26 November 2025
Associates are the least happy fee-earners in the office, Chambers and Partners’ Leading Teams survey, published this week, has found
Two out of five plan to leave their firm in the next five years. Only 61% scored high levels of job satisfaction, compared to 76% of trainees, 75% of partners and 85% of department heads.
More than half the associates (55%) felt their stress levels were unmanageable. However, their stress levels were determined by whether they felt partners were on their side rather than hours worked or levels of responsibility.
One in four felt they had no one to go to for help if they felt overwhelmed.
Lisa Hart Shepherd, chief product and innovation officer, Chambers and Partners, said firms faced ‘a significant flight risk’ and needed to ‘invest in developing their people’.
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