What makes satisfied attorneys tick and what can be done to increase their ranks? That’s the question presented by Steven Harper, adjunct professor at Northwestern University and a recently retired partner from Kirkland & Ellis.

For several attorneys who left large firms a year ago to start small firms, setting out in the worst recession since the 1930s hasn’t made for an easy voyage, but the worst seems to be behind them. Along the way they’ve learned that marketing is never optional, that their practice can take them in unplanned directions and that worry about the next piece of work is a constant companion and motivator. In fact, being busy can be a double-edged sword because of the pressure to make time for client development.

Associate salaries stagnated last year at large law firms, according to data released Thursday by the National Association for Law Placement. NALP said that while $160,000 remained the prevailing starting salary at large firms in major cities such as New York and Los Angeles, a higher percentage of associates last year started with salaries of between $130,000 and $145,000.

Courtesy of U.S. News & World Report’s upcoming rankings for the country’s best law firms, large firms stand on the threshold of even more metrics. Steven Harper, an adjunct professor at Northwestern University, discusses whether the new rankings will be useful to firms and students.

As the 2010 World Cup kicked off Friday in South Africa, local law firms and large firms with offices in the country were taking part by hosting events, catering to clients and even providing the occasional legal service.