Not every lawyer dreams of moving into the corner office.

At least that’s what the results of our annual Canadian Lawyer Associates survey of attitudes toward partnership suggest. With over 300 respondents from firms of all sizes across the country, opinions were split on whether or not partnership ambitions were in their future. Overall, the split was 50-50 on wanting to become a partner or not.

The male-female split though told a different story. Among male lawyers, 57 per cent of respondents said they wanted to become partners, but among women lawyers, 59 per cent indicated that they were unsure or did not want to join the partnership. Overall, however, 52 per cent of respondents believed they were on the track to partnership, whether they wanted it or not.

It might surprise some people who are just starting out, but those who have been at this for a while realize partnership isn’t always the driving force of a successful legal career. “I think that all law school graduates start their careers thinking that partnership is the Holy Grail,” comments one respondent, who has 10 years of practice behind her. “Once ‘life’ actually begins, and you weigh the pros and cons of that kind of commitment, often it is not the right decision for everyone.”

When asked why partnership might not be the right track, a clear theme emerged. Almost 60 per cent chose a lack of work-life balance as the main factor for their decision. Several people added that they feared not getting along with the current partners and consequently didn’t see partnership as an option for an enjoyable and successful future. While there has been much talk in the profession about creating more work-life balance, it seems that almost half of those polled feel alternative work arrangements such as flex-time, telecommuting, or part-time options would either somewhat or very much affect their chances of becoming partners.

Some respondents were critical of the lack of options for lawyers who planned to start a family but also wanted partnership status, especially among female appear to be compatible within their firm. “The questions of being able to have a child and continue working were more important to me than partnership,” said one associate who was faced with making the choice.

“I think the current partners in our firm have huge misconceptions about the goals of the current associates,” says another lawyer, who was recently called to the bar. “They don’t realize that very few of us (if any) see partnership as an attractive goal given the extreme lack of work-life balance at that level. My feeling is that this generation of associates sees the practice of law as a job, not as a way of life, and we aren’t as guided by money as the partners think.”

While money might not be the key for everyone, it’s certainly a factor for those who do hope to make the transition. Increased income was the second-most popular reason for wanting to become a partner. An additional factor offered by many participants was the opportunity to have more say in the decision making, and more control over the direction, of the firm. Interestingly, the number one reason selected was that it’s simply the next step in their career.