Big Law Class of 2011 Survivors Offer Lessons for the AI Era

Corporate attorney Eric Almon was featured in a Bloomberg Law Big Law Business column exploring the similarities between 2011 law school graduates who faced a challenging hiring environment and new graduates today who encounter questions about artificial intelligence (AI) and the future of associate work. The global financial crisis struck during the Class of 2011's first year of law school, contributing to what the article terms a "Big Law recruiting nadir," but Eric counts himself among the graduates who found success.

He recalled that when he joined Holland & Knight's Tampa office, he worked alongside three junior associates but no senior associates. Being part of a small team gave him more opportunities more quickly, he shared, quipping that "I barely knew how to turn on my computer" but was immediately handed important assignments. That growth led to his position today as the office executive partner – a rarity among his class, with only seven identified as office managing partners at the 50 largest law firms by revenue, according to SurePoint Technologies.

Eric said he observes a similar dynamic with the rise of AI: Younger lawyers can deliver more valuable work product by utilizing emerging technology.

"Associates are almost freed up to do more of the high-calorie work earlier in their careers," he remarked, adding that Holland & Knight has developed training to help attorneys understand available AI tools and what it looks like to use them effectively.

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