In today’s law firms, expectations often exist in shades of gray. Partners and leaders believe they’re setting clear standards—some even tell me they shout expectations from recruiting straight through to onboarding. But associates are struggling to decipher or even recognize them.
Law firms often don’t provide enough context for workplace expectations. Failing to communicate why those expectations matter creates an information vacuum. Young lawyers fill this void by seeking guidance elsewhere, including social media and peer networks, where messages about workplace values often clash with how law firm leaders view business culture.
The result is a disconnect between the firm’s expectations and their associates’ understanding that affects both performance and satisfaction.
Conflicting Messages
The cost of unclear workplace expectations is becoming increasingly evident across industries. A Gallup analysis of more than 112,000 teams found that understanding workplace expectations affects everything from productivity and retention to client engagement and employee well being—and “role clarity” has declined significantly since 2020.
Social media and other external sources often promote messages about strict work-life boundaries and treating work as purely transactional. This can create problems. When asked to review a brief, associates might simply address specific comments rather than thinking holistically about the document. When researching an issue, they might answer only the exact question instead of considering related implications.
This isn’t about generational differences alone; it’s about firms needing to better articulate the intrinsic value of their expectations and associates being receptive to understanding these perspectives.
Without proper context and compelling reasoning, traditional messages about excellence and client service can seem detached from associates’ legitimate concerns about sustainable work practices and professional growth. Success requires both sides to engage meaningfully in this dialogue.
Effective Approaches
We need to make these expectations compelling enough to compete with the powerful narratives young lawyers absorb elsewhere. Here’s how to start:
Define your own standards—and their value. Many partners understand their expectations but struggle to articulate why they matter. “I know good work when I see it” is unhelpful and unconvincing to a generation that questions traditional workplace norms. Instead, connect your standards to meaningful outcomes:
- What tangible benefits come from anticipating a client’s follow-up questions?
- How does going beyond the immediate research question create value for clients and career growth?
- Why does building deeper client relationships matter for the firm and the associate’s future?
- What’s the real impact of proactive case management on client service and professional development?
By linking these standards to concrete benefits—both for clients and for the associate’s own growth—you create a narrative that can compete with what’s on social media. If you can’t answer these types of questions as a leader, it’s a sign that you may be upholding an unnecessary norm.
Provide compelling context. Young lawyers are more likely to embrace firm expectations when they understand why it matters to them personally. Social media’s messages are powerful because they speak to young professionals’ values and concerns. Law firms need to do the same.
Instead of dismissing social media’s emphasis on boundaries and work-life balance, connect your expectations to these values:
- “Review these precedent documents carefully because spotting patterns now will make you more efficient later—you’ll work smarter, not longer.”
- “Join this client call because understanding the business context will help you work more purposefully and spend less time on unnecessary revisions.”
- “Document your process because it builds your reputation as a resource and makes you more valuable to the team, which means more interesting work and better opportunities.”
This approach shows how going above and beyond means working strategically—not necessarily more—and building valuable skills that benefit the firm and the associate’s career.
Make expectations concrete. While firms may have clear written policies, they need systems and tools that make excellence the easy choice. Create frameworks that help associates understand not just what to do, but how to excel. For example:
- Instead of assuming associates know what “thorough” research means, provide a checklist: “Check these four jurisdictions, review regulatory guidance, identify contrary authority, and flag any circuit splits.”
- Rather than expecting associates to intuit good client service, outline specific behaviors: “Acknowledge emails within two hours during business days, flag upcoming deadlines proactively, and copy the partner on substantive responses.”
- When assigning work, include context: “Here’s what the client ultimately needs to achieve, here’s how this piece fits in, and here are three ways this assignment might expand based on what you find.”
Schedule regular check-ins to discuss these and other expectations, but don’t make them one-way conversations. Ask associates about the challenges they’re facing and areas where they need more clarity. Their questions can reveal gaps in your communication that you haven’t considered.
Purposeful Excellence
Creating compelling expectations isn’t about enforcing compliance; it’s about building a culture where excellence makes sense and creates value for everyone. This means developing an environment in which going above and beyond feels like an investment in oneself and one’s career growth.
This cultural shift requires commitment from firm leadership and associates. Partners must explain why expectations matter and how meeting them benefits everyone involved. Associates, in turn, need to recognize that while setting healthy boundaries is important, there’s a meaningful difference between maintaining work-life balance and missing opportunities for growth in their chosen profession.
When firms make expectations clear and compelling, they create an environment where lawyers choose to excel because they understand the value of doing so—both for their clients and their own professional development.
This article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg Industry Group, Inc., the publisher of Bloomberg Law and Bloomberg Tax, or its owners.
Author Information
Rachael Bosch is managing director and founder at Fringe Professional Development, which provides workshops, coaching, and organizational development support for professionals.
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