Traditional legal pathway ‘no longer the default’ amid generational shifts

According to Deloitte’s Global 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, younger professionals are highly purpose-driven. This, Evolve Resolve mediator and leadership coach Damien van Brunschot explained, means that younger lawyers “actively seek environments that foster inclusion, mental health, and flexibility”.

“Times have changed, and emerging lawyers see their careers very differently. Earlier cohorts accepted long hours and personal sacrifice (including even levels of mistreatment)-the price to be paid for the partnership carrot. Emerging lawyers no longer have this worldview-they are more attuned to meaning, well-being and autonomy,” he said.

“This shift is not about a lack of ambition—it’s about a more expansive definition of success, where quality of life is weighted as heavily as professional advancement.”

In a legal context, this means younger workers are less focused on the traditional partner track, instead seeking lateral growth and strong mentorship and prioritise authenticity, collaboration, and psychological safety, valuing transparent and responsive, emotionally intelligent leadership in place of rigid hierarchies.

The traditional career pathway in law to senior legal roles and partnership is “no longer the default”, Clyde & Co Australia managing partner Rebecca Kelly confirmed.

“Increasingly, law is seen as a launchpad to broader opportunities, not necessarily a lifelong vocation. Today’s emerging lawyers tend to have clearer, more informed expectations. They’re savvy, vocal, and values driven. Non-financial factors such as leadership quality, workplace culture, integrity, recognition, and respect carry significant weight,” she said.

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“Work life balance is no longer a luxury afforded to a few; it has become a baseline expectation. What sets employers apart now is their genuine commitment to personal development and the provision of meaningful experiences beyond technical legal training.”

And while previous generations have sought work life balance, College of Law Queensland executive director Ann-Maree David said that now, younger workers are seeking work that aligns with their lifestyle.

“Emerging lawyers are part of the continuing evolution of work. Where their employers (and their parents) may have sought work life balance, those entering work today are seeking work-life alignment including flexible schedules, remote work options, and respect for their mental and physical wellbeing,” she said.

“In previous years, recruitment panels would have faced questions about their organisation’s carbon footprint. Today’s graduates are no less purpose driven and indeed will expect radical transparency in all their dealings with the firm, from analysing their mission statement seeking alignment with their own values, to anticipating open communication about salary, pathways to promotion and how the firm demonstrates its culture.”

This is all part of a shift in expectations as different generations of lawyers come through the ranks, with G2 Legal Australia director Daniel Stirling noting that this change has been “significant” in recent years.

“The main priorities of junior to mid-level lawyers 10 years ago were around salary and career progression,” he said.

“These issues are obviously still very important but lawyers tend to look at a broader range of issues when they are considering a new role. These include flexibility, work life balance, culture, diversity and environmental issues.”

Despite the profession moving back towards an employer’s market, Dovetail managing director Andrew Murdoch added that another significant factor in growing expectations is the unemployment rate.

“When I entered the legal profession in 2000, the unemployment rate was eight per cent and youth unemployment was [upwards of] 15 per cent. We had little bargaining power and were grateful for our jobs,” he said.

“Today, with close to full employment, lawyers have greater bargaining power and can design their jobs around their lives. Recognition by each generation of the forces that shaped the other can help reduce friction in work culture expectations.”

Younger legal professionals are also increasingly looking for shorter-term roles compared to previous generations, as flexibility remains important to them – something a College of Law student confirmed.

“I have been working as a freelancer for five-plus years and enjoy the independence this gives me. I work extremely well in short, focused sessions. I believe happier people produce better work. So many lawyers I know love the work but hate the working arrangement, with many leaving the profession because of it,” the student said.

“The concept of slogging it out 8am-6pm in a law firm and then all weekend is what has scared me away from getting admitted for so long.”

Key challenges for firms and leaders

As such, there are a number of key challenges around managing and retaining younger lawyers in the current market, particularly around burnout and disengagement.

In mid-April, new research showed that 10 per cent of lawyers plan to leave the profession in light of workplace cultural issues, and Thomson Reuters’ Legal Talent Report last year found that over 70 per cent of young lawyers had considered leaving their firm in the past year, largely due to wellbeing concerns and poor work allocation, according to van Brunschot.

“It's a fallacy to think that the old assumptions apply. A mistake to think that younger lawyers will ‘suck it up’ to achieve promotion or even that elusive partnership. Retention and engagement of junior lawyers is more precarious than ever,” he added.

“Emerging lawyers want to learn fast—but not at the expense of mentorship or feedback. They value visibility and growth over mindless volume. Many cite poor access to quality supervision or meaningful stretch work as reasons for attrition.

“Generationally, there is a strong preference for flat communication structures. When junior lawyers feel their insights are dismissed or tokenised, they disengage. This can be contrasted with traditional views of partnership, where people have to ‘earn’ their voice at the table.”

These issues can be mitigated in a number of key ways, including intentional career planning and coaching, empowering junior talent early on and getting them involved in client work and strategic thinking.

