ABA Journal - Law News Now

Law Practice Management

Orrick Partner Says Law Firms Must Change Promotion and Billing Structures

Posted Jul 18, 2008, 10:32 am CDT
By Debra Cassens Weiss

A partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe endorses part-time work options at law firms, but she says it isn’t nearly enough to satisfy the new generation of lawyers.

Patricia Gillette, a San Francisco partner in employment law, said law firms need to completely change promotion structures, create multiple paths to partnership and ban the billable hour. The AmLaw Daily reported on Gillette’s comments during a roundtable discussion entitled, “Flexing the Workplace.”

"Law firms are going to feel the push from Generation X and Generation Y lawyers who want a different life," Gillette said. She said firms will eventually follow the lead of technology companies and offer alternative work schedules that include telecommuting, job sharing and part-time work.

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