Sacrilege:
You are 100% correct that not every lawyer in a firm wants to make partner. Regardless, assuming that the lawyer’s spouse is also working a job that requires him to get home after 7, it is very difficult to run a family that way. It works while you are single or without kids, but not so well afterwards. I went part-time for several years so that I could be home when the kids got home from school. That’s easier to do in the public sector than in the private world. I am full-time now, but I work locally and get home by 4:30 to take the kids off the bus.
And, based on your posts that I’ve ready in different threads, I’m not shocked that you’re a lawyer!