Nearly two-thirds of major UK law firms are considering plans to offer assistants alternative career paths as the traditional partner-ship 'carrot' loses some of its motivational power.

The latest Legal Week/ EJ Legal Big Question survey found 62% of City firms were exploring formal alternatives to the usual 'up or out' method by which assistants either reach partnership or leave the firm.

The survey of more than 100 senior UK lawyers also found that 91% of respondents supported moves to widen the range of career options at major UK law firms.

Tim Emmerson, a corporate partner at Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy in London, said the US 'of counsel' system offered the best alternative for talented assistants.

He commented: "The up-or-out idea is nonsense. It is a silly waste to get rid of talented people just because they do not fit the partner ideal and you cannot tick every box. You should try to find ways to use the talent you do have."

The survey also found that the vast majority of partners believe there is some scope to offer assistants more flexibility in their work, with 28% arguing there was 'a lot of scope', while 66% said there was 'a little'. Only 6% said there was no scope.

However, partners said that opportunities differed depending on the practice area with tax, real estate and litigation potentially finding it easier to accommodate people working flexible hours than M&A.

Despite the acknowledged difficulties for assistants in making partner and the expressed interest in finding alternatives, only 30% of respondents said the traditional career path was no longer viable in the long term.

Edward Sparrow, a litigation partner at Ashurst, said: "There are a lot of very valuable people in this firm who are not partners and we are delighted to have them, but I do not think there can be a general alternative that can accommodate everyone we do not make partner. It is done very much on a case-by-case basis."

Mark Wippell, a senior corporate partner at Allen & Overy (A&O), said: "As it is becoming harder to make partner, looking at alternatives is back on the table for all firms. But finding an [option] that people are happy with will be a challenge."

The research comes as firms such as A&O and Berwin Leighton Paisner have this year publicly floated the option of introducing a director role below partner as part of a bid to modernise their career structure.