We intend that with each passing year all of our lawyers reach new levels in their practice - in assumption of responsibility, direct exposure to clients, and the acquisition of new skills and knowledge. Because such progressions are most often the product of careful management, we have implemented a firmwide program to ensure that each associate is pursuing a professional development path that is appropriate for him or her. First, a partner serves as associate development partner for the firm, overseeing programs designed to promote continued professional growth and fulfillment. In addition, every associate has a counseling partner, who is expected to meet with the associate regularly and make certain that the associate's work experiences are consistent with his or her professional goals. Each associate's counseling partner is expected to make sure that the associate receives frequent, constructive feedback from the partners with whom he or she is working.
Associates receive a detailed formal evaluation annually.
Because we recognize how critical it is that this process be fair, we require partners to submit written comments, supported by specific details and particular examples, for each associate with whom they have worked over the past year. All comments are reviewed by our firm's Professional Resources Committee, which spends as many days as are necessary to read them, obtain clarification where necessary, and then synthesize the comments into a consensus about the associate's performance. A member of the Professional Resources Committee meets with every associate to present and discuss the evaluation. If difficulties are noted, the associate's counseling partner is asked to help develop a plan to address them. Sometimes success in business has its own price.