Reduced Hours, Full Success: Part-Time Partners in U.S. Law Firms

When the Project for Attorney Retention ( PAR ) was founded a decade ago, part-time partners were rare. Most associates who reduced their hours were taken off the partnership track either expressly or de facto; regardless of what the policy said, in most firms no part-time associate had ever been elevated to partner. Recognizing reduced hours work could not be a real option as long as it was a career ender, PAR developed a best practice balanced-hours policy, which helps eliminate the stigma associated with part-time and keeps those associates who work reduced hours developing professionally toward partnership. As the number of part-time partners increased, PAR received a growing number of inquiries from law firms about part-time partners and best practices to support them. Can reduced-hours work by partners be successful for the firm and clients? How can part-time partners become productive partners and rainmakers? How should part-time partners be compensated? What should firms expect from part-time partners in the way of business development and firm service? This report is PAR\u27s response