Professional Development:: Creating a Successful Summer Associate Training Program

Start Planning Early

Most would agree that preparing for the arrival of out-of-town weekend guests is a challenge. We've all scrambled to make our homes look presentable, rushed to the grocery store with a list of favorite foods, ensured that evening events are in place, and that a tour is planned to showcase any neighborhood highlights. Preparing for the arrival of a summer associate class is not much different except that there is even more anticipation and even more moving parts to coordinate. From the instant they leave our office lobbies, they are busy filling out forms, meeting attorneys and staff, getting their first assignments, and the list goes on and on. In order to ensure a place for training in a summer associate's experience, it is imperative to plan in advance. Firms should begin the planning process almost as soon as the previous summer class returns to their law schools. If that is not feasible, the planning should begin as soon as the firm has a rough estimate of how many summer associates will be joining.

Look Within

Many firms have extensive Professional Development programs in place for their full-time attorneys. These programs may include departmental training, legal writing coaching and instruction, business development programming, leadership and management courses, mentoring initiatives, and much more. Many hours of attorney and staff time is utilized to create and administer these programs. Additionally, these programs offer an important snapshot of the firm's culture and community and a birds-eye view into a full-time associate's experience. Before planning any summer associate training program, be sure to look within your organization for existing training programs that could be applicable to a summer associate audience. Such programs will inevitably provide good information, networking opportunities with full-time attorneys at the firm, and excellent insights on what is to come.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Keep in mind that a successful summer training program is never the result of just one person's efforts. At most firms there are several people and departments involved in the planning, organization and delivery of an effective program. Contributors range from attorneys to firm managers, legal assistants to librarians, facilities personnel to IT professionals to the summer associates themselves. No matter who the participants are, it is crucial to communicate, communicate, communicate with those involved about what training programs are being planned and what role they have in them. Some crucial information to share with your team might include: whether they will serve as a presenters, panelists, or participants; whether they are expected to prepare written materials; the due date of the materials; the location and time of the training program; how long the training will be; whether there will be a formal invitation sent out; whether there will there be any particular IT or conference room needs; and whether the office will need to remain open after hours to accommodate a program, to name a few. Whether your firm chooses to communicate this information through e-mail, team meetings, summer associate calendars, or by some other means, sharing this information in advance will help ensure that your summer training programs run smoothly.

Remember Your Audience

Most summer associates have never worked in a law firm before. For some, your firm will be their very first employer. It is important to keep this in mind as you plan their training programs. Although some topics such as billing, e-mail etiquette, assignment procedures, how to dress, and how to work with paralegals and secretaries may seem very basic to seasoned law firm veterans, summer associates crave and welcome insights on such subjects. Remembering your audience is also essential in planning more technical training sessions and workshops. Make certain that those creating the programs fully understand their audience's parameters and capabilities. Although most summer associates have one to two years of law school under their belts, in most cases they have not had the opportunity to hone their skills in a law firm setting.

Provide Mentoring Opportunities

No summer associate training program would be complete without an opportunity to be mentored by a full-time attorney at the firm. Not only do mentoring programs offer summer associates an opportunity to build important relationships, but they provide excellent opportunities for one-on-one training on anything from technical skills to firm etiquette. Despite a firm's best efforts to design the perfect summer training program, summer associates may still have unanswered questions. Utilizing mentors to fill in the gap is a perfect way to offer summer associates the most complete training experience.

Conclusion

Opportunities to make a positive first impression are few and far between. Providing summer associates with a solid summer program is essential to creating a good and lasting first impression ' one that can be carried back to law schools and shared with potential recruits and career services offices. Although work assignments and networking opportunities comprise part of a summer associate's experience, don't underestimate your training programs' potential to influence the rest. Don't forget to take these programs seriously and seize the opportunity to influence the growth and potential of your future lawyers.

Jacqueline G. Meyer is the U.S. Professional Development Manager for Lovells. She was an associate at Winston & Strawn and Grippo & Elden prior to entering the professional development field, where her primary focus has been on mentoring, career development planning, internal CLE training and diversity programming.

We've all seen them. They usually gather in our lobbies in late May/early June wearing shiny new shoes, cardigans, button downs, khakis, or the like. Armed with a nervous grin and a legal pad, they wait, patiently, for the Recruiting Coordinator, Summer Associate Committee Member, or Professional Development Manager to take them to their first destination. Some strike up conversation with a neighbor. Others pensively stare out big windows at the scenery below. All are anxious to begin their 10- to 12-week adventure through their new world. When a familiar face finally steps out of the elevator and flashes a smile, they are relieved. It's time to begin. They are, you guessed it, your summer associate class.

