MENTORING

We are keenly aware that it takes more than a high quality law school education to prepare a young associate for the demands and challenges of law practice. We also recognize that each associate is an individual with his or her own strengths and weaknesses. Accordingly, Schnader's mentoring program is structured to meet the individual needs of each associate.
Schnader recognizes that individual requirements change during the course of a legal career. Sometimes informal advice and guidance from a more experienced attorney - that is, someone "who's been there"- can be the most valuable resource for lawyers new to practice. After studying our own experiences and the wealth of mentoring information available in the public domain, Schnader developed a formal Mentoring Program for entry-level associates, a women’s mentoring circle and pathways to partnership. The Mentoring Program was developed and is implemented by our Associate Professional Development Committee.

Entry-Level Associate Program

Upon arrival at Schnader, each new associate is assigned a both a senior associate mentor and a partner mentor. Mentors help new associates transition into private practice by providing guidance on workload management, training and professional development opportunities, and how to get optimum use from the support services of the Firm. Each mentor is expected to meet at least monthly with his or her "mentee." Because mentoring needs change as associates develop, the initial mentor assignment lasts for a period of two years.

Pathway to Partnership

A program has been developed to guide senior associates and newly elected partners through the transition from associate to partner. The program begins with senior interviews at fifth year to define areas that need improvement. In the years that follow, associates are tracked to make sure they given the tools they need for success. The new pathway to partnership program includes one on one mentoring by a senior partner over a two year period. Associates are counseled on the five key partnership roles of manager, business originator, producer, team builder and firm citizen. Training programs are scheduled in areas such as business development, law firm economics, mentoring, and partnership policies and procedures. A special partner orientation is also provided to help in the transition. The Firm has also teamed with a Business Development Advisor to provide individual coaching for interested attorneys.