See the current Associate Training Schedule.

Denzel Washington earned a "Best Actor" Academy Award for his performance in the movie, "Training Day." The film follows a young cop's on-the-job initiation over one 24-hour period. It's fair to say that a similar movie could not be shot at Wildman Harrold. Not because the firm doesn't have attorneys with great acting skills. We do! But because any story about training young lawyers here would have to follow the action over a period of several years, not hours. Our development of associates begins the moment they start with us, and continues until they become partners.

Our Associate Development Program is in keeping with the firm's philosophy that the best way to become a good lawyer is by doing. Toward that end, our program features three major initiatives: Orientation and Integration, Mentoring, and Training and Education. Below is an explanation of each of these elements:

Orientation: Our three-day orientation begins immediately and includes individual meetings with Managing Partner Bob Shuftan, COO Audrey Rubin, and those at the firm in charge of Diversity, Pro Bono, Professional Standards and Business Development. The new associates also meet individually with the firm's department managers. Our firm has long been recognized for its openness at the management level and we start creating these important relationships for each associate from day one.

Leadership Program: The firm's Leadership Program insures that all Associates -- whether lateral or "home grown" -- hit the ground running as quickly as possible. Comprised of four separate phases, the program initially pairs first year Associates with an Orientation Team designed to acclimate them to the Firm, its structure, policies and culture. Associates are then formally paired with a partner/mentor invested in the Associate's personal and professional development. As the Associate develops professionally, he or she is encouraged to identify, expand and utilize a network of informal mentors to provide additional support, counsel and guidance. Coupled with various in-house training opportunities, this program is aimed at improving the Associate's technical and leadership skills with an eye towards creating well-rounded, skilled and committed Associates ready to matriculate into the Partnership.

Training and Education: With its emphasis on doing, Wildman Harrold's training and education program