...no pun intended.
Speculation over the economy's impact on the future of the legal profession ramped up in Minnesota this week with news of Dorsey & Whitney joining a growing number of national firms who are instituting a salary decrease for associate attorneys. One Minnesota Lawyer article cited an observation that "the economic times require that [firms] be forward looking in terms of the changing demand for legal services and law firm management structures."
Talks of structural changes usually invoke some examination of the model where high salaries are accompanied by high billable hour requirements. A blog post on Law21, a blawg dedicated to information on changes in the profession, sums up some of the most compelling talking points in the debate over the legacy of work-life balance. The post hypothesizes that "work-life balance" is a personal choice and responsibility, that legal institutions won't unilaterally change their business models to give lawyers better work-life balance unless lawyers demand it.
How this connects to Minnesota's latest speculations is the post's observations that the time for change is right now--mostly because change is being forced upon the legal industry. The post also notes that right now, ironically, is when people are the most nervous about change and what that might mean to their own job, and so are not focused on reexamining their work-life balance issues, but working hard to ensure their job.
While this isn't exactly a message of hope for the future ("now's the time for change as people avoid change at all costs"), it could serve as some fodder for thought and reflection on keeping an open mind to the entire picture, change and all.
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