Q.I am a fourth-year associate at a large firm. My first three annual reviews were very positive, but my most recent review was not glowing. No one suggested that I look for another position, but I am concerned about my future with this firm. What should I do?

A. First, let’s look carefully at the information you received at your last review. Was the criticism you received constructive? In other words, did they give you suggestions for how you could make improvements in certain areas? As you mature into the role of senior associate, the partners may have a greater interest in preparing you for eventual partnership. Was the review generally encouraging, but with solid suggestions for improvement? If so, your concerns could be misplaced.

If, however, you felt that the criticisms were unfair and not accompanied by concrete suggestions for improvement, you may want to review the seven termination warning signs and see if you are in danger. If five or more of the following apply to you, you probably would do well to consider your options outside the firm. The warning signs include:

• No repeat assignments from the partners with whom you work most closely
• No new, significant, long-term projects since your last review
• Low billable hours
• No reassignment to firm committees
• No constructive criticism of your work product
• You no longer enjoy the practice of law
• You dislike the firm and the attorneys with whom you work

Why are these signs that “things are not working out?”

If the partners who used to give you work have lost confidence in you, they are unlikely to give you new assignments. They may even reassign projects you are currently working on to other associates. Before you assume that lack of confidence is the reason for no new assignments, evaluate your practice area in light of recent events.

If you had been working on large-scale litigation in which there was a settlement, there is probably a good reason for the lack of projects and it may have nothing to do with the quality of your work. Look around you. Are the other associates in your department getting assignments from the partners with whom you worked closely in the past? Then there may be cause for concern.

Are the projects you are working on and, more importantly, the projects you have been given since your review, long-term or short-term? Obviously, if partners assume you will not be with the firm in the future, you will not be given long-term assignments. Again, try to be objective in assessing your situation. Have long-term projects come in that you expected to be given? If the projects aren’t there to assign, you shouldn’t interpret that as a criticism of your work,

Low billable hours can be attributable to a number of causes. But if your hours have been high in the past and have suddenly taken a southern turn, it may mean that you have not been given enough work. As with assignments, you want to look around you and assess your situation in light of other associates in your department. Have their hours also gone down? If they continue to be exceedingly busy and you don’t have enough work to keep you busy, this is a warning sign.

If you have been asked to resign from a committee or were not reassigned to one you wanted to serve on, it could spell trouble. This is especially true if you have served on a high-profile committee such as hiring or client development. This is often one of the early warning signs, because firms do not want to explain to in-coming associates or new clients why the associate they met is no longer with the firm.

Has anyone taken time to explain to you why your reviews were not glowing? Busy partners will generally not take the time to work with an associate and offer constructive criticism unless they expect to work with the associate in the future. Again, try your best to be objective. Some partners don’t provide adequate feedback even for their star associates.

What does enjoying the practice of law have to do with your future with the firm? You may think that you can hide your frustration, but it may not be working. You are wise to ask these questions before anyone suggests that you find a new position. At this point, you can be proactive. n