The largest firms in Texas made 21% fewer partner promotions in 2021 than in 2020, suggesting that firms are concerned about how the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to affect the economy and the demand for legal services.

"It is a supply and demand business, and COVID put us into strange and uncharted waters," said Michael Short, a principal at LawVision in Virginia. "There is so much uncertainty in the marketplace. While many firms had fine years in 2020, the uncertainty remains in 2021."