This wisdom comes from Talent Mgt. Magazine, Vol. 3, June 2007, at 19: “Research shows the No. 1 reason people quit their jobs is because of their immediate boss — not the pay, the president of the organization or the company’s earnings. They leave because of things these managers do or, in some cases, what they don’t do.”
A law department’s top lawyers, those who manage others, make or break the job satisfaction of their subordinates (See my post of March 18, 2007 on how most stress comes from one’s manager; and Dec. 31, 2006 on the imperial general counsel.).
For managers, if attrition is high, look in the mirror for the most likely cause. Exit interviews should help face the truth (See my post of Aug. 24, 2005 on exit interviews.).