ALM Legal Intelligence

Sample Data

Midlevel Associate Survey

The American Lawyer's annual survey measuring the satisfaction of midlevel associates employed by the nation's top law firms. Firms are scored based on associate responses to 12 questions, which assess the firm's qualities, including interest and satisfaction with the work; benefits and compensation; relations between associates and partners; training and guidance; openness about finances and strategies; billable hours policies; the firm's attitude toward pro bono work; and the likelihood that associates will be at the firm in two years.

Methodology/Sources:
For a firm to be included in the National Rankings chart, The American Lawyer must receive ten or more completed surveys from a firm's midlevel associates. "Midlevels" includes third-, fourth-, and fifth-year associates. An individual firm's response rate is based on the number of returns out of the surveys distributed. A firm can choose which branch offices take part, so the number of eligible midlevels does not always reflect the size of midlevel classes firmwide.

Scores are based on a 1-to-5 scale, with 1 being the lowest, and 5 the highest. A firm's national score is the average of its responses, which collectively summarize the firm's qualities, including the interest and satisfaction levels of work; benefits and compensation; relations between associates and partners; training and guidance; openness about finances and strategies; billable hours policy; and the likelihood of the associate being at the firm in two years. All of a firm's responses are used to calculate the overall average, the basis for the rankings. For calculations of average hours billed, hours worked, base salary, or bonus, however, part-time associates were excluded.

Note data from additional years may be available in our archives. Please contact customer service for more information at almlegalintel@alm.com or 888-770-5647.