【美国Biglaw热议】合伙人跳槽时叫你一起走,怎么做?

Reddit上的Biglaw板块是许多美国大所律师热烈讨论的论坛。

本公众号的【美国Biglaw热议】会陆续发布相关热议内容的中英版本。

第一篇原帖：合伙人邀请我和他一起跳槽

athrowaway808080 | 2026-07-18

EN: A partner I work with frequently is moving to a similarly positioned biglaw firm. He has asked me to come with him and help build out the practice at the new firm.

中：一名经常和我共事的合伙人准备跳到另一家实力相近的美国大所。他邀请我一起过去，帮助他在新律所发展业务。

EN: I am a mid-level and generally like my firm, although I like working with this partner far more than the average partner at my firm.

中：我是一名中年级律师，总体上喜欢现在的律所。不过，与所里的一般合伙人相比，我更喜欢和这名合伙人一起工作。

EN: If I left my current firm, I would lose my clerkship bonus due to a clawback provision, presumably my end of year bonus, and also my extra bonus for high hours.

中：如果离开现在的律所，由于奖金返还条款，我会失去此前获得的司法助理奖金，可能也拿不到年终奖，以及因为工时较高而获得的额外奖金。

EN: Any advice? Can I negotiate a sign on bonus or class-year bump to make this choice easier, or is that frowned upon? Is there any chance I might come out on top economically?

中：大家有什么建议？我能否要求签约奖金，或者把律师年级提高一级，让这个选择更容易一些？这样的要求会不会不受欢迎？从经济上看，我有没有可能反而得到更多？

EN: I think the partner has some pull because of their massive book, if that matters.

中：如果这一点重要的话，这名合伙人拥有非常庞大的客户资源，因此我认为他在新律所有一定的话语权。

EN: EDIT: Thanks all for the responses. Super helpful. Seems like I should be in a good spot to negotiate equal to or better comp. Is a class year bump a thing in this situation? Does that even exist?

中：补充：感谢大家的回复，非常有帮助。看起来，我应该有条件谈到不低于目前水平、甚至更高的薪酬。在这种情况下，把律师年级提高一级是否可行？这种安排真的存在吗？

第一篇评论区

bureaucranaut

EN: Absolutely negotiate for them to make up clerkship and year-end bonus.

中：当然要谈判，要求新律所补足你将损失的司法助理奖金和年终奖。

AndreLeGeant88（合伙人）

EN: Bring it up. The new firm will make you whole. Generally, these situations are really good opportunities.

中：把这些损失提出来。新律所会补足。一般来说，这种情况确实是很好的机会。

回复 athrowaway808080

EN: In what way is it a good opportunity aside from the economics? My thinking is that it’d be nice to have someone investing in me more directly and throwing good work my way, both of which they’ve mentioned.

中：除了经济利益以外，这种机会具体好在哪里？我的想法是，如果有人愿意更直接地培养我，把优质工作交给我，应该很不错。这两点他都向我提到过。

回复 AndreLeGeant88（合伙人）

EN: The new firm is investing in this partner and letting him bring people with him. That means they're serious about growth and growing with the group he brings. You're a mid-level so you have runway until there's a partnership decision.

中：新律所正在投资这名合伙人，而且允许他带团队过去。这意味着，新律所确实认真打算发展这项业务，也愿意和他带来的团队一起成长。你现在只是中年级律师，距离决定能否成为合伙人还有一段时间。

EN: That said, grass isn't always greener. Talk seriously with the partner about the business plan.

中：不过，别处的草未必更绿。你需要和这名合伙人认真讨论他的业务计划。

回复 gryffon5147

EN: You've been personally noticed as a star talent by the rainmaker, and if things go well, it can really help your career. I've seen people in similar situations quickly make counsel or partner and such, and get on really good deals with meaningful client contact.

中：一名能够大量带来业务的合伙人亲自认定你是优秀人才。如果事情发展顺利，这会真正推动你的职业生涯。我见过处境相似的人迅速晋升为资深顾问或者合伙人，也因此参与很好的交易，并获得真正有价值的客户接触机会。

EN: Of course, there's a risk for you to leave the current job, hence why you should be compensated beyond what you'll get by just staying.

