Careers
McKenna’s Roadmap to Partnership and Rainmaking
Posted Apr 14, 2008, 02:05 pm CDT
By Martha Neil
A midsize Atlanta law firm has created a new professional development structure that not only serves as a roadmap to partnership for associates but may help McKenna Long & Aldridge retain rainmakers.
At the helm of the 456-lawyer firm's expanded professional development program is Avital “Avi” Stadler, a securities litigator who gave up a Sutherland Asbill & Brennan partnership to take this leadership role at McKenna, writes the Daily Report, in an article reprinted by New York Lawyer (reg. req.).
The goals of the venture aren't startling—helping each firm attorney develop in five core competency areas, for instance—but McKenna has structured its professional development program toward keeping these goals in the forefront of each lawyer's mind and providing a specific plan for meeting them. Each associate, for instance, works with a designated partner to plot an annually revised career path that is based on progressing in these five areas. This structure is intended to encourage both the associate and the partner to focus their efforts in an organized way on the highest-priority career concerns.
“As we become smarter, or more educated, we see that professional development is key to our client service and retention strategies,” says Jeffrey Haidet, the firm's chairman. “It doesn't stop when you become a partner. Part of what Avi is developing, rather than general 'one size fits all' training, is experience development for all levels.”
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Comments
Posted by anon - 2 months, 2 weeks, 4 days, 40 minutes ago
and the five core competency areas would be???
Posted by anon - 2 months, 2 weeks, 3 days, 23 hours, 20 minutes ago
useless. article. i want the last ten seconds of my life back.
Posted by Without a Prayer - 2 months, 2 weeks, 3 days, 23 hours, 16 minutes ago
What’s so special about this structure? Every self-respecting big firm has a professional development coordinator that helps develop associates. Every firm has mentors/group leaders that help associates develop a career path to make money for the firm. These items are no surprise to a proactive associate.
McKenna has a history of claiming all of these great benefits for associates, but at the end of the day, its all rhetoric.
By the way, if Avi was such a successful partner, why is he not practicing law anymore? Either business dried up or he wasn’t doing to well at Sutherland. Doesn’t sound like the person I’d like to be following.
Posted by polarlaw - 2 months, 2 weeks, 1 day, 12 hours, 3 minutes ago
Wow, now I feel cheated. Was this just a press release in disguise?
Posted by gus - 2 months, 2 weeks, 1 day, 1 hour, 49 minutes ago
soooo boring zzzzzzz
Posted by Bogus - 2 months, 2 weeks, 19 hours, 33 minutes ago
It’s just a way for them to pay less and get more.
Posted by anon - 2 months, 1 week, 6 days, 19 hours, 28 minutes ago
Most mid and low level associates have no control over their assignments and areas of practice. What happens when “core areas” aren’t met at no fault of the associate? Doesn’t this hurt your specialists? How will they be able to compete in some areas with ‘cookie cutter’ lawyers? The article doesn’t provide any valuable information.