Law Firm Leverage Drops to Levels Last Seen 10 Years Ago (December 18, 2007 Press Release) — On a nationwide basis, in 2007 major law firms employed one associate for every partner, and the overall ratio of lawyers to partners was somewhat more than 2 to 1 (2.21). This is similar to the level of leverage last seen in the legal marketplace in 1998. Between 1999 and 2005, law firms reported relatively higher leverage ratios.

Law Firm Leverage Varied with Firm Size and Location in 2006 — National Figures Fluctuate Over Time (January 18, 2007 Press Release) — New research from NALP shows that on a nationwide basis, major law firms employ one associate for every partner, and the overall ratio of lawyers to partners is just over 2.0. On a national basis leverage figures for the two most recent years returned to levels of the mid-1990s, after experiencing an increase in the late 1990s and peaking in 2000.