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[quote=Anonymous]I have known a few long-time counsel who eventually made partner in their mid to late 40s because the partners for whom they worked were getting older and were hoping to reward them for their past efforts and give clients the impression that there would be continuity in service when they retired.  In these instances, the counsel weren't pushing for a promotion, but were initially happy to go along with being elevated to partner.

In each case, the former counsel only lasted a few years as partners before leaving the firm entirely.  They weren't used to working harder, much less being expected by other partners within the firm to generate business.  There were other partners in the firm who were service partners rather than big rainmakers, but these partners were more used to the grind and willing to step it up when generating business became important.

In retrospect, they would have been better off just remaining counsel, where they had a niche that worked for them.  If you come from government and become a partner in your 50s, that's because a firm has a reasonable expectation that you're going to quickly attract clients.  On the other hand, if you've just been counsel or of counsel at a firm for years, it's less likely that you've had the experience or exposure to thrive in a partner role.  Yes, it's a fancier title and more money, but it's also more exhausting (law firm associates often claim they'd like to know more about the inner workings of their firms, but once you're a partner you may wish you knew less, because there tends to be so much internal jockeying and competition for status and compensation).

Having said all that, however, OP's spouse should do what he can to maintain as many professional contacts as possible outside the firm.  It he hits 55, and the partners whose work he's been servicing leave or retire, he may quickly be treated as expendable, regardless of whether the firm traditionally has treated counsel well.  Assuming he wants to keep working, he'd at least want to have the ability to lateral into a similar counsel role at another firm or potentially even go back into government.    [/quote]

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