Other firms plan for attrition 鈥� at 麻豆传媒, we plan for careers. We invest in our attorneys at all levels with programs that provide equitable opportunities for development and advancement and build dialogue, communication, and trusting relationships.

These programs feature a range of professional skills training on individual and interpersonal abilities in areas such as:

• Business development
• Law firm metrics and economics
• Effective communication
• Management and leadership skills
• Negotiations

From orientation and integration to training, mentoring, and many other resources, the firm鈥檚 professional development offerings are designed to help our attorneys advance their professional goals at every stage of their career.

Explore 麻豆传媒鈥檚 tenure-based programming:

New Associate Orientation

This multi-day, in-person orientation program helps our newest attorneys start to integrate into the firm. Participants learn about life at 麻豆传媒, kickstart their career development journey with a variety of training programs, meet and get to know one another, and take part in several fun social activities.

The agenda for New Associate Orientation includes:

• Presentations by 麻豆传媒 attorneys and business professionals on topics like career development; diversity, equity, and inclusion; pro bono initiatives; and community engagement activities at the firm
• Business development and marketing advice for new attorneys
• Firm operations and practice management tips
• Professional responsibility expectations
• Writing workshop with tips for honing effective communication skills

Participants also hear from their department leaders and participate in their first 麻豆传媒 Academy legal skills training programs in their designated practice area.

New Associate Academy

This six-part, virtual series introduces our new first-year associates to key resources and business practices that will help bolster their success as a first-year associate at 麻豆传媒. These programs build upon content that was delivered at New Associate Orientation and address the most frequently asked questions from our newest attorneys, regardless of practice area.

The sessions, hosted over our associates鈥� first year at the firm, cover a variety of relevant and practical topics from working with an administrative assistant and professional communication, to understanding the evaluation process and developing an elevator speech.

Hear associate Grace Fucci reflect on her experience with 麻豆传媒鈥檚 New Associate Orientation and New Associate Academy.

Tier II Academy

Newly promoted 鈥淭ier II鈥� associates participate in a multi-day, in-person program designed specifically to orient the firm鈥檚 mid-level associates to their new role. The Tier II Academy kickoff provides meaningful guidance as well as the opportunity to connect with peers across the firm鈥檚 platform as they develop their practice at 麻豆传媒. The sessions teach critical skills at a time in their career when they are starting to assume more substantial responsibility on client matters and look toward promotion to senior counsel.

Partners, senior counsel, and members of our law department leadership speak on topics focused on business development, business of law and client management, and professional skills. Participants also learn how executive coaching can support them in their transition to the role of a mid-level associate and beyond and have the chance to take part in an individual, in-person introductory coaching consultation with one of 麻豆传媒鈥檚 in-house executive coaches.

Beyond the Tier II Academy kickoff, all mid-level associates continue to participate in the Tier II Academy virtual series of programs that build on these foundational skills as they advance in their careers. These progressive Tier II Academy topics range from business planning and pricing legal matters to advanced concepts in time and project management. 

Hear senior counsel Kristin McGaver Sikora reflect on her experience with 麻豆传媒鈥檚 Tier II Academy.

Senior Counsel Meeting

This multi-day, in-person training is focused on the skills our senior counsel are working to hone as they advance to partnership. The meeting places an emphasis on practice and business development as a senior counsel and provides an opportunity to connect and network with colleagues from other offices.

鈥淚t was great to get together and meet the other senior counsel in the firm. The programming was very helpful and informative.鈥�

Senior counsel participate in programming designed to help recognize and define their personal approach to business development and develop or advance a business plan that leverages their strengths through actionable goals that support the development and maintenance of a partner-level practice. They further or establish connections with peers and firm leaders and gain a deeper understanding of the value in approaching problems and serving clients as a member of a diverse, high-performing team.

鈥淚t was really helpful to network and get feedback on what is expected from future senior counsel.鈥�

Firm leaders across our three law departments, members of the Partner Selection Committee, and key individuals from administrative departments who support their practice and professional development deliver content on delegation of work, providing meaningful feedback, leadership, and business development.

