Yesterday, I dined at a restaurant in San Francisco. Generally, this would not be news worthy, nor would it be relevant to a website devoted to law firm issues. Except for the fact that this was no ordinary restaurant. It was a dining establishment in the basement of another restaurant in a windowless room with [...]
Archive for the ‘Training’ Category
Why going to court for the first time is like eating in the dark
Posted in The Deep End (responsibility), Training on February 5, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Training: the chicken and the egg problem
Posted in Training on October 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Do associates leave law firms in part because they don’t feel that partners invest in their personal growth and development, or do partners fail to mentor because they are disheartened by the high level of associate attrition? Partners who don’t put much weight into training or mentoring [...]
Training: the ideal mentor
Posted in Training on October 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
If you’ve been following the posts from the past week, you’ll know I don’t place much hope in the effectiveness of mentoring circles, “buddy” systems, or a general “open door” policy. But that doesn’t mean that associates can’t get assistance. Contrary to popular belief, the ideal mentor doesn’t have to share your personality; you don’t [...]
Training: the “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity
Posted in Training on October 15, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Sometimes, when something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. You’re a first year litigation associate only a couple months on the job. You’ve probably written some legal research memorandums, and likely started to do document review. The most exciting thing that’s happened to you is sitting in on a client call or [...]
Training: mentoring circles, “buddy” systems, and “open door” policies
Posted in Training on October 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I remember the first day I showed up for work as a first year associate. A junior partner showed me to my office, and left me with a bunch of office manuals and forms to fill out. I distinctly remember filling out health care and tax forms, setting up the welcoming message on my office [...]
