[singleshot_]

One fact I can add to your knowledge is that at my firm, the lawyers who have been practicing longest have the highest billable rate.

One more is that I very, very rarely ask any 29 year old lawyers at my firm any questions, although I love them dearly. When I need someone to review my work or answer a ticklish question, I seek out 72 year olds and ask them. I'm not sure who clients prefer but when it comes to legal problems I prefer elder lawyers.

[weatherlite]

Yes they are partner level. How many 50 year old lawyers has your firm hired recently? Ones who haven't advanced to partner?

[weatherlite]

To be clear I'm not saying this never happens (hiring of mid level 50 year olds), I'm just saying it's just as rare as in tech. I don't think I'm imagining this, it's a pretty well established statistic that after 50 job participation rates begin to fall.

[singleshot_]

I perceive the lateral market for 50 year-old non-partners to be robust and I believe the market for first year lawyers is vastly more challenging. I myself would vastly prefer age and experience in a lawyer to the billable hour vigor of youth.

Do you participate in either or both of those markets? Let’s put it this way: I intentionally left the old tech guy market and I can tell you the old law guy market had no problem supporting me. I am not a partner and (if you believe my boss) I’m not very skilled.

[weatherlite]

> Do you participate in either or both of those markets?

My wife is a big 4 consultant (international tax). She has worked in almost all of them - E.Y, KPMG etc. Same structure everywhere - a couple of 35-45ish (sometimes 50ish) partners and a bunch of young managers and seniors who do all the work. My wife is now an old 36 manager there. So it seems like you either move up or move out in big 4.

> I myself would vastly prefer age and experience in a lawyer to the billable hour vigor of youth.

I have no argument with you there. I also tend to prefer older devs but it's a personal preference. Anyway we should try to move from an anecdotal discussion.

"According to the SRA, only 8% working at larger law firms are aged 55 to 64, and while the current war for talent has meant law firms have focused on attracting and retaining lawyers early on in their careers, we rarely hear about efforts to recruit and retain older lawyers."

https://www.law.com/international-edition/2022/09/28/silver-...

[singleshot_]

I’m going to chalk this up to micro markets, I think. I get recruited harder now than I did as computer.guy and I’m that many years older thanks to taking a break for law school. My passing familiarity with Accenture means I understand what you’re saying about the big four. One factor I wonder if you’re taking into account is that there aren’t a lot of law firms as big as the big four accounting firms. Maybe the situation you (and that law.com article ) are detailing is how it is in big law right now, where I am not?

[weatherlite]

It's definitely possible different smaller law offices have different vibes yes, just like not all tech companies are the same. I think the trend I'm describing IS accurate though. Anyway I'm happy for you it's not affecting you!