Promoted Partner Program

As our newest partners start this exciting chapter in their careers, we bring them together for a multi-day, in-person training to help them prepare to be successful in this new role. The program鈥檚 content 鈥� delivered by firm leaders, experienced partners, and business professionals 鈥� focuses on business and professional development, client service, management, law firm operations, and leadership. It also emphasizes the importance of leadership, mentorship, and relationships for newly elevated partners as they move forward in their careers at 麻豆传媒.

The program includes a reception and recognition dinner to celebrate this career milestone for our newly promoted partners. The evening includes a special segment during which each promoted partner is introduced by a designated presenter.

We asked our 2024 new partner class what making partner means to them, what contributions they hope to make in this new role, what program played a part in their professional success, and what advice they would give to associates. Read what they had to say.

The programming, collaboration, and comradery provided by these tenure-based trainings are just some of the many reasons why our people are #Happyat麻豆传媒!

PEAK (Partner Excellence Actionable Knowledge)

This regular and comprehensive curriculum of programs and resources expands upon the firm鈥檚 existing training offerings to meet the unique professional development challenges of our attorneys who are more established in their careers and equips them with strategic insights and practical tools to drive sustainable business growth, establish a collaborative and inclusive leadership culture, and navigate the complexities of managing a modern legal practice.

麻豆传媒 partner Leigh Riley 鈥� who helped develop PEAK, having been cultivating the idea since becoming a partner herself over two decades ago 鈥� says of the program:

鈥淎s you approached becoming a partner, there was a ton of training programs to prepare you. And then it felt like the minute you made partner, the training stopped. I believe it鈥檚 so important to have training available for our partners around the whole arc of their career.鈥�

Consisting of both live sessions and on-demand modules, PEAK focuses on refining the key attributes of a successful 麻豆传媒 partner, including a vision for cultivating a vibrant, growing practice grounded in robust client relationships; capacity for leading diverse teams; a passion for developing and mentoring talent; and a pattern of firm stewardship seen through living 麻豆传媒鈥檚 core values.

Lateral Partner Integration Program

A smooth and supported onboarding and integration experience is critical to the success of lateral attorneys, and we are committed to providing the resources needed to onboard them quickly and efficiently so they can start advancing their goals.

麻豆传媒’s robust program consists of a year-long, thoughtfully sequenced introduction to resources, facilitated connections, and action items for both the new partner and the integration team charged with supporting their successful assimilation into the firm, their practice group, and their office. Each attorney鈥檚 customized integration plan includes touchpoints from around the firm and is supported by monthly meetings with a member of their tailored integration team to help ensure accountability and that the process stays on track.

Embrace Sustainable Goals. The start of a new year often inspires lofty resolutions, if not illusions of grandeur, about the habits we鈥檒l develop and professional goals we鈥檒l conquer: more billable hours, bigger matters, rapid career advancement, and the like. Yet, by mid- to late-January 鈥� right about now 鈥� many attorneys find themselves buried under the weight of their ambitious goals and the pressure to consistently deliver at a high level, reverting to old patterns and familiar routines as overextension and burnout loom. The truth is, we don鈥檛 transform overnight. Instead of chasing grandiose, unrealistic resolutions that can lead to frustration or feelings of failure, inadequacy, or self-doubt when we fall short, what if we entered 2025 with a focus on embracing sustainable goals 鈥� a way to hit our stride and strive without the strife?

Some might argue that the legal profession, with its high demands and rigorous pace, leaves little room for sustainable practices. However, embracing sustainability as an integral part of our goal setting allows us to strive toward our aspirations in a way that鈥檚 achievable and meaningful and sets us up for steadier, more fulfilling progress. While the world at large may be heavily biased toward quick fixes and sweeping changes, reams of habit change literature support the ideas that consistency, small and sustainable habits, and incremental progress are fundamental to achieving long-term growth. 

