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This reality creates a kind of perverse incentive for law firms to maintain bad work cultures that are bearable just enough for the required number of people to stick around. As a result, progression in BigLaw is based on how compliant people are in putting up with stupidity, unfortunately. The only exception is that you bring connections either in the form of clients or high-level government connections.
There are a large number of people who exit the system because of its absurdity irrespective of the fact that they may be a better lawyer than some/most of their colleagues. I’ve seen a fair bit of Partners sell their self-respect as they grew up the associate ranks and they expect that those following them will do the same. I’ve seen associates get dressed down in the most public way continuing when others with a sense of self-respect quit.
The incentive to behave badly will only get entrenched further with time, as earlier (think 2000-2015) the talent pool was much smaller than it is now and will be going ahead. So, unfortunately, GenZ will not be the harbinger of change.