The Significance In recent years, younger lawyers have demanded more work-life balance, but in prior generations, there was often an expectation to prioritize work, making the decision to step away even more emotionally fraught. That’s a hard habit to break, according to Dubois, when being a lawyer isn’t just a job, but an identity.
"It's who you are, it's what you do, it's how you define yourself, it's how people know you," he said. "And then, suddenly, you're going to turn off the lights and babysit your grandchildren? For a lot of people, that's kind of a hard stop."
Michael Rhodes, 66, of Cooley, said ego can get so tied up with that identity making it hard for some attorneys to let go. Rhodes has had the opposite reaction, wondering who he is, separate from that identity.
"It's sort of a hellish experience, because if you're not getting those constant interruptions, that means you're not very successful, right? And so you have all that anxiety. And if you are successful, you are being constantly interrupted," he said. "I want to have a little more space and freedom to think and operate and see if there's another chapter that's distinct from this one."
William Lee, 74, of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, said trial work is mentally and physically hard on litigators. "It requires a degree of mental and physical stamina that, at least for me as I'm in my 70s, was not something that I could look myself in the mirror and claim that I was sure that I had." Two years ago, Lee decided he had enough already, finding that watching his granddaughter’s soccer games was the best possible use of his time. Now, Lee is advising younger partners on strategy and handling appeals on his cases. He has outlined succession plans with 10 clients over the past few years. Attorneys need to have an idea who the next person to take up the reins will be, according to Kessler. "Our training motto has always been to teach somebody to replace yourself, and then you can move on to something bigger or different. If you're always fighting on who gets to do what, you're never going to grow the organization. Training to replace yourself is the way we've done it, and it worked extremely successfully over the years," he said. The Information Want to know more? Here’s what we’ve discovered in the ALM Global Newsroom: 'Training to Replace Yourself': Kessler Topaz Co-Founder Set to Retire Elder Litigators Confront Tough Questions in Last Act of Careers The 'Biden Effect' on Senior Attorneys: Should I Stay or Should I Go? 'As I've Grown Older': John Morgan Looks Back at a Life in Law 'Clear the Runway': Bill Lee's Longtime Focus on Succession Planning 'I Don't Hide My Age': 82 and Practicing in Big Law Cooley Litigation Rainmaker Mike Rhodes Set To Retire: 'It's a Good Time to Hang It Up and Do Something Else' Many Judges Earn Less Than Lawyers: Texas Judiciary Asks for 30% Raise A+E Networks CLO Retiring, Capping Storied, 40-Year Career in Entertainment Law Bar Leader Promotes Intergenerational Links, But Elder Lawyers Should Know When 'It's Time to Stop'
The Forecast Exponential advancements in technology might ratchet up the pressure on older attorneys. Wilson Elser partner Andrew M. Epstein, 82, said technology can be a challenge at his age, but he learns how to deal with it. “I ask people to help … I don't like the technology, but I know that to some extent I have to use it,” Epstein said. John Morgan of Morgan & Morgan, which has developed its own legal software, said "Many firms and older attorneys who did not learn to practice using technology have faced challenges with keeping up.” "It's not a one-size-fits-all measurement. All attorneys and their ability to adapt to technology are different, regardless of age," said Morgan, who is 69. "It's beneficial when you supply your attorneys with the right technological tools and listen to what is most helpful to them, and then build a platform that can accommodate all of their needs to be successful." | 