The newspaper describes the 'so-called Cravath system', which began to be put in place at the beginning of the 20th century. A large intake of associates from top law schools was 'relentlessly sifted' over several years, by the end of which 'only the most brilliant and productive' remained to become partners. 

Pace and time

The legal profession is described as a notable sector in the article, 'one of the most brutal when it comes to pace and time commitment'. The Cravath system is described as being 'alive and well and working wonderfully at major New York law firms', says law firm economics expert William Henderson of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law. Source: New York Times