The American Lawyer recently revealed its 2025 midlevel survey, which showed us that midlevels are frustrated because they crave training and mentorship opportunities, but not every Biglaw firm has been able to fulfill their end of the bargain. On top of that, they continue to be absolutely infuriated by their firms’ technical prowess — or should we say, the lack thereof.
As part of Am Law’s annual midlevel survey, associates were asked to rank their firms on all things tech, and boy oh boy, are they pissed. How mad are they? As noted by Am Law, “Even as law firms embrace artificial intelligence and double down on technology investments, junior lawyers continue to complain about ‘borderline unusable’ laptops and software.” Here’s more:
More than half of the 66 Am Law 200 firms whose associates participated in The American Lawyer’s 2025 Midlevel Associate Tech Survey, roughly 56%, had at least one associate who complained about the firm’s technology, or even said that was the one thing they would tell a managing partner they would like given the chance.
In particular, there was enduring frustration about laptops, and several associates also highlighted the need for better remote access. Some argued they were bloated with security software that slowed the devices down, while other associates said they “can barely handle a few open PDFs without crashing.”
Which firms are making midlevels gripe the most about their tech setups? Am Law rounded up complaints from midlevels at firms that will make you want to close your head inside your laptop. Here are some examples:
- Cahill Gordon & Reindel (“The outdated technology is borderline unusable and significantly slows down my workflow and severely impedes my efficiency,” said one associate.);
- Paul Hastings (where an associate griped that “our technology fails at a high rate,” and that it’s “typical to require multiple restarts a day, (and) programs fail regularly.”);
- Dechert (“Our laptops barely work,” an associate complained. “The firm should devote more resources to hardware before worrying about AI and technology.”); and
- Morrison & Foerster (“It’s a bad look when a firm that makes a million dollars per attorney is giving its employees the cheapest mouse and keyboard that is offered,” an associate said.).
Enough about the firms with tech that’s making midlevel associates angry — let’s get to the rankings. Which firms landed on top when it comes to their technology? Here are the top 10, courtesy of Am Law:
- O’Melveny & Myers
- Morgan Lewis & Bockius
- Blank Rome
- Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
- Lowenstein Sandler
- McDermott Will & Emery
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer
- Baker & Hostetler
- Kirkland & Ellis
- Winston & Strawn
Click here to see the full list.
Congratulations to all the firms that earned good grades on this list! Hopefully Biglaw firms that received low ratings will figure out a way provide the tech upgrades their midlevel associates need.
Amid AI Ramp-Up, Midlevels Still Want Better Laptops—And to Keep Their Jobs [American Lawyer]
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
The post Midlevel Biglaw Associates Can’t Believe How Terrible The Technology Is At Their Firms appeared first on Above the Law.
The American Lawyer recently revealed its 2025 midlevel survey, which showed us that midlevels are frustrated because they crave training and mentorship opportunities, but not every Biglaw firm has been able to fulfill their end of the bargain. On top of that, they continue to be absolutely infuriated by their firms’ technical prowess — or should we say, the lack thereof.
As part of Am Law’s annual midlevel survey, associates were asked to rank their firms on all things tech, and boy oh boy, are they pissed. How mad are they? As noted by Am Law, “Even as law firms embrace artificial intelligence and double down on technology investments, junior lawyers continue to complain about ‘borderline unusable’ laptops and software.” Here’s more:
More than half of the 66 Am Law 200 firms whose associates participated in The American Lawyer’s 2025 Midlevel Associate Tech Survey, roughly 56%, had at least one associate who complained about the firm’s technology, or even said that was the one thing they would tell a managing partner they would like given the chance.
In particular, there was enduring frustration about laptops, and several associates also highlighted the need for better remote access. Some argued they were bloated with security software that slowed the devices down, while other associates said they “can barely handle a few open PDFs without crashing.”
Which firms are making midlevels gripe the most about their tech setups? Am Law rounded up complaints from midlevels at firms that will make you want to close your head inside your laptop. Here are some examples:
- Cahill Gordon & Reindel (“The outdated technology is borderline unusable and significantly slows down my workflow and severely impedes my efficiency,” said one associate.);
- Paul Hastings (where an associate griped that “our technology fails at a high rate,” and that it’s “typical to require multiple restarts a day, (and) programs fail regularly.”);
- Dechert (“Our laptops barely work,” an associate complained. “The firm should devote more resources to hardware before worrying about AI and technology.”); and
- Morrison & Foerster (“It’s a bad look when a firm that makes a million dollars per attorney is giving its employees the cheapest mouse and keyboard that is offered,” an associate said.).
Enough about the firms with tech that’s making midlevel associates angry — let’s get to the rankings. Which firms landed on top when it comes to their technology? Here are the top 10, courtesy of Am Law:
- O’Melveny & Myers
- Morgan Lewis & Bockius
- Blank Rome
- Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
- Lowenstein Sandler
- McDermott Will & Emery
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer
- Baker & Hostetler
- Kirkland & Ellis
- Winston & Strawn
Click here to see the full list.
Congratulations to all the firms that earned good grades on this list! Hopefully Biglaw firms that received low ratings will figure out a way provide the tech upgrades their midlevel associates need.
Amid AI Ramp-Up, Midlevels Still Want Better Laptops—And to Keep Their Jobs [American Lawyer]
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
The post Midlevel Biglaw Associates Can’t Believe How Terrible The Technology Is At Their Firms appeared first on Above the Law.
