Female BigLaw Associates Applaud Death Of Performance Reviews

A pilot program at Allen & Overy that did away with the annual ritual of performance reviews has proved so popular, the firm said it plans to expand it to more offices and practice groups by the end of the year. The firm replaced formal reviews with feedback through dialogue. “The feedback on this has been positive,” said Elizabeth Mercer, Allen & Overy’s corporate public relations manager. “Particularly in engaging with female associates on their career development. We didn’t do it originally to retain female talent, but the positive feedback has been noticeable.” Studies have shown that women are often judged more harshly than men on performance reviews.