#78: What to Do When Your BigLaw Firm Won’t Give You a Partnership Timeline

When you’ve been assured you’re “on track” for partnership, but still don’t have a clear timeline, it’s time to push for specifics. In this episode, I walk through how to navigate one of the most sensitive—but critical—conversations in Big Law: asking WHEN you’ll actually be put up for partner. I lay out the right questions to ask, the right people to approach, and how to handle vague responses or firm-wide delays that stall your trajectory. If you’ve been hearing encouragement without clarity, this episode gives you the tools to stop guessing and start getting real answers. Because timing is everything.

At a Glance:

00:00 The disconnect between “you’re on track” and having real, concrete timelines
02:30 How to initiate a formal conversation and what to say
04:35 Questions to ask when timing remains unclear
06:06 What to do when you’re told “it’s not my decision”
08:22 How to bring mentors and sponsors into the loop strategically
09:29 Using metrics to frame your case with practice group leaders
11:26 When to escalate beyond your group for real answers
12:54 Why in-person meetings matter and how to push through excuses
14:00 What to make of vague delays—and what they reveal about firm culture
16:22 Final thoughts on asking the harder, more important question: when

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Show notes: https://www.lauraterrell.com/podcast