Many attorneys from these same firms, however, expressed deep dissatisfaction with the part-time programs. Even at firms where associates bill an average of 2,000 hours per year as is common in the District of Columbia part-time attorneys work about 40 hours per week to make their billable targets. At many firms, part-time attorneys are ineligible for partnership. Part-time associates are rarely made partner in D.C. law firms. Some firms have a formal policy that prohibits partnership consideration for attorneys working less than full-time.
Direct stigmatization penalizes part-time attorneys .
Part-time work is so stigmatized at D.C. law firms that many attorneys who wish to reduce their hours leave their firms rather than jeopardize their legal careers. Attorneys report, and some law firm managers candidly acknowledge, that professional advancement suffers or is halted outright for part-time attorneys. Attorneys are subtly discouraged from working part-time . Part-time work appears to be discouraged at D.C. law firms in additional ways. The Project s investigators heard occasional reports of attorneys being warned directly not to work part-time or their careers would suffer, but most reports of discouragement were more subtle.