中：当然，离开现在的工作会给你带来风险，所以新律所给你的待遇，理应高于你留在原地所能获得的待遇。

回复 AIFlesh

EN: I did this as a midlevel. Negotiated a class year bump and am now an income partner. The opportunity, aside from the economics, is fast tracking your career and becoming the right hand man of a rainmaker and potentially setting yourself to be his eventual replacement.

中：我在中年级时就这样做过。我谈到了律师年级提升，现在已经是非权益合伙人。除了经济利益，这个机会的价值在于加速职业发展：你可能成为一名重要业务合伙人的得力助手，甚至把自己放到最终接替他的位置上。

回复 duppyconqueror3

EN: But it can also backfire if the rainmaker doesn’t gel at the new firm or if his business diminishes. This almost happened to me - I went with a rainmaker who was also my shepherd/rabbi to a new firm as a fifth year, and he began to suffer mental health issues after less than a year and started to lose his clients.

中：但如果这名合伙人无法融入新律所，或者他的业务开始萎缩，事情也可能反噬你。我差一点就遇到了这种情况。我在五年级时跟随一名重要业务合伙人跳到新律所，他也是一路提携我的导师。但不到一年，他开始出现心理健康问题，并逐渐失去客户。

EN: Ultimately I was able to rejoin my old group who had since decamped my previous firm for a different firm, and it all worked out for me. Point being, go into it eyes open, whatever you decide to do.

中：最后，我得以重新加入原来的团队。当时，他们也已经离开我之前的律所，去了另一家律所。最终我的结果还不错。重点是，无论如何决定，都要清醒地看见其中的风险。

回复 rjfm1993

EN: The moving partner is sticking his neck on the line to bring you in and he will push you to the moon because if you come in and stall it looks bad on him. In everyone’s interests for you to go and kick ass.

中：这名合伙人把你带进去，也是在用自己的信誉冒险。因此，他会竭尽全力推动你发展，因为如果你加入以后停滞不前，他自己也会很难看。让你过去以后表现出色，符合所有人的利益。

第二篇原帖：我跟着合伙人走了，三个月后却想回去

kikibee23 | 2026-07-23

EN: I’ve been working in Big Law now as a legal secretary for the last three years, two of which were at a firm in midtown. No job is nirvana, but I was mostly happy there. I wasn’t micromanaged, loved the other secretaries I worked with, had great benefits/comp.

中：过去三年，我一直在美国大所担任法律秘书，其中两年是在曼哈顿中城的一家律所。没有哪份工作是天堂，但我在那里大体上很开心。没有人事无巨细地管我，我很喜欢一起工作的其他秘书，福利和薪酬也很好。

EN: In early spring, one of the main partners I support told me that they and a few others from our group were leaving for another firm, and they wanted me to join.

中：今年初春，我主要支持的一名合伙人告诉我，他和团队里的几个人准备跳到另一家律所，并希望我一起加入。

EN: I love this group, and although it was a scary decision to leave my firm and go someplace else, it felt like the right choice for a variety of reasons. Job security being one of them - in this industry, you’re insulated by the team you support, so having a good relationship with them is important.

中：我很喜欢这个团队。虽然离开原律所、去一个新地方是一个令人不安的决定，但出于多方面原因，我当时觉得这是正确选择，其中一个原因就是工作保障。在这个行业里，你支持的团队会为你提供一定保护，因此和他们保持良好关系非常重要。

EN: That being said, I left on good terms with my firm and my supervisor made it a point to say if things didn’t work out for whatever reason that I would be welcome back.

中：不过，我离开原律所时保持了良好关系。主管还特意告诉我，如果事情由于任何原因发展得不顺利，原律所都欢迎我回去。

EN: Fast forward three months at my new firm, and it just doesn’t feel like a great fit. I’m required to be in office more days than at my old firm, the benefits and raises are not as good from what I’ve been told, I have less vacation/sick time, and overall the other secretaries are not as collegial and collaborative as they were at my old firm.

