Associates
Associates continue to leave firms within 5 years of hire, new report says
The number of associates who left their law firms within five years of hire hit a record high last year, according to the NALP Foundation’s latest report on associate hiring and departures in firms. (Image from Shutterstock)
The number of associates who left their law firms within five years of hire hit a record high last year, according to the NALP Foundation’s latest report on associate hiring and departures in firms.
The Update on Associate Attrition shows that 83% of associates who departed in 2025 left within five years of being hired, which marks an increase from the 80% who departed during that time frame in 2024.
Lateral associates, associates of color and associates who didn’t participate in their firm’s summer program left their firms at higher rates than entry-level associates, white associates and associates who summered at their firms, the report also shows.
“While overall attrition levels stayed relatively stable, the continuing trend of both entry-level and lateral associates leaving their firms earlier merits close attention as a talent management imperative,” said Fiona S. Trevelyan, the president and CEO of the NALP Foundation, when announcing the new data Tuesday.
The average associate attrition rate was 19% in 2025 versus 20% in 2024, the report shows. Firms with 100 or fewer attorneys had a 24% attrition rate, while larger firms’ attrition rates ranged from 16% to 18%.
Among the NALP Foundation’s other findings, overall associate hiring increased from 2024 to 2025 but remained below the 2021 and 2022 record levels. In a change from last year, the number of lateral hires exceeded entry-level hires in 2025.
Firms with 251 to 500 attorneys reported the largest percentage of lateral hiring at 57%, up from 51% in 2024, the report shows.
The NALP Foundation has produced its Update on Associate Attrition for more than 20 years. Its 2025 report is based on data from 141 firms in the United States and Canada.
Write a letter to the editor, share a story tip or update, or report an error.
