Staffwell National: If your best associate resigned tomorrow, who would replace them?

If your best associate resigned tomorrow, who would replace them?

The NALP Foundation reported a 24% associate departure rate in 2025 among surveyed firms with 100 or fewer attorneys.

If it happened at your firm (which it may), do you have a plan in place to replace your best associate?

You may know an attorney through a colleague. Perhaps a previous applicant comes to mind.

If they aren’t interested, where would you look next?

Perhaps your junior associate is ready for a promotion
Or, you’ve been eyeing the market and know exactly who you want.

Identify how you will reach the ideal candidate. That could be your network. Or a job posting. Or a legal recruiter.

Figure out what could make the search difficult.
For example:
– Base pay: Yesterday’s salary is not today’s salary.
– Work model: Will your replacement come into the office 5x per week?
– Depth of practice: Will they be arguing their motions independently?

Your next best associate is probably billing hours somewhere else.
Posting the job is a start. Expecting them to find it is the optimistic part.

Staffwell | Legal Recruitment
Staffwell.ca | (929) 560-0868