Developing New Attorneys

There was an interesting article in the ABA Journal recently on the topic of coaching in which three attorneys were assisted in identifying their career goals and planning a way to achieve them, the first of which is a new attorney. Although the article focuses on outside coaches, there are important lessons on questions to be asked within your own firm.  Our firm, like every other, has several needs, but it can be difficult to find attorneys who individually satisfy all of them.  If you examine the talents and preferences of each attorney, you may instead find that your firm’s needs are covered by a range of attorneys.  For example, if you find an associate with great interpersonal skills, he may work more productively on cases involving a lot of client interaction, and with some grooming, he may eventually become an approachable supervisor to new associates.  If you find an associate has a talent for public speaking, she may be the right choice to make presentations to clients and eventually may become a dynamic trial attorney.  By starting this examination and discussion with the associates early, you can foster those talents to benefit the firm and its clients, while keeping the associates feeling increasingly fulfilled and productive.  The key, once you identify the associates’ skills, preferences, and goals, is finding assignments in which they are best utilized, and then continuing to regularly reevaluate this match.  After all, just as your associates may change over time, so may the firm’s needs.

Good training of a new associate is simply not enough to expect a long-term commitment and growth at the firm. For the newest associates, all of their time and yours can easily be taken up with teaching them the daily details on handling a file: from deposition tips to properly reporting liability analysis to the client.  However, new associates do not just have the day’s tasks to accomplish, they have their entire career before them and are searching for guidance.  I find that offering associates small suggestions on how to get ahead are eagerly received.  For example, it may seem obvious, but step up when a senior attorney really needs you. A particular second-year associate enthusiastically accepted an invitation to visit some out of town clients to conduct an intense strategy session on an upcoming trial.  The senior attorney she was assisting was very appreciative and continues to include the newer associate in challenging, substantive projects. She also volunteers when other opportunities arise.  This cycle begins with keeping the associate informed as to the firm’s basic expectations, as well as ways to get ahead, and the cycle continues with positive reinforcement.  The partner appreciates that this associate is reliable, provided good work, and understands the firm’s priorities. The associate appreciates the opportunities and short-term recognition, and over the long run, her efforts will be recognized with a quickened pace up the law firm ladder.