AmLaw publishes its Midlevel Associates Survey each year, offering insight into how associates across the country feel about their firms. Shortly after, they follow up with a lighthearted postscript: Associates Say the Darndest Things. It’s fun and often filled with amusing anecdotes, but beneath the humor, there’s always something deeper worth paying attention to.
This year, one comment struck me. It was in response to the prompt: “If you could tell the managing partner of your firm just one thing, it would be…” The answer? “Stop with the political talk and just give it to us straight.”
At first glance, this comment seems simple: associates want clarity. But it reflects a larger issue. Communication from the top matters. And the tone, delivery, and content can shape how associates feel about their role within the firm and their trust in leadership.
I’ve worked at a few firms in my career, and I’ve seen leaders – from practice group leaders to managing partners – adopt a variety of communication approaches. Some leaders gather questions in advance, weeding out the ones they don’t want to address. By the time the session happens, their responses are so meticulously scripted that the “conversation” feels anything but real. Associates walk away feeling more like an audience than active participants in the firm's culture.
On the flip side, I’ve seen leaders who are willing to take questions on the spot, answering in real-time, and often “off the cuff.” These discussions may lack polish, and the answers may not always be perfect. But here’s the thing: associates generally appreciate these moments more. Why? Because they feel like they’re being trusted—that their concerns are taken seriously and that their leaders are genuine.
I think it boils down to this: authenticity almost always trumps perfection. Associates don’t expect firm leadership to have all the answers. But they do expect honesty. When a question comes up that’s tough to answer, leaders can say, “I’m not prepared to answer that today, but I understand the concern and how it impacts you. I’ll get back to you with more information as soon as possible.” It’s okay not to have a perfectly packaged response. In fact, when leaders are too polished and over-prepared, it can have the opposite effect – associates can feel alienated, as though they’re not trusted enough to handle the truth.
In my experience, this alienation comes from a disconnect between how leaders think they need to communicate and what associates actually want. Too many firm leaders believe that providing a well-crafted, highly edited response will convey professionalism and control. But what associates crave is transparency. We are, after all, lawyers. We thrive on facts and directness. When leadership filters every message through layers of PR and politics, associates recognize it immediately. It can leave them feeling like they’re not part of the team or, worse, that they’re being deliberately misled.
That comment in the survey – “Stop with the political talk and just give it to us straight” – sums up what I’ve heard from associates over the years. They want to feel like equals, valued for their intellect and hard work, and not like spectators in their own careers. Firm leaders who embrace genuine, unscripted communication foster trust, loyalty, and engagement among their teams. They create a culture where associates feel like they’re truly part of the firm’s success, rather than cogs in a machine that’s been designed without them in mind.
As we think about how to improve associate satisfaction, this is an area where leadership can make immediate, meaningful change. Drop the scripts. Embrace real conversations. Build a culture of trust, where associates feel heard, valued, and respected. Because at the end of the day, that’s what keeps good lawyers invested in your firm – not just the paycheck or the prestige, but the sense that they’re working with you, not for you.
By: Kandice Thorn, Founder, WorkBetter for Lawyers
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