Internal competition and backbiting get in the way of learning and collaboration.
Pros
Highly ethical, great exposure and training opportunities. Compensation is a plus and highly competitive. Co-workers tend to be great, for the most part.
Cons
The higher you get up the ladder, the less collaboration you experience from partners and other peers. Internal competition is high between practices serving the same industry, as well as between partners. Horizontal practices (e.g., service lines like procurement, supply chain, etc.) compete for business with industry verticals, who develop their own capabilities in these areas, since there is no incentive to use individuals from other practices on projects. As you rise in the ranks, it is sell, sell, sell, and partners are pitted against partner in this regard, and very few help the more junior directors develop business. Best quote: "If you want a partner involved on an opportunity, get a qualified meeting with a potential client and invite us to the meeting". Not a place to learn or partner once you get above manager. It's sink or swim.