The firm that respects and helps the associate with his or her personal and family time will retain that employee. Giving young associates of this generation the opportunity to enjoy a little freedom, even some fun, goes a long way. Providing time to pursue other interests, to the extent they can be accommodated in workdays is helpful. A board meeting for a non-profit organization or a bike lane opening may occur during traditional office hours. This generation will work all the harder if they have leeway in their schedules to attend with the firm's blessing.
Feedback is extremely important to Xers.
Woefully, law firms have been very poor in this area. Generation X lawyers need more constructive feedback. Perhaps it is their early upbringing away from the feedback of parents that fuels this need. Nevertheless, a partner who spends more time in honest conversation about amounts of work, work quality and how the work of that associate fits into firm growth and success, is the partner who will keep an associate. This generation doesn't value that perk and instead appreciate supervisors who roll up their sleeves and work next to them.