloading scores of attorneys amid the economic downturn, associates are finding that the balance of power has shifted away from them and into the hands of law firm managers.” Now, “with few ships for associates to jump to these days, young attorneys are increasingly reluctant to raise any issue that might put an unwanted target on their backs.” One associate said, “You’re really between a rock and a hard place…. There’s nothing that we can do about it, and you don’t want to say anything about it. You don’t want to give anyone a chance to put you on the [layoff] list.” Sheri Michaels, a partner and head of the global associate practice group at Major, Lindsey & Africa, said, “If I were an associate, I would keep my head down. I wouldn’t want to be the one asking for anything.”
From the American Association for Justice news release.
