Firms went really slim on hiring associates the year I graduated (during the recession), so most big law firms are pretty thinly staffed at the senior associate level (especially since the economy has been great). Today, the only associate more senior to me in our office put in her notice. She was working 75% hours, but is a woman with kids, so the firm would have been in a sticky position to promote me to partner but not her; and they usually don't promote someone from our group every year. When I'm eligible in two years, it will have been 5 years since they last promoted a partner internally and I'll be the only person eligible in my group. She's actually awesome - I like her a lot and was confident it would have worked out one way or another. But I'm selfishly rather excited about my career prospects right now.

One of those things I can share with my wife but isn't something I'd share with people I actually know, so you guys get to hear it. 🙂