Searching for Balance: Millennial Lawyers’ Perspectives on the Legal Industry

Members of the millennial generation now make up the largest portion of the legal profession and their influence is increasingly being reflected both in firm policies and in individual lawyers’ attitudes.

To better understand these shifting workplace dynamics, Major, Lindsey & Africa and Above the Law have partnered since 2017 on a series of biannual surveys. Between January and March 2023, we surveyed the Above the Law audience to learn about the priorities and perspectives of millennial lawyers as well as the generational differences that may exist between this group and its older counterparts.

Key highlights include:

1. Compensation and work/life balance were rated the most important factors for respondents evaluating potential employers. Respondents identifying as female valued work/ life balance slightly higher, while male respondents placed greater weight on compensation
2. Nearly a quarter said their formal mentor has had no impact on their career. However, more than half said the informal mentorship they’ve received has had a significant impact on their career.
3. 71% of respondents of color said law firm culture is biased against diverse attorneys; more than 80% of female respondents believe it’s biased against women.
4. 45% of respondents said they would like to make partner, which is a significant shift from the trend in previous surveys, where the number of respondents who said they wanted to make partner had been declining (from 34% in 2017 to 24% in 2021).

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