中：转眼间，我已经在新律所工作三个月，但这里似乎并不适合我。新律所要求到办公室工作的天数更多。据我了解，这里的福利和加薪情况不如原律所，年假和病假也更少。总体上，其他秘书不像原律所的同事那样友善、愿意合作。

EN: It’s overall a very lonely/isolating place. If it weren’t for my group, I really don’t think I would last here.

中：总体而言，这是一个非常孤独、让人感到被隔离的地方。如果不是因为自己的团队，我真的不认为自己能够在这里坚持下去。

EN: Also worth noting is my main partner, the chief reason I agreed to coming here, is in his 60s, and I can’t imagine they’ll be working for that much longer, while I have at least another 30 years to go.

中：还有一点值得注意：我之所以同意来这里，最主要的原因就是我支持的合伙人。但他已经六十多岁，我无法想象他还会继续工作太久，而我的职业生涯至少还有三十年。

EN: My old firm is hiring for my position at a higher salary and my old supervisor and I are going to have a call later today. What would you do? I don’t want to make an impulsive/emotional decision.

中：原律所正在招聘我原来的职位，而且薪资比过去更高。今天晚些时候，我会和原主管通话。换成你们会怎么做？我不想冲动地、凭情绪作出决定。

EN: Money isn’t everything, and I love the partner I support and the work we do is interesting. But I just can’t help but feel like I took several steps backwards in coming here.

中：钱不是一切。我很喜欢自己支持的合伙人，我们从事的工作也很有意思。可是，我无法摆脱一种感觉：来到这里以后，我的职业生涯像是倒退了好几步。

第二篇评论区

Capable_Ad_5321

EN: I would probably go back.

中：我大概会回去。

marcope14

EN: Do you know who you would be working with if you go back? Generally, I would say return, but only if you know you will like the people and work you will be doing if you do so. IMO, working for a horrible attorney is a dealbreaker regardless of what else is offered.

中：你知道回去以后会和谁一起工作吗？总体上，我会建议回去，但前提是你知道自己会喜欢将来共事的人和从事的工作。在我看来，无论其他条件多好，为一名糟糕的律师工作都是无法接受的。

EN: This probably goes without saying at this point, but always get any assurances in writing. I don't know if it was your old boss or new firm who promised you things they didn't deliver, but either way, I consider it a big strike against the new place.

中：虽然现在说这句话可能已经有些晚，但任何承诺都要落实到书面。我不知道作出承诺却没有兑现的是原来的上司，还是新律所。但无论是谁，这都会让我对新律所大幅扣分。

EN: Add in that you have more in office time with co-workers you like less and I would only stay if you're unhappy with what the old firm says you will be doing.

中：再考虑到你需要花更多时间到办公室，与自己不太喜欢的同事相处，我认为只有在你不满意原律所给你安排的新工作时，才有理由继续留下。

LokiHoku

EN: You focus on the priority. Is that pay or more interesting work with potentially more client exposure to find an in-house support role?

中：你要先确定自己的优先事项。你更看重薪酬，还是更有趣、能够增加客户接触，并可能帮助你将来进入企业法务支持岗位的工作？

回复 emz272

EN: Do legal secretaries really go to in-house support roles? I have not seen that move at my firm, and I have trouble imagining it's even a better job.

中：法律秘书真的会转到企业内部支持岗位吗？我在自己的律所没有见过这种转型，也很难想象那一定是更好的工作。

回复 LokiHoku

EN: Yes, I've had numerous IP support staff transition to in-house roles. They are usually in some client specialist role where they learn OC guidelines well.

中：会。我见过很多知识产权支持人员转到企业内部岗位。他们通常会担任某种客户事务专员，对外聘律师的工作指引非常熟悉。

第三篇原帖：合伙人离开后，我的工作枯竭了

beaver645_

EN: 6th year here. The main partner I worked for left for a smaller boutique firm a year ago. She offered to take me with her but it would mean a ~$125k pay cut.

