[Iwo Jima]

I have practiced law in Texas for over 25 years in large, medium, and small firms. The managing partner has almost always been a "non-essential" lawyer. Some have the respect of the lawyers, some do not.

I guess it just all depends.

[AnAmericanMother]

Whoa. I can't imagine having a managing partner who didn't know his stuff -- but I worked in a large litigation firm. Litigators are a pretty huffy bunch, and proud. Our managing partner for most of my tenure there was a darned good litigator, he was also a persuasive schmoozer but could drop the hammer when necessary. There were plenty of folks who were bigger rainmakers, but they didn't have the skills necessary to herd all those cats. And the guys in the trenches made disparaging remarks about the "non essential" lawyer/rainmakers -- "best place to hide something from him would be between the pages of a law book" and so forth.

I guess indeed it does just depend.