Keys to a Successful Program

It's not a secret that a strong summer associate program is essential to attracting and retaining talent. Aside from providing good work assignments and networking opportunities, a summer program would not be complete without a training component. In fact, most incoming summer associates expect that they will receive some formal training, classroom style or otherwise, over the course of the summer. Such training programs come in all shapes and sizes. Some firms provide training about firm structure, history, practice groups, and protocol. Others hold department-specific sessions complete with workshops and simulation exercises to provide participants with a flavor for what is to come. Still others provide opportunities to attend off-site training sessions with judges and clients. Some firms offer programs each week, while others provide several programs in one day during a summer associate orientation, retreat, or training day. Whether your firm provides a few seminars or a formal Summer Associate Academy complete with workshops, guest speakers, and opportunities to attend off-site conferences, the following provides an overview of some easy steps for creating an effective summer associate training program.

Start Planning Early

Most would agree that preparing for the arrival of out-of-town weekend guests is a challenge. We've all scrambled to make our homes look presentable, rushed to the grocery store with a list of favorite foods, ensured that evening events are in place, and that a tour is planned to showcase any neighborhood highlights. Preparing for the arrival of a summer associate class is not much different except that there is even more anticipation and even more moving parts to coordinate. From the instant they leave our office lobbies, they are busy filling out forms, meeting attorneys and staff, getting their first assignments, and the list goes on and on. In order to ensure a place for training in a summer associate's experience, it is imperative to plan in advance. Firms should begin the planning process almost as soon as the previous summer class returns to their law schools. If that is not feasible, the planning should begin as soon as the firm has a rough estimate of how many summer associates will be joining.

Look Within

Many firms have extensive Professional Development programs in place for their full-time attorneys. These programs may include departmental training, legal writing coaching and instruction, business development programming, leadership and management courses, mentoring initiatives, and much more. Many hours of attorney and staff time is utilized to create and administer these programs. Additionally, these programs offer an important snapshot of the firm's culture and community and a birds-eye view into a full-time associate's experience. Before planning any summer associate training program, be sure to look within your organization for existing training programs that could be applicable to a summer associate audience. Such programs will inevitably provide good information, networking opportunities with full-time attorneys at the firm, and excellent insights on what is to come.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Keep in mind that a successful summer training program is never the result of just one person's efforts. At most firms there are several people and departments involved in the planning, organization and delivery of an effective program. Contributors range from attorneys to firm managers, legal assistants to librarians, facilities personnel to IT professionals to the summer associates themselves. No matter who the participants are, it is crucial to communicate, communicate, communicate with those involved about what training programs are being planned and what role they have in them. Some crucial information to share with your team might include: whether they will serve as a presenters, panelists, or participants; whether they are expected to prepare written materials; the due date of the materials; the location and time of the training program; how long the training will be; whether there will be a formal invitation sent out; whether there will there be any particular IT or conference room needs; and whether the office will need to remain open after hours to accommodate a program, to name a few. Whether your firm chooses to communicate this information through e-mail, team meetings, summer associate calendars, or by some other means, sharing this information in advance will help ensure that your summer training programs run smoothly.

Remember Your Audience

Most summer associates have never worked in a law firm before. For some, your firm will be their very first employer. It is important to keep this in mind as you plan their training programs. Although some topics such as billing, e-mail etiquette, assignment procedures, how to dress, and how to work with paralegals and secretaries may seem very basic to seasoned law firm veterans, summer associates crave and welcome insights on such subjects. Remembering your audience is also essential in planning more technical training sessions and workshops. Make certain that those creating the programs fully understand their audience's parameters and capabilities. Although most summer associates have one to two years of law school under their belts, in most cases they have not had the opportunity to hone their skills in a law firm setting.

Provide Mentoring Opportunities

No summer associate training program would be complete without an opportunity to be mentored by a full-time attorney at the firm. Not only do mentoring programs offer summer associates an opportunity to build important relationships, but they provide excellent opportunities for one-on-one training on anything from technical skills to firm etiquette. Despite a firm's best efforts to design the perfect summer training program, summer associates may still have unanswered questions. Utilizing mentors to fill in the gap is a perfect way to offer summer associates the most complete training experience.

Conclusion

Opportunities to make a positive first impression are few and far between. Providing summer associates with a solid summer program is essential to creating a good and lasting first impression ' one that can be carried back to law schools and shared with potential recruits and career services offices. Although work assignments and networking opportunities comprise part of a summer associate's experience, don't underestimate your training programs' potential to influence the rest. Don't forget to take these programs seriously and seize the opportunity to influence the growth and potential of your future lawyers.

Jacqueline G. Meyer is the U.S. Professional Development Manager for Lovells. She was an associate at Winston & Strawn and Grippo & Elden prior to entering the professional development field, where her primary focus has been on mentoring, career development planning, internal CLE training and diversity programming.