Your B4 associate pool can be split into 3 groups.

First, the ones that were good enough to get in but are not particularly ambitious and have no particular career goals and so there is no light at the end of the tunnel for them - they dont tend to make it through more than 3-4 years and usually go inhouse or a mid-sized firm after that. This is the biggest group.

Second, the ones that are are gunning for partnership. Before you call them dumb, it is well known that the B4 teams (particularly the tier 1 teams) only promote partners from within. And once you hit partnership, the $$$ is nothing to scoff at. These are lifers who know what they want to get out of their slavery.

Third, the ones that just want to use B4 as a stepping stone to international firms. Of course, this is more common for the corp than liti teams. These people dont stay long and are usually out the door by the 2 year mark (the exceptional ones might leave earlier). You can usually tell who these people are as they are usually your FCH / deans lister / commendation list types, though there are some teams whose practice areas are so in demand that any tom dick or harry can jump to international once they hit the usual PQE, even with an average CV.

LOL this is actually so accurate

What abt those initially cmi B4 TC, then managed to lateral in from a smaller firm? What kind of ambition do they harbour

What is a reasonable 6pqe in-house pay for tech companies? Any big tech lawyers can give inputs?

Truth be told, law is one of the most elite professions.

So your first class honours, dean’s list, sile commendation list - contrary to what some ppl say here that it doesn’t matter after 5pqe, sad to say it does matter until the day you stop practising law

They will forever be known as ppl who cmi the first time round.

Word. Just word.

There is also a subset of the first group that are both ambitionless but also pushovers. They just keep getting taken advantage of until they either make partner just due to time spent in firm, or they get kicked out for having no ambition. They have no agency in their life, and whether they stay or leave is completely out of their hands.

International firm pay how much? What is the increment every year?

Wonder why all my big4 teammates hopping over

Starts at 16k for NQ