Firm forced to engage right associate (7)
I believe the answer is:
comrade
'associate' is the definition.
(I know that associate can be written as comrade)
'firm forced to engage right' is the wordplay.
'firm' becomes 'co' (a firm is a company).
'forced' becomes 'made' (both can mean coerced).
'to engage' indicates putting letters inside (some letters get engaged in others).
'right' becomes 'r' (common abbreviation).
'made' enclosing 'r' is 'mrade'.
'co'+'mrade'='COMRADE'
(Other definitions for comrade that I've seen before include "Pal" , "Fellow-soldier" , "Fellow soldier" , "Companion" , "Ally" .)