Collision of Classes and the Training Challenge

The legal profession and landscape has changed dramatically over the last year and a half. The seemingly everyday occurrences of legal job losses, firm closings, deferred start dates, elimination of summer programs and competition for client work has left the profession unsure of its future.

When I talk to my colleagues, one question that is on our minds is how firms will deal with the different class and experience levels, that may be joining law firms at the same time. In this new legal world, designating classes for advancement by law school graduation year may no longer be feasible. Firms may have first-, second- and third-years (normally designated by their graduation years) start at the same time. This influx will be a challenge to professional development departments and firms to assess experience levels, provide appropriate training for those experience levels and most importantly manage expectations, deliver feedback and determine career paths for associates. However, in spite of these challenges this may be the time for change, innovation and collaboration.

Cutting-Edge Programs

Blackwell Sanders, now Husch Blackwell Sanders, was ahead of the pack when it introduced and implemented its Level System in 2001. This cutting-edge, competency based approach took the place of the traditional lockstep model that is still prevalent in most law firms today. This level system rewards associates who progress at a faster pace through the levels/competencies, while at the same time accommodating those who move at a slower pace.

Ford and Harrison was also ahead of its time when it rolled out its Year One program in 2007. This 15-month training program was designed to bridge the gap between the skills taught in law school and the skills needed for new associates to hit the ground running when they joined the firm. A radical component to the Year One program was the elimination of a billable hour requirement for Ford and Harrison's new associates and the adoption of clinical hours. These clinical hours are intended to give associates first-hand, on-the-job training, but not necessarily billed to the client.

What Other Firms Are Doing

Other firms are experimenting with various training and professional development concepts. A few months ago, Drinker Biddle launched its first-year training program. Drinker's program revolves around three main components: a core curriculum, practice-specific training, and an apprenticeship program. Like Ford and Harrison, Drinker also eliminated its billable hour requirement for its first years. Howrey also introduced an apprenticeship program that will last for the first two years of an associate's career with the firm. The first year of this program will focus on learning the practical skills of being a lawyer and the second year will see associates working at client sites all the while continuing their professional development training. Howrey has been working on this program for about two years.

The most recent firm to announce a move to a new model for associates is Reed Smith, which has been developing its new model for the past 18 months. This competency model covers four areas including legal skills, citizenship, business skills and clients. Associates will be placed into three groups ' junior, midlevel and senior. Movement through the groups will depend
on how associates meet nine core competencies within the four above areas.

Professional Organizations

We can also look to our professional organizations for help, guidance and support during these trying times. The Association for Legal Career Professionals, better known as NALP, and The NALP Foundation have brought together law school and law firm participants for a series of roundtable discussions on the future of lawyer hiring, development and advancement. ALI ABA and ACLEA held a Critical Issues Summit that will attempt to tackle six key areas relating to lawyer development: law school, bar admissions, continuing legal education, minimum requirements for CLE, in-house professional development and differing generational learning styles. The Summit brought together CLE professionals, law practitioners, bar leaders, judges, law professors, mandatory CLE administrators, law firm educators, and other experts on lawyer professional education.

The time for creating something new is now. That is evident with the new models being developed by law firms and the collaboration going on between industry and professional groups. Even with the news of layoffs and deferrals still making headlines, the law firms that will come out on top when the market rebounds, are the ones that were and will be able to think outside the box, rely on the ingenuity of its training professionals and realize that a new way approach to the traditional business model is okay.

Michele L. Bendekovic is the Director of Recruiting and Professional Development of Steptoe & Johnson, a business-focused firm with more than 180 attorneys working from eight offices in West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. Ms. Bendekovic designs, develops, implements, and manages firm-wide professional development and training programs for members and associates, including leadership training, continuing legal education training, marketing skills, and substantive legal programs.

The legal profession and landscape has changed dramatically over the last year and a half. The seemingly everyday occurrences of legal job losses, firm closings, deferred start dates, elimination of summer programs and competition for client work has left the profession unsure of its future.

When I talk to my colleagues, one question that is on our minds is how firms will deal with the different class and experience levels, that may be joining law firms at the same time. In this new legal world, designating classes for advancement by law school graduation year may no longer be feasible. Firms may have first-, second- and third-years (normally designated by their graduation years) start at the same time. This influx will be a challenge to professional development departments and firms to assess experience levels, provide appropriate training for those experience levels and most importantly manage expectations, deliver feedback and determine career paths for associates. However, in spite of these challenges this may be the time for change, innovation and collaboration.

Cutting-Edge Programs

Blackwell Sanders, now Husch Blackwell Sanders, was ahead of the pack when it introduced and implemented its Level System in 2001. This cutting-edge, competency based approach took the place of the traditional lockstep model that is still prevalent in most law firms today. This level system rewards associates who progress at a faster pace through the levels/competencies, while at the same time accommodating those who move at a slower pace.

Ford and Harrison was also ahead of its time when it rolled out its Year One program in 2007. This 15-month training program was designed to bridge the gap between the skills taught in law school and the skills needed for new associates to hit the ground running when they joined the firm. A radical component to the Year One program was the elimination of a billable hour requirement for Ford and Harrison's new associates and the adoption of clinical hours. These clinical hours are intended to give associates first-hand, on-the-job training, but not necessarily billed to the client.

What Other Firms Are Doing

Other firms are experimenting with various training and professional development concepts. A few months ago, Drinker Biddle launched its first-year training program. Drinker's program revolves around three main components: a core curriculum, practice-specific training, and an apprenticeship program. Like Ford and Harrison, Drinker also eliminated its billable hour requirement for its first years. Howrey also introduced an apprenticeship program that will last for the first two years of an associate's career with the firm. The first year of this program will focus on learning the practical skills of being a lawyer and the second year will see associates working at client sites all the while continuing their professional development training. Howrey has been working on this program for about two years.

The most recent firm to announce a move to a new model for associates is Reed Smith, which has been developing its new model for the past 18 months. This competency model covers four areas including legal skills, citizenship, business skills and clients. Associates will be placed into three groups ' junior, midlevel and senior. Movement through the groups will depend
on how associates meet nine core competencies within the four above areas.

Professional Organizations

We can also look to our professional organizations for help, guidance and support during these trying times. The Association for Legal Career Professionals, better known as NALP, and The NALP Foundation have brought together law school and law firm participants for a series of roundtable discussions on the future of lawyer hiring, development and advancement. ALI ABA and ACLEA held a Critical Issues Summit that will attempt to tackle six key areas relating to lawyer development: law school, bar admissions, continuing legal education, minimum requirements for CLE, in-house professional development and differing generational learning styles. The Summit brought together CLE professionals, law practitioners, bar leaders, judges, law professors, mandatory CLE administrators, law firm educators, and other experts on lawyer professional education.

The time for creating something new is now. That is evident with the new models being developed by law firms and the collaboration going on between industry and professional groups. Even with the news of layoffs and deferrals still making headlines, the law firms that will come out on top when the market rebounds, are the ones that were and will be able to think outside the box, rely on the ingenuity of its training professionals and realize that a new way approach to the traditional business model is okay.

Michele L. Bendekovic is the Director of Recruiting and Professional Development of Steptoe & Johnson, a business-focused firm with more than 180 attorneys working from eight offices in West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. Ms. Bendekovic designs, develops, implements, and manages firm-wide professional development and training programs for members and associates, including leadership training, continuing legal education training, marketing skills, and substantive legal programs.