“Gen Z are effectively saying we don’t want to be middle management,” observes Stephen Hopkins, former Eversheds partner and legal team coach, during a recent Platforum9 session. His insight cuts to the heart of a fundamental shift in how law firms must approach talent management and team dynamics.
The Evolution of Legal Career Paths
The traditional law firm model – long hours compensated by the promise of partnership – is facing unprecedented challenges. “I was an equity partner at six years qualified,” Hopkins notes, contrasting with today’s “long and winding” path to partnership. This shift has forced firms to rethink how they motivate and retain talent.
Understanding Gen Z Priorities
Today’s young lawyers bring different expectations:
- Desire for expertise over management roles
- Focus on work-life balance
- Need for autonomy and voice in decision-making
- Emphasis on meaningful work over hierarchical advancement
The Impact of Remote Work
COVID-19 has created unexpected challenges in knowledge transfer. “The older partners are the ones who don’t come into the office every day,” Hopkins observes. “And they’re the ones with the great knowledge and experience that needs to be passed on.” This disconnect threatens the apprenticeship model that has long defined legal training.
The Feedback Question
While some partners find constant feedback requests exhausting, Hopkins offers a different perspective from his experience: “If you had a partner in the office and you were doing a deal, you would get feedback every few minutes. It may not have been formal and written, but you were getting feedback about your drafting, your approach, your behavior in meetings, which was effective feedback.”
Building Effective Intergenerational Teams
Hopkins emphasizes the importance of proactive team building:
- Setting clear behavioral expectations
- Building trust across generational lines
- Creating opportunities for meaningful collaboration
- Implementing shared leadership models
“If you throw a team together the day before a big transaction, you are not likely to have a team that is going to gel perfectly,” Hopkins warns. Success requires ongoing investment in team development and communication skills.
As law firms navigate these changes, Hopkins suggests the key lies in moving beyond traditional hierarchical structures toward more collaborative models that value both expertise and innovation. The future belongs to firms that can effectively bridge generational differences while maintaining the high service standards that clients expect.