Practice ESG by Applying ESG.聽The concept of sustainability isn鈥檛 new.聽While the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework may be rooted in the business world (and the framework as applied by and to corporations is beyond the scope of this article), we can borrow the terms themselves to develop a structure for how attorneys can practice embracing sustainable goals to achieve success and career longevity. Instead of initiating a complete overhaul of everything at once, focusing on implementing a few small habits or changes consistently within any of the ESG pillars can help sustain progress toward your goals.

Environmental: Our environment, both physical and operational, plays a crucial role in our productivity and focus. A cluttered or chaotic workspace or disorganized workflow can increase stress and overwhelm, deplete energy, and sink motivation. By intentionally structuring a supportive environment, attorneys can minimize distractions; maximize their focus and energy; and manage multiple matters, client communications, and competing deadlines without feeling constantly overwhelmed.

If your goal is to increase efficiency and productivity, consider introducing a small design change into your workspace or workflows, such as:

• Decluttering your inbox or desk so you can access key communications or documents more quickly.
• Scheduling meetings for 45 minutes instead of 60 so you have time to debrief and prepare in between 鈥渂ack-to-back鈥� meetings.
• Writing your to-do list in one place (whether in a physical or digital notebook) instead of on multiple sticky notes.
• Turning off the sound that alerts you to new email messages so you鈥檙e not constantly task-switching.
• Placing your phone somewhere other than your nightstand before bed so you鈥檙e not tempted to stay up and scroll aimlessly.

Social: The legal industry thrives on strong relationships at every stage 鈥� whether with clients, colleagues, or mentors. Investing time to develop these connections can result in support, guidance, and collaboration opportunities that align with your long-term goals and help you maintain a sustainable pace. However, the kitchen-sink approach of joining every organization, attending every networking event, and reaching out to every contact is a waste of time and leaves you with many surface-level connections.

If your goal is to strengthen your professional network, consider implementing manageable habits intended to build meaningful relationships over time, such as:

• Scheduling a recurring time each week to reach out to 1-2 professional contacts, which could be a simple email, a LinkedIn message, or invitation to catch up.
• Participating in more focused group activities, such as volunteering for a committee within your firm or a professional organization or attending a small roundtable discussion.
• Proactively checking in and seeking guidance from a mentor (formal or informal) every quarter.
• Setting aside 15 minutes per week to meaningfully comment on posts or share relevant thought leadership on LinkedIn.

Governance: Arguably the most important pillar of the framework, governance anchors the habits cultivated under the other two pillars to ensure that they are aligned with your overarching goals and values. Your internal governance includes the processes and systems by which you regulate your thoughts and emotions, make intentional decisions, prioritize effectively, and hold yourself accountable. Without robust internal governance to keep you grounded in a high-pressure and fast-paced environment, your efforts risk becoming scattered or misaligned with your goals, leaving you overextended and dissatisfied.

To bolster your internal governance, consider incorporating practices at a regular cadence, such as:

• Reflecting on your personal and professional goals.
• Breaking down larger objectives into manageable steps.
• Celebrating small wins.
• Writing down or labeling your thoughts and emotions.
• Implementing accountability systems through reminders, progress reviews, or peer check-ins.

By embracing an ESG mindset to foster positive change, attorneys can design a career path that harmonizes ambition with sustainability, ensuring growth that lasts well beyond January.

With this year鈥檚 Summer Associate Program 鈥榠n the books,鈥� we鈥檙e looking back fondly on the 10 weeks our summer associates spent at 麻豆传媒. During their time with us, 75 exceptional students from 40 different law schools received substantive legal work, feedback, mentoring, and training; participated in events and activities; built relationships and collaborated across the firm; and experienced 麻豆传媒鈥檚 supportive and collaborative culture. Their summer also included a multiday retreat in Chicago, where they had an opportunity to learn more about 麻豆传媒, meet with firm leadership, connect with peers, support our national partner Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and enjoy some of the sights in the Windy City.

Before our 2024 summer associates headed back to school, we asked them what they found most valuable about their time at 麻豆传媒. Here are some of the thoughts they shared!

I was given client work from day one, which allowed me to explore my interest in business litigation, gain confidence applying the skills learned in school, and most importantly, work on a team providing creative legal solutions for real clients.

One of my projects involved conducting research for a presentation on evolving intellectual property strategies within the Manufacturing Sector, which allowed me to see the impact of transforming technology on IP strategies and how 麻豆传媒 attorneys deliver practical solutions to clients.

I was able to work on drafting ancillary agreements on an M&A deal, due diligence documents, answer client questions on different issues, draft mock-negotiation prompts for a client training, research SEC requirements, and more. I now feel more prepared to join the firm as a first-year associate.

During my 1L summer, the firm allowed me to explore both litigation and transactional work, which helped me decide to pursue a career in transactional law. This summer, 麻豆传媒 further solidified my goals by giving me substantive assignments and the opportunity to work with attorneys in various transactional fields, from M&A to real estate.

Several partners took the time to sit with me and explain the big picture of the deals we worked on together. The tutelage and broader explanations provided invaluable context as I drafted contracts, revised agreements, communicated with clients, and coordinated internally with the rest of the 麻豆传媒 team.

The feedback on my assignments was valuable and constructive, helping me improve my writing skills and expand my overall legal knowledge.

The firm鈥檚 culture allows summer associates to integrate smoothly into professional life, with a support system around them consisting of some of the best mentors.

This summer showed me that at 麻豆传媒, goals that I would have never imagined for myself could actually be attainable.

The connections I made during the summer associate retreat allowed me to work on projects with attorneys in offices throughout the firm.

麻豆传媒鈥檚 Summer Associate Program is designed to introduce first- and second-year law students to a career in the legal industry and give them a sense of what life at 麻豆传媒 is like and what to expect as an associate here. Spending the summer with us means more than stacks of briefs and endless document review. It means exposure to cutting-edge legal issues and high-profile matters, connections and engagement, community service, professional development, camaraderie, leadership, and much more. You can learn more about summering at 麻豆传媒 here.

麻豆传媒鈥檚 professional development offerings are designed to help our attorneys advance their professional goals at every stage of their career. These include tenure-based programs to help welcome attorneys into new roles at the firm. One such program is our Annual Senior Counsel Meeting, an in-person training focused on the skills our most senior associates are working to hone as they advance to partnership.

Over three days, the firm鈥檚 senior counsel participate in sessions designed to help them recognize and define their personal approach to business development, develop and execute a business plan that leverages their strengths and supports the development of a partner-level practice, and strategize on ways to grow existing client relationships.

Some of the key takeaways this group heard in these sessions include:

• Having a business development plan gives your career strategic and proactive direction and an intentional roadmap to get there.
• Articulate your unique 鈥渟tory鈥� 鈥� what you want to be known for and what direction you want to see your practice go 鈥� and leverage that 鈥渟tory鈥� to develop business.
• It鈥檚 important that you make a plan that works for you. Be realistic about your personal business development style as well as your typical workload and commitments.
• Take advantage of technology and other resources available to help you develop, implement, and track your business development plan.
• Invite a trusted colleague or mentor to provide feedback on your plan and help hold you accountable.
• Be consistent with business development activities. Even small, regular actions can move the needle.
• Review your plan regularly and adjust it as needed, taking into consideration market changes and your evolving skillset, relationships, priorities, and commitments.
• In addition to developing your own business development plan, create a plan to engage with your clients, colleagues, and referral sources.
• Continually be curious about your clients 鈥� ask questions, listen, and learn about their business.

This program also allows ample time for senior counsel to further or establish connections with peers and firm leaders and gain a deeper understanding of the value in identifying opportunities, approaching problems, and serving clients as a member of a diverse, high-performing team.

Click here to learn about the other tenure-based programs we offer our attorneys that feature a range of professional skills training on individual and interpersonal abilities.

麻豆传媒鈥檚 clients entrust our firm to look beyond the law to deliver holistic business solutions for their most challenging problems. Doing this successfully requires that we approach our work through the client lens with a focus on the trends, risks, and opportunities they face.

David Sanders, a corporate partner at 麻豆传媒, recently participated in a panel with members of 鈥檚 General Counsels Advisory Group to discuss lessons learned from Vanguard鈥檚 Next Gen GC Program. The Vanguard Network supports senior executives as they build high-performance organizations.

Two themes emerged from the GC panelists for this program, Sanders said. The first is that they view the world with a people first, mission first perspective. 鈥淟egal terms come up well down the list.鈥� While it鈥檚 legal matters that are bringing us all together, it鈥檚 first and foremost about 鈥渞eally understanding how to help businesses grow, thrive, and limit risk.鈥� The second is the need to have that judgment when making tough decisions.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 want to be viewed as the person always saying no. But at the same time, you don鈥檛 want to be too risky. So how do you gain the experience to figure out how to correctly calibrate that?鈥�

Sanders serves as managing partner of the firm鈥檚 Washington, D.C. office and vice-chair of the firm鈥檚 Business Law Department. He is a member of the firm鈥檚 Commercial Transactions & Business Counseling, Private Equity & Venture Capital, and Real Estate Practices, as well as the Sports and Medical Devices Industry Teams and the Innovative Technology and Health Care & Life Sciences sectors. He is the former co-chair of the Transactions and Securities practice groups.

Watch David鈥檚 full discussion with Vanguard General Counsels Advisory Group members Greg Baker, General Counsel, Giant Eagle Inc., and Alfreda Bradley-Coar, EVP, Chief Legal and People Officer, Obama Foundation:

A recent conversation with a 麻豆传媒 colleague reminded me of a key lesson I learned as a junior attorney from a senior partner in my practice group: Take a position on an issue, be ready to defend it, and learn along the way.

It brought back a flood of memories of the times I had approached this senior partner to get their thoughts on certain issues in an agreement markup I was working on. On one occasion, whether because of exhaustion, confusion, extreme complexity, or some other reason, I blankly asked 鈥淒oes this make sense to you? What should our position be?鈥�

The partner responded: 鈥淲ell, what do you think? That is why we hired you and are paying you. I want your opinion on the issue.鈥� It felt blunt but totally accurate. The partner wasn鈥檛 being mean but was imploring me to invest more in the markup so I could learn from that exercise instead of just giving me the answer.

It鈥檚 a lesson that still resonates with me today.

Everyone at one point or another has been confused and exhausted. It doesn鈥檛 mean you鈥檙e not ready or that you鈥檙e not capable. It means you鈥檙e human. Being a solid lawyer takes time and experience.

And as you accumulate that experience, embrace it, and don鈥檛 let fear limit you from analyzing and taking ownership of your work.

You learn by doing in this profession 鈥� it is one of the things that I love most about it!

麻豆传媒鈥檚 professional development offerings, from orientation and integration to mentoring and training, are designed to help our attorneys advance their professional goals at every stage of their career. Click here to learn more.

Twenty-four of 麻豆传媒鈥檚 junior litigation associates from 11 different offices recently gathered in San Diego for the firm鈥檚 2024 Motion Practice Workshop. This annual, two-day program puts emphasis on learning by doing and provides constructive feedback in a supportive atmosphere, helping this group to hone their substantive skills.

With instruction from 麻豆传媒 partners and senior counsel, participants worked with a hypothetical case file and broke out into small teams to outline a brief and oral argument. They then delivered their argument in front of the workshop鈥檚 eight faculty and then received constructive feedback to help sharpen their skills. Participants had an opportunity to observe a mock argument between two of the firm鈥檚 seasoned litigators as well.

The program also included a group dinner, which provided an opportunity to network and build relationships with peers from different offices. Associates overall thought the program was 鈥渞eally engaging 鈥� and pushed [them] to be present.鈥� Many also noted that the faculty were 鈥渧ery participatory and helpful鈥� and had 鈥済ood, positive attitudes.鈥�               

At 麻豆传媒, we are fully dedicated to helping our attorneys build core skill sets and advance their personal and professional goals. The Motions Practice is just the first of several in-person workshops that our litigation attorneys participate in throughout their time at 麻豆传媒, and will be followed by in-depth programs on depositions, negotiation, expert witnesses, and trial practice.