中：我是一名六年级律师。大约一年前，我主要服务的合伙人离开大所，去了一家规模较小的精品所。她邀请我一起过去，但这意味着大约12.5万美元的减薪。

EN: Since she left, work has really dried up. The other partners keep saying things will pick up, but it’s been almost a year and my hours are still very low. I’m starting to worry not just about utilisation, but also about falling behind my peers in terms of experience. Things were already slowing down even before she left.

中：她离开以后，我的工作真的枯竭了。其他合伙人不断说业务会重新多起来，但将近一年过去，我的工时仍然很低。我开始担心的不只是利用率，还有自己的经验会不会落后于同龄人。其实，在她离开之前，业务就已经开始放缓。

EN: My long-term goal is partnership, and I don’t see how that’s viable without consistent hours, deal flow and sponsorship where I am now.

中：我的长期目标是成为合伙人。但如果不能持续获得工时、项目和合伙人的支持，我看不出自己如何能在现在的律所实现这个目标。

EN: So I feel stuck between a few options:

中：因此，我感觉自己被困在几个选择之间：

EN: A. Join the partner at the boutique: potentially better quality work due to more competitive rates and someone I like, but a significant pay cut and little to no clear path to progression.

中：一、加入那名合伙人所在的精品所。由于收费更有竞争力，可能获得质量更好的工作，也能和自己喜欢的人共事；但薪酬会大幅下降，而且几乎看不到清晰的晋升路径。

EN: B. Find a new firm: the market in my practice area is quiet. The available roles would be a similar pay cut, at least $100k, but potentially better long-term prospects and development.

中：二、寻找另一家律所。我的业务领域市场很冷清。现有职位同样会让我减薪至少10万美元，但长期前景和发展机会可能更好。

EN: C. Call it a day in BigLaw and go in house.

中：三、结束美国大所生涯，转到企业内部。

EN: What would you do in my position?

中：如果处在我的位置，你们会怎么做？

第三篇评论区

grizzlywarriorbird

EN: I’d start talking to a recruiter or two with a plan to be employed at a new place by no later than July 1, and negotiate a full year-end bonus. You’ll find something. If push comes to shove and they want you to take a class year hit, I’d probably do it. I would not join the partner at the boutique.

中：我会开始联系一两名猎头，计划最迟在7月1日前入职新律所，并争取拿到完整的年终奖。你会找到机会的。如果实在没有办法，新律所要求降低一个律师年级，我大概也会接受。我不会跟那名合伙人去精品所。

EN: I would not stay at my current firm. A slow 6th year is liable to be fired.

中：我也不会留在现在的律所。一名工作量过低的六年级律师很可能被解雇。

回复 beaver645_

EN: Thanks for this! Why would you not join the partner? Realistically I know I need to leave. Now I’m just debating the pros/cons of trying to find another firm or sticking with the devil I know.

中：谢谢！为什么你不建议加入那名合伙人？现实地说，我知道自己需要离开。现在，我只是在权衡寻找另一家律所，还是继续跟随这个自己熟悉的人，各有什么利弊。

回复 grizzlywarriorbird

EN: Because it’s a $125k pay cut. If the partner went to a boutique that would require you to take a $125k pay cut to join, it’s likely that partner comp there is significantly lower than partner comp at your current biglaw firm, and since you depend on that partner for work seems unclear that you’d make partner at the boutique or, if you do, whether your comp would be within the range of NEP comp or even counsel comp in standard biglaw.

中：因为你要减薪12.5万美元。如果那名合伙人去的精品所只能给出这样的薪酬，那么她在那里获得的合伙人报酬，很可能也显著低于你目前所在大所的合伙人报酬。你又依赖她提供工作，因此很难判断自己能否在精品所成为合伙人。即使成功，你的收入能否达到普通大所非权益合伙人、甚至资深顾问的水平，也不清楚。

EN: I suspect you’d still come out ahead working at a larger platform and taking a class year cut. I wouldn’t recommend you offer it in the first instance, but if the new firm asks you to, I’d probably accept.

中：我怀疑，即使降低一个律师年级，到一家平台更大的律所工作，你最终仍然会更划算。我不建议你主动提出降级，但如果新律所提出，我大概会接受。

EN: Also consider whether partner was leaving old firm because they weren’t nearly as profitable as you thought. It’s not like they were going to a peer. $125k comp cut.

