Gen Z lawyers grapple with work-life balance reality
The youngest workers in the most highly demanding fields are facing a stark reality check as many realize the long hours and stress simply aren’t worth the status and pay to them.
In the legal profession, over half of Gen Zers said they would take a pay cut for fewer billable hours, according to a survey of over 500 Gen Z associates from law firm Major, Lindsey and Africa, taken earlier this year. Over a third would also take less pay for more time off.
The average amount of hours lawyers work per week varies widely depending on the size of the firm. Those at small and mid-sized firms typically work an average of 42 to 54 hours a week, according to Clio, a law firm tech company. At large firms, working 66 hours a week is the average.
Those in recruitment say working fewer hours isn’t what young workers are after. Instead, they are seeking better mental health resources, a supportive company culture, flexibility, and the ability to do meaningful work for an organization they respect.
Jacqueline Bokser Lefebvre is managing director at the New York associate practice group for Major, Lindsey and Africa law firm. She focuses on recruiting and placing associates in national, international, regional, and boutique law firms. Today’s young lawyers want more respect for their boundaries, she said.
However, working nights and weekends is typical in the legal profession given the heavy workloads and client demands. And it’s often near impossible for them to truly log off and check out while taking PTO.
More than 80% of lawyers work outside the typical workday, according to Clio. Over half continue working after 5 p.m., and 26% work past 6 p.m. Some 11% find themselves working after 10 p.m.
While young lawyers understand that clients sometimes need them after hours, they think “it should be an exception, not the rule,” Bokser Lefebvre said.
Nefra MacDonald, director of strategic engagement at Clio, decided not to pursue a legal career after losing her father while attending law school about a decade ago. “What I found is that it was not the most supportive profession, especially when it comes to anything having to do with mental health or you being off your A game,” MacDonald said.
When it comes to work-life balance and mental health, “for this generation in particular, it’s top of mind for them. It’s how they’re navigating the choices that they make in their life,” she said.
Many law firms count billable hours as a large part of their revenue, so having a younger cohort of workers unwilling to put in the same hours as has traditionally been expected, may prove challenging in the long term.
Law firms aren’t necessarily changing roles or compensation structures in response, though they are paying more attention to the other benefits they need to offer that are especially important to Gen Z, like social values and the ability to do pro bono work.
That’s clearly in the early stages though. Over a quarter of junior associates surveyed by Major, Lindsey and Africa disagreed or strongly disagreed when asked if their firms prioritize pro bono work or value social justice and responsibility.
“The one piece of advice that I would definitely have for law firms and in-house organizations that are hiring legal talent right now is make sure that you really do have that purpose-driven attitude,” said Nesreen Ballut, director, head of Larson Maddox midwest and national lateral placements.
Another shift in law firms’ talent acquisition strategies is increased demand for specialized legal professionals, in areas like compliance, intellectual property, corporate law, and labor and employment, Ballut said.
“They’re looking for candidates with expertise in specific sectors. And the specialization is crucial as organizations navigate those complex regulatory environments. But also they want to ensure that they are really identifying subject matter experts or those who are very passionate about particular spaces to continue to grow their careers,” Ballut said.
Some firms are also developing different trajectories for associates who seek long-term legal careers but do not aspire to a partnership path, which traditionally has required Bokser Lefebvre said.
New AI tools in the field are poised to help eliminate more of the tedious and time-consuming tasks for lawyers like summarizing hundreds of legal documents or generating cohesive timelines based on evidence. But for now, oversight of outputs is still necessary to ensure accuracy.