Appendix A Study Procedure and Measures

• Library: Accelerating Lawyer Success: How to Make Partner, Stay Healthy, and Flourish in a Law Firm (ABA) (2015 Ed.)

Study Phase 1—Associate Performance⁵⁶

Procedure

For the first phase of our study, we collected archival data on performance, competencies, and personalities of associates working in the U.S. offices of one AmLaw 100 firm. Data were collected in 2009 and 2010. We also conducted interviews with 19 associates in this firm, which had recently gone off a lockstep promotion track. Many firms do not promote associates based on merit until consideration for partnership, which usually occurs after a set number of years. In contrast, the firm in which we collected data "promoted" associates to one of 12 levels, or tiers, depending on their skill mastery and performance. Consequently, we were able to track the speed of their advancement.

Measures

Performance

We collected two measures of associate performance. The first measure was the aforementioned merit-based evaluation. Specifically, the firm used performance reviews (which included competency ratings and billable hours) to differentiate associates into 12 tiers. A score of 12 represented the highest level—the level at which an associate could be considered for promotion to partner. new associates entered the firm at level one and progressed throughout their tenure at the firm depending on their competency ratings, billable hours, and other criteria. We collected merit-based evaluations for 273 associates in 2009 and for 200 associates in 2010; most of the evaluations were collected for the same associates each year.

Second, we collected more qualitative ratings of associates to supplement the merit-based evaluations. For these assessments, each associate was put into one of the following categories during evaluation committee meeting discussions: a) "very high," b) "high," c) "medium," or d) "low" performers. We collected qualitative performance reviews for 151 associates.

Competencies

We collected eight competency ratings for each of 175 associates. Competency ratings were based on annual partner assessments for each associate. Data on two types of competencies were collected: technical competencies related specifically to lawyering skills (legal research and knowledge of law; written advocacy; oral advocacy, trial, and negotiation skills; factual development, investigation, and discovery) and more general behavioral competencies (drive for excellence; teamwork; leadership and case management; client service and communication).

Personality Surveys

In addition to performance and competency data, we collected archival data on four associate personality traits: a) self-efficacy (160 associates), b) locus of control (159 associates), c) learning orientation (129 associates), and achievement orientation (129 associates).

To measure self-efficacy—or a person's belief in his or her ability to excel in a number situations⁵⁷—we used Ralf Schwarzer and Matthias Jerusalem's 1995 self-efficacy scale.⁵⁸ Responses followed a scale of 1 to 4, with 1 being "not at all true" and 4 being "exactly true." The self-efficacy scale was reliable, with a Cronbach's alpha estimate of reliability of 0.79.

To measure...