中：你还要考虑，那名合伙人离开原律所，是否是因为她的业务盈利能力远不如你原先以为的那么强。她并不是跳到同等规模的律所，而你过去还要减薪12.5万美元。

回复 beaver645_

EN: Yes you’re right. She wasn’t very profitable but blamed it on inflexible and high rates at current big law firm as compared to boutique or smaller firms. Either way I think big law is not the right platform for her practice.

中：你说得对。她的业务盈利能力确实不强，但她认为，和精品所或较小的律所相比，原大所收费太高、缺乏灵活性。无论如何，我认为大所平台并不适合她的业务。

DerekSmallsCourgette

EN: Completely co-signing all the advice in this thread. This is why a week or so ago I told another poster who was getting all their work from a single partner that they needed to start trying to branch out asap. You leave yourself exposed to a lot of risk by not getting work from diverse sources.

中：我完全赞同这个讨论里的建议。大约一周前，另一个发帖人所有工作都来自同一名合伙人，我就告诉他，必须尽快拓展其他工作来源。如果工作来源不够多元，你会让自己暴露在巨大的风险之下。

EN: As billing rates have continued to climb, there are an increasing number of practices that no longer work on a biglaw platform. And I think firms are more focused now on billing discipline, where they’re not cutting deals just to keep work from going out the door. If work can’t be done at a profitability that matches the model, they’re okay with seeing it, and the partners who do it, go elsewhere.

中：随着收费标准持续上涨，越来越多业务已经不适合在大所平台上开展。我认为，现在律所也更加重视收费纪律，不会为了留住业务就轻易降价。如果一项业务无法达到大所模式所要求的利润率，律所宁愿让业务流失，也接受从事这项业务的合伙人离开。

EN: That’s all fine if you’re willing to accept the lower compensation that comes with this trade. But people should go in eyes open to the tradeoff required.

中：如果愿意接受由此带来的薪酬下降，这本身没有问题。但每个人都应该清醒地理解其中的取舍。

Correct-Sir-2085

EN: Agree. I do patent prosecution which has historically been a loss leader for firms. With AI, and fixed fees decrease while rates go up, firms are cutting back on the low cost volume work, which means if that was your bread and butter, even as a partner, your workload is down.

中：同意。我从事专利申请业务，而这项业务长期以来往往是律所用来吸引客户、但本身利润很低的业务。随着人工智能的使用增加，固定收费下降，而律师费率上涨，律所正在削减低收费、大批量的工作。如果这原本是你的主要业务，那么即使身为合伙人，工作量也会下降。

CaptainApathy419

EN: Why no clear path to progression at the boutique? Could you work out an arrangement where you start to share in profits, especially if things go well and you take on more responsibility?

中：为什么精品所没有清晰的晋升路径？能否谈一种安排，如果业务发展顺利，而且你承担更多责任，就开始参与利润分配？

回复 beaver645_

EN: It’s already top heavy - there are a lot of partners and more senior associates ahead of me.

中：那里已经头重脚轻，有很多合伙人，还有不少比我更资深的律师排在前面。

BortlesChortles

EN: This plus the pay cut makes going there the worst option IMO. You don’t get closer to your goals AND you get paid less for doing it.

中：在我看来，这一点再加上减薪，使得加入精品所成为最差的选择。你不仅没有更接近自己的目标，收入还更低。

EN: Join a new firm and bet on yourself if you want to be a partner.

中：如果你想成为合伙人，就加入另一家律所，把赌注押在自己身上。

Professional_Let7556

EN: Sounds like she left you hanging in the wind, so not someone to follow.

中：听起来，她离开以后把你独自留在了困境里。这样的人不值得追随。

回复 beaver645_

EN: Have to agree. She should have negotiated better comp at her new firm!

中：我不得不同意。她本来应该在新律所为我谈到更好的待遇。

IsZenTheWay

EN: Find a new firm. This happened to me and I never got consistent work after that partner left and I got pushed out. They blamed it on us not having enough hours when the whole practice group was just drying up.

