Not just better hours. Not just more money. Here’s what attorneys really talk about when they’re ready to seek new law partner opportunities and make that lateral transition.
Following a 14% increase in lateral partner-level hires at firms over the last year, there’s no shortage of recruitment offers. Attorneys’ inboxes are filled with promises of flexibility, higher compensation, and better culture. But behind closed doors (when we take a hard look at why so many attorneys are even considering new law partner opportunities), it’s about more than standard offers.
At Practus, we’ve heard it all. And when attorneys are honest about what they want in a law firm, five themes continue to rise to the top:
1. Autonomy Over Billing Practices
Most seasoned partners have long since mastered the billable hour, yet many are frustrated by how limited their options are beyond it. Firms that rely on rigid billing models often miss opportunities to best serve their clients and, in turn, their attorneys.
Law firm partners want the ability to:
- Craft alternative fee arrangements
- Tailor invoices to specific client needs
- Focus on value, not only hours billed
Whether it’s a flat fee for a repeat matter or a success-based model for complex litigation, they’re looking for a smarter, more sustainable way to price their services.
The key isn’t to abandon structure; it’s to offer more autonomy in how it’s applied.
2. Predictable and Better Metrics
One of the most common frustrations partners share before making a move? There’s a lack of transparency around how much they’ll earn at the end of the year. Between shifting priorities, vague bonus structures, and firm-wide profit pools, it’s often a guessing game.
At modern law firms, compensation should be:
- Clear and predictable: attorneys know exactly how their income is calculated, right from the start.
- Personalized: your partnership transparently outlines what you’ll take home based on:
• The work you bring in
• The clients you serve
• The collaboration you engage in - Opportunity-rich: with strong referral and cross-practice incentives, partners are rewarded not just for their own work, but also for referring business internally. You get the credit (and compensation) you deserve for helping grow the firm.
Transparency builds trust. And when attorneys can stop second-guessing their earning potential, they’re free to focus on what really matters: delivering great work, growing their book, collaborating across practices, and building long-term client relationships.
3. Purpose from Legal Work
Money is important. But fulfillment matters too. By the time an attorney reaches partner level, purpose in their legal work is just as (if not more) important as take-home pay. This stage of their career is all about solving problems for their clients, making strategic impact, and building relationships that matter.
That being said, finding win/win scenarios where client success, personal satisfaction, and firm growth all align. This sense of alignment is what creates staying power, and why many partners leave firms that prioritize billing over meaningful service.
4. Intersectional Practice Area Collaborations
Legal problems don’t live in silos—and neither should legal teams. Today’s businesses are more innovative and fast-paced than ever before. Legal matters often involve multiple practice areas, requiring attorneys with deep experience in their respective fields to collaborate and think outside of the box.
Two use cases we’ve seen in recent months where collaboration is a must-have include:
Corporate Services and Intellectual Property Law
Growth-stage and startup businesses are no longer waiting to protect their intellectual property; they’re prioritizing it from day one. And they’re not just looking for a transactional lawyer or a patent specialist. They want corporate services and intellectual property support working hand-in-hand, in real time.
This cohesive model of representation is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. When attorneys from different disciplines work closely together, clients benefit from legal strategies that are aligned instead of fragmented. This alignment helps innovative companies meet their immediate growth goals while simultaneously planning for long-term scalability.
Financial Services + Tax: ETF Section 351 Transactions
Our collaboration-forward engagements continue to drive results in highly complex sectors like asset management. Our ETF legal team, which includes Financial Services and Tax partners, has handled over 100 ETF Section 351 conversions representing more than $20 billion in assets. These high-value transactions require deep coordination across practice areas, and our attorneys deliver with agility, precision, and a shared commitment to client innovation. (Read more about our ETF work here or on Bloomberg)
Partners today are looking for firms that encourage these complementary practice areas within the same firm. When collaboration is built into the fabric of a distributed law firm model, client success comes faster.
5. Opportunity to Use Their Entrepreneurship Skillset
Most successful partners didn’t get where they are by following a script. They built books of business, managed client relationships, found new ways to deliver services, and often created new opportunities that didn’t exist before. In other words… they’re entrepreneurs.
But at many firms, that entrepreneurial spirit is stifled. Partners are asked to drive growth, then told how to do it. They want freedom to run their practice like a business with support, not micromanagement.
As IP Litigator Duane Mathiowetz explains,
“Because I keep up to 80 percent of what I bring to the firm, as opposed to the 30 percent you take in at a big law firm, I can do a case for a lot less money than a partner in a traditional law firm.” For entrepreneurial attorneys, that margin shift isn’t just good economics—it’s a gateway to more control, more client flexibility, and more meaningful growth.”
For entrepreneurial attorneys, that margin shift isn’t just good economics—it’s a gateway to:
- More control
- More client flexibility
- A more rewarding practice
That’s why more attorneys are exploring law firm partner opportunities that reward entrepreneurial thinking. From customizable business models to marketing support and built-in collaboration, firms that understand the business of law are the future of the legal industry.
Lateral transitions don’t usually happen because someone offered a slightly better compensation package. They happen when attorneys find a firm that aligns with how they want to practice law.
At Practus, we’re built for partners who want more: more autonomy, more purpose, more entrepreneurial freedom, and more innovative solutions for clients. If that sounds like you, explore what’s possible with us.