Having a cohesive, transparent culture and opportunities for growth and development is also vital, according to Ruth Beran and Susan Pincus, national career strategists at College of Law.

“The culture of an organisation can have a big impact on retaining younger lawyers and a supportive environment can make a big difference in keeping talent. While law firms are, by their nature, competitive environments, this does not mean support and transparency need to be mutually exclusive,” Beran said.

“Younger lawyers are also looking for meaning and purpose in their work. I know of one law firm that addressed this by offering an internship with a human rights not-for-profit as part of their graduate program. Opportunities for pro bono work could be another option.”

Pincus added that “career development is a top priority for early lawyers”.

“If they do not see a clear and supported pathway forward, they tend to look elsewhere. However, it is not just about promotions and fancy titles, it is about purpose and wanting to know their work matters and connects to something bigger,” she said.

“When they see how their contribution fits into the bigger picture, they are more accountable, engaged and driven.”

A key challenge for Kelly has been ensuring Clyde & Co delivers “accurate, timely advice” while still making space for junior lawyers to learn and grow. For senior lawyers, this also means sharing knowledge and offering support, guidance and mentorship with junior staff.

“Early in my leadership journey, I had always been quite hands-on and worked alongside the teams, always deep in the detail and focused on outcomes. While effective in terms of deliverables, that approach does not always support meaningful development for the junior team members. Over time, and with excellent support around me, I have been able to lead with a more inclusive style, offering context and supporting autonomy,” she explained.

“It’s critical that all senior practitioners remain engaged with the younger generation, even if at times they do not understand their working culture and expectations. I’ve been fortunate to have had mentors who took the time to help me understand not just the law, but the business of law.

“A modern mentoring relationship should be grounded in openness, empathy, and mutual respect alongside a healthy dose of humour and perspective. These principles are timeless and cross-generational.”

Firm cohesion and the importance of adapting

Younger lawyers are no longer solely chasing titles or paychecks; they want mentorship, meaning, and workplaces that reflect their values. They’re also more willing to walk away from firms that don’t deliver on these expectations, leading to growing risks for firms who don’t adapt.

Ensuring culture is “the best it can be” will mean that lawyers will, however, be likely to compromise on other issues – particularly as the profession pivots back towards more reasonable raises following the pandemic, according to Stirling.

“There are some challenging issues for firms in regard to greater expectations around salary and flexibility than in the past. This has been accentuated following COVID as flexibility and hybrid working have become more widespread. On salary, the COVID era saw many firms implement pay freezes for several years and these were followed by some larger than normal increases in the following period.

“I think firms now have to find the middle ground where they can keep staff happy but at the same time be realistic in the market and ensure profitability. In terms of flexibility you have to look at the wider market in regard to hybrid working and ensure you won’t lose staff while still working in the most effective way,” he said.

“From my experience, if we deal with a role for a client offering no flexibility or hybrid working then it makes it very difficult to find good talent that is willing to consider the opportunity, even if the other facets of the role are all positive. It is worth making some compromises to hire and retain the best people.”

Last year, more Australian workers said they would accept alternative benefits along with a promotion, with more flexibility and more time off being popular alternatives to a salary increase. This is something Beran said still rings true – but added that she’s still seeing younger lawyers leaving firms early in their careers.

“Offering younger talent benefits in addition to salary can be a useful retention policy. Hybrid work arrangements can also meet flexibility expectations so long as they do not disrupt current work arrangements. In terms of salary expectations, one option is to include a salary increase after probation subject to a performance review,” she explained.

“Hiring lawyers that later leave can be an expensive exercise. Firms also face the risk that they are attracting the wrong type of talent and are missing the opportunity to move into the future as progressive, open-minded employers. I am hearing of young lawyers leaving firms in their first few years to go into government or in-house, law firms may face a dearth of talent if they choose not to align with the expectations of this current generation.”

Pincus echoed a similar sentiment, warning against top-tier firms relying solely on their “brand” to attract talent.

“Employers need to think carefully about their retention strategy, i.e. what they have to offer over and above other organisations including their key points of difference,” she added.

“A name or brand is just that, it needs to stay in touch with what talent is seeking, otherwise, it will get left behind by more progressive, dynamic and innovative organisations.”

Firms that fail to meet growing expectations and new challenges will “stagnate, lose talent and lose market share”, according to van Brunschot, who said the risks for firms are “existential”.

“The idea of ‘cohesion’ must evolve. In the past, cohesion meant conformity: everyone working the same hours, dressing the same way, and rising through the same channels. Today, cohesion must be rooted in shared purpose, psychological safety, and aligned values, not surface-level sameness. Firms that invest in high-trust cultures - where expectations are clearly stated and consistently upheld - can embrace generational difference as a strategic advantage rather than a threat,” he added.

“This requires deliberate leadership, vulnerability, and a willingness to rethink traditional norms. In short, the firms that adapt will not just survive - they’ll be the places where the best lawyers want to build their future.”