Le Figaro | Benoît Gréteau: “The a profession undergoing a complete revolution”: what profile do lawyers need to become partner at their firm?

A major milestone in a lawyer’s career, becoming a partner is not simply about earning a title: it marks entry into another dimension of professional practice — one defined by governance, collective responsibility and commitment to the life of the firm.

Interviewed by Le Figaro, our partner Benoît Gréteau discusses this distinction, as well as the sometimes misleading use of the title “partner,” imported from Anglo-Saxon firms, without the underlying legal and capital structure always following suit.

“You no longer just handle your own cases — you collectively carry the firm forward. (…) Being a partner means being a co-owner and co-responsible party: for strategy, development, recruitment, training younger lawyers, and the firm’s reputation.”

He also discusses how the path to partnership doesn’t necessarily follow a predefined timeline, but instead reflects the evolution of the firm, the market, each lawyer’s individual journey and, more simply, the particular philosophy of each firm.

Find the full analysis from Benoît Gréteau in the article by Frédéric de Monicault for Le Figaro below.