As the price for high-profile laterals in Big Law increases in the legal market, some partners are growing increasingly frustrated.

Some nonequity partners feel they are partly subsidizing the compensation package of laterals, according to legal recruiters. And as more firms seek out top-performing laterals, some nonequity partners also feel they are being turned down for higher pay and promotion opportunities, despite their productivity or book of business, say several recruiters who have spoken with nonequity partners about the frustration.