中：找一家新律所吧。我也遇到过这种事。那名合伙人离开以后，我再也没有持续获得工作，最后被迫离开。他们把责任归咎于我们的工时不足，可实际上，整个业务组都在枯竭。

EN: Thankfully I landed a way better job, jumped from mid law to big law, before my last day and I’m so busy and working with people who want to feed me work now. I did take a year cut but I’d rather that than not building my experience.

中：幸运的是，在最后一天到来以前，我找到了一份好得多的工作，从中型律所跳进了大所。现在我非常忙，也终于和真正愿意给我工作的人一起共事。我的律师年级降低了一年，但与无法积累经验相比，我宁愿接受降级。

EN: It’s also way harder to jump back to big law after you go boutique. It’s not your job to worry about getting work. That’s partner’s job. If they are not giving you what you should be getting, find a place that will.

中：去精品所以后，再想回到大所也会困难得多。担心如何获得工作，本来不应该是你的职责，而是合伙人的职责。如果他们不能给你应得的工作，就去一个愿意给你的地方。

ExtremeToucan

EN: I’m also interested. Fourth year, but in a similar position where my main partner left and my workload is significantly lower now. Hasn’t bounced back.

中：我也对这个问题很感兴趣。我是一名四年级律师，处境很相似。主要合作的合伙人离开以后，我的工作量大幅下降，而且一直没有恢复。

EN: If lateraling to a similarly situated firm to yours is not viable and you liked the partner who went to the boutique, I’d consider following the partner there. If you’re taking a pay cut either way, it may as well be for a known quantity.

中：如果无法跳到另一家实力相近的律所，而且你确实喜欢那名去了精品所的合伙人，我会考虑跟她过去。如果无论选择哪条路都要减薪，那还不如选择一个自己了解的人。

EN: That being said, unless you want to make partner, in house might be a nicer move in terms of work-life balance and such.

中：不过，如果你并不执着于成为合伙人，那么从工作生活平衡等方面看，进入企业内部可能是更好的选择。

BigChief_10

EN: Also co-signing majority of advice in this thread and recommending that you 1. Look to leave your current firm ASAP and 2. Do not follow your old boss.

中：我也赞同这个讨论里的大多数建议：第一，尽快离开现在的律所；第二，不要追随以前的上司。

EN: I was in a somewhat similar position - my old bosses’ practice was fairly niche and I didn’t have a relationship with any of the partners in the team I’d been left with. I eventually found myself negotiating an exit when the practice group started struggling.

中：我曾经处于相似的境地。以前上司的业务相当小众，而在他离开后留下的团队里，我和其他合伙人都没有关系。当业务组开始陷入困境时，我最终只能和律所协商离职。

EN: Have recently managed to lateral to another big law but the new platform will probably set my partnership prospects back some way. It’s taken about 6 stressful months to find a firm that makes sense given my golden handcuffs and that is happy to lateral in a senior.

中：最近，我终于成功跳到另一家大所，但新平台可能会让我的合伙人前景倒退一段距离。由于原先的高薪像一副金手铐，而且愿意接收资深律师的律所有限，我花了大约六个月充满压力的时间，才找到一家合适的律所。

EN: In my experience, new firms may be skeptical as to why you’ve been inactive even when it’s really outside your control, and being quiet for too long can eventually hit your confidence. Not to panic you, as it will of course work out in the end, but I’d encourage you be proactive about leaving.

中：以我的经验，即使工作不足完全超出你的控制，新律所也可能怀疑你为什么长期没有项目。清闲太久最终还会打击你的信心。我不是想让你恐慌，事情最终当然会解决，但我建议你主动准备离开。

Trick_Chemist5892

EN: You’re not making partner without high hours and clients and a lot of partner support, which you don’t seem to have. You’ll make more as a partner at a boutique than you will in big law.

中：如果没有充足工时、客户和大量合伙人支持，你不可能成为合伙人，而这些条件你似乎都不具备。真正在精品所成为合伙人，赚到的钱会比留在大所却永远无法晋升更多。

这个系列的过往文章还包括：