Professional Development
We are committed to the education of all attorneys and their integration into the firm and the legal community. All attorneys regularly attend professional development programs of their choosing, as well as internal workshops and training.
For associates, the firm employs a responsible attorney (RA) system, reviews associates twice each year during their first three years, and then annually after the third year, conducts in-house training programs, and encourages associates to take advantage of continuing legal education programs that will further their substantive and career development. At the heart of the firm's associate development program is its system of assigning each associate to an RA who is responsible for:
- supervising and orienting the associate to the firm's practices and culture
- monitoring and fostering the associate's career and professional development
- assigning matters to the associate, and assisting the associate in prioritizing matters
- providing prompt, thorough, constructive, and personal feedback on an associate's work
- ensuring that the associate is performing the type of work and having the type of experience appropriate for the associate given his or her experience and development
- informing the associate of how he or she is progressing generally
The RA system is in our experience the best approach to ensuring that constructive feedback is given to associates on a regular basis, and that a manageable level and appropriately varied mix of work is provided to each associate.
In addition to the RA system, associate development is furthered by the performance evaluations given to each associate by the attorneys the associate has worked with during the review period. These bi-annual evaluations ensure that each associate's development as an attorney is fostered and that we are providing the associate with opportunities to grow and learn.
Finally, substantive and career development are furthered by our commitment to continuing legal education. We have a comprehensive professional development program. The program has included a one day client counseling and interviewing program, and a half-day mock deposition and deposition skills program, practice group spotlight sessions, writing workshops, presentation skills, business development workshops, Establishing Effective and Efficient Work Habits, and Twelve Secrets to Success as a Pierce Atwood Associate. The firm also pays for attorney attendance at continuing legal education programs and requires all attorneys to obtain at least 12 CLE credit hours per year.