Part II: Training New Associates
by Jerri Johnson
“All About Eve”
If you haven’t seen this 1950 Bette Davis classic, I highly recommend it. (Perhaps before reading the rest of this?) Margo Channing (Bette Davis,) a forty year old stage actress, is approached by a young, fresh faced, adoring Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter,) who yearns to be just like her idol. Eve learns the trade quickly and seemingly effortlessly. In the movie, Eve eventually becomes an understudy, arranges for Margo to be “unavailable” during a key performance, and makes a concerted effort to push her way into, and Margo out of the limelight. One of the first associates I had the pleasure of hiring and training was a young woman whom I affectionately referred to as “Eve.” No, she has not made any effort (as far as I know) to take my job or push me out, but she made training seem easy. She listened intently when we discussed cases and strategies, and then not only remembered what I said and heeded my advice, but also used her own judgment, knowledge and analytical skills to enhance her own career and add to what I and others taught her. And she genuinely seemed to enjoy the litigation practice! I became spoiled very early in my supervisory career. Eve is rare, and I certainly do not expect this from every associate (heaven knows I was not an Eve,) but it was apparent that the very most important ingredient to successful training of an attorney is an attorney who wants to learn. The trainee’s desire to learn the practice can overcome a multitude of shortcomings on the part of the trainer. I do not believe, however, that the reverse is true. That is, a trainer’s enthusiasm for teaching cannot compensate for an unmotivated trainee.