Associate Life
Strong Commitment to Professional Development
At Vedder Price, we have made a unique commitment to the professional development of our attorneys through our dedication to and employment of a Director of Professional Development, Lewis Check. Mr. Check is a legal educator, skills trainer and attorney with over 15 years of law practice experience, whose efforts are dedicated solely to helping associates achieve their professional goals. In that capacity, he works with all of our attorneys to ensure that our associates are receiving the training, mentoring and feedback that will allow them to expand their legal skills and progress toward shareholder status. Few law firms of our size have a professional devoted full-time to associate development. We firmly believe that our future depends largely on the successful training and development of our future leaders. We devote significant time and resources to the achievement of that goal. We take this responsibility very seriously.
Orientation
Training at Vedder Price begins during the Summer Program and continues throughout an attorney's career. We believe that the most significant component of the associate's training comes from day-to-day interaction and feedback from more experienced lawyers. We complement this one-on-one training with a number of other more formal training opportunities. Our newest associates (recent graduates and lateral associates) start with an in-depth orientation program that introduces them to the practice of law at Vedder Price. This orientation covers several topics, including firm history and philosophy, composition of practice areas, pro bono work, committee structure as well as the expectations and evaluation process of associates.
Evaluation
Every Vedder Price associate receives a formal, written evaluation semiannually in the first two years of employment at the firm and, thereafter, annually. Associates are evaluated by all senior attorneys with whom they work. Associates receive a rating based on the quality of their work, their contribution to the economic growth of the firm, and their professionalism, leadership and initiative. Each associate at Vedder Price has an associate advisor in his or her practice area who represents that associate on the Associate Evaluation Committee ("AEC") and provides feedback and guidance. In addition to evaluating associates, the AEC is responsible for making shareholder and compensation recommendations to the Management Committee.
Practice Area Training
Each of Vedder Price's three major practice areas also has an Associate Development Coordinator ("ADC") who, with the assistance of the Director of Professional Development, plans and executes substantive training programs for the associates in that practice area. The ADCs meet semiannually with associates in their practice area to get their input and ideas about their training and work to implement these ideas.
Further training occurs at each practice area's monthly meeting. Often, a member of the practice group will give a presentation on recent developments in the law. Members of the practice area also highlight new or significant cases or transactions. Vedder Price also encourages our associates to attend outside seminars that further their practice development, at the firm's expense. Notices of upcoming conferences and outside seminars are published to all attorneys who may be interested in attending.
We also provide training to all of our attorneys on an ongoing basis on a wide variety of topics such as legal writing, business development, sexual harassment, ethical considerations in the practice of law, interviewing associate candidates and negotiation skills. Our programs are videotaped for later viewing by those unable to attend a training session.
Mentoring Program
To complement our formal training program, we have established a Mentoring Program, in which senior associates serve as mentors to our new associates for their first two years at the firm. The Mentoring Program is designed to provide guidance and encouragement to associates in their career development at Vedder Price. Mentors meet periodically with associates to discuss issues of importance to them and serve as a resource for questions or concerns the associate may have. The firm's Director of Associate Development oversees this program.
Rotation
We have no formal rotation system. Consistent with the demands of our practice, we give careful consideration to each associate's preference with respect to area of practice and seek to provide opportunities for experience in that area. New attorneys are encouraged to work on a variety of matters upon joining the firm. As experience and particular interest in an area or areas is gained, the new attorney will generally begin to specialize and have the opportunity to take on more responsibility. |
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If you are interested in applying for a position with Vedder Price, please submit your cover letter, resume, and transcript, in confidence, to:
Bo Y. Kim
Manager of Legal Recruiting and Diversity Initiatives
Vedder Price
222 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2600
Chicago, Illinois 60601
Fax: 312/609-5005
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