Developing Great Attorneys

We offer practical responsibility quickly. Associates at Farella Braun + Martel tend to get more substantive work experiences earlier in their career because we leanly staff our matters. Our associates comment that they have received more opportunities and responsibility than their peers at other law firms. Associates who join us laterally find themselves taking more active roles in strategic planning and case management, and experiencing more direct client contact.

Incoming lateral attorneys are usually assigned to a particular practice group, but they may work on other types of matters in various practice areas as well, depending on their interests and the firm’s needs. Work assignments are carefully selected to ensure that each associate is exposed to a variety of experiences.

“Most law firms promise substantive experience for junior lawyers in their recruiting materials, but few follow up on that promise. Farella is one firm that does. Within two weeks of arriving as a second-year associate, I argued my first motion in court. By the end of my third year, I had second-chaired a jury trial and argued numerous motions in federal court. It has been a great change for me to have an active part in determining case strategy, standing up in court, and handling client relationships, and I can't imagine having gotten that much responsibility as quickly anywhere else.” Fourth year lateral associate.

“My assignments are challenging: there are no cookie-cutter deals or ‘busy work’. I work directly with the partner as a true team, or even take the lead role on deals. I don’t feel like a subordinate or receive subordinate-type work; I am involved in the strategy and can really take ownership of projects. I have tons of client contact -with CEOs and CFOs, not just general counsel- and there is a significant emphasis on being business advisors first and foremost.” Fifth year associate who joined the firm as a lateral hire.

“There really is no hierarchy here. Associates work directly with clients and make meaningful contributions from day one.” Lateral senior associate.

“Working on a ‘leanly staffed’ case didn’t mean much to me until I got here. But after I arrived I realized how great that is for associates: I was making strategic calls, working closely with the client, and conducting much of the discovery per a plan that I had created. And through it all, the partners offered me advice, counsel and a safety net. And the paralegal staff here is second to none.” Partner who joined the firm as a lateral associate.

What Kind Of Training & Career Development Does Farella Braun + Martel Offer?

Training our associates is a cornerstone to our success as attorneys and as a firm. To that end, the firm has a Professional Development Committee comprised of associates and partners with the mandate to train our attorneys and to assist them in identifying and achieving their long-term career objectives. The program enables our attorneys to make significant contributions to the firm, both as mentors and as developing attorneys. The Committee deals with issues ranging from the associate review process to compensation. Associates on the Professional Development Committee also lead the regularly scheduled question and answer sessions with the Firm Chair and Executive Director -- a meeting to which all associates are invited and encouraged to attend.

In 2007, we hired an attorney as our Director of Professional Development, whose primary function is to design and manage programs to promote the development and advancement of our associates. The Director of Professional Development works in conjunction with the Professional Development Committee to implement specific programs, such as formal work assignments, performance coaching, substantive legal training and business development training.

We believe that successful attorneys never stop learning. Our in-depth education program complements the hands-on experience associates gain through their assignments and prepares them for the more challenging tasks they face as they advance, including case management and strategy, negotiation, or finalizing a transaction. We provide associates with approved pro bono opportunities, which count the same as billable work, to further hone their skills and serve our community. Senior associates are sent to programs outside the firm, such as the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) to acquire skills they might not have already obtained on the job. We also encourage associates to participate in local and national bar associations as well as professional organizations to increase their substantive knowledge and develop their practices.

We focus on other aspects of an associate’s career as well, such as how to balance the demands of practice with your life. To that end the firm conducts a senior associate retreat at which time associates two or three years away from partnership can learn more about the partnership itself.

“The firm is highly supportive of self-education (for example, they paid for my accounting courses) and broadening your horizons while also being very open to letting you explore what interests you.” Fifth year lateral associate.

What Kind Of Mentoring Will I Receive?

First and foremost, the firm believes that mentoring should happen on every case or matter that an associate works on. Partners are evaluated on the quality of mentoring they offer to members of their team and the expectation of the firm is that every engagement is a learning experience for the associate.

In addition to the working relationships created while working on a matter, Farella Braun + Martel has a formal mentoring program for all associates. Every associate is assigned to a mentoring circle led by a partner, and the mentoring partner serves as that associate’s advocate, sounding board, and adviser. The mentoring partner helps the associate build a year-long plan of goals and objectives and collaborates with the associate to achieve those goals. Our formal mentoring program also fosters peer-based mentoring relationships, as each mentoring circle is comprised of associates at various levels of experience; thus, junior associates can seek guidance and support from more senior associates, and senior associates can develop mentoring skills as well.

Associates may also be assigned a senior or mid-level associate mentor when they first arrive at the firm. Formal training is provided for all attorneys, to learn how to be effective mentors as well as mentees. At Farella Braun + Martel, we have found that the mentoring relationship benefits not only the associates, but the partners as well by creating a strong network of relationships that are the foundation of our firm’s close-knit culture.

Finally, the firm has a variety of less formal mentoring and support structures. For example, working mothers at the firm meet regularly as a group to discuss the challenges of career and family balance and to find practical ways to make that balance more achievable – hence the committee’s name: “Moms Making It Work.” The Women’s Leadership Committee has also formed a mentoring circle for all women associates. Our Diversity Committee, which strives to increase the diversity of our firm and the legal profession, also promotes mentoring programs and relationships that improve the retention and advancement of attorneys, whether diverse or not.

“Farella Braun + Martel is a firm of great lawyers, but also of great people with a lot more to share than just their legal knowledge. The fun, friendly and supportive environment at FBM is what makes it a special place.” Senior lateral associate.