Be realistic about your promotion prospects

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of career progression, but before you set your sights on a promotion this year, it’s important to be realistic. In most law firms, promotions don’t just happen overnight—they are the result of consistent performance, leadership potential and strategic positioning over time.

If you’ve only been in your current role for 12 months, a promotion in July is unlikely unless you’ve demonstrated exceptional ability. Many firms have structured pathways, where moving up to Associate, Senior Associate, or Partner follows a timeline with clear benchmarks/competencies/behaviours.

For early-career lawyers, your focus right now should be on mastering the law, developing client-handling skills, managing stakeholders and building your professional reputation both internally and externally. 

However, if you are genuinely in the running for a promotion this year, then the time to start preparing is right now—because decisions won’t be made in June; they’re being shaped in February, March and April.

How promotions are decided

By the time promotion announcements are made, leadership has already made up their minds about who is ready to take the next step. Your firm's decision-makers are looking for more than just technical ability; they’re considering:

✅ Consistency of performance – Have you met/exceeded your budget over an extended period? Are you producing quality legal work and meeting deadlines reliably?  Are you getting great client/stakeholder feedback?

✅ Leadership potential – Do you take initiative, mentor others, and think strategically? Are you stepping up when challenges arise, and do others look to you for guidance?

✅ Client impact – Are you building relationships, winning work, or adding significant value? Can clients and senior lawyers trust you to handle matters independently?

✅ Visibility within the firm – Do senior lawyers and partners know who you are and what you bring to the table? Have you positioned yourself as someone who makes a meaningful contribution to the firm’s success?

✅ Contribution to the business – Beyond financials, how are you helping the firm grow? Are you involved in business development, thought leadership, innovation, mentoring, or firm-wide initiatives? Do you help shape the culture and reputation of the firm?

If you’re not actively positioning yourself for promotion, you risk being overlooked in favour of those who are.  See our next article on what your 5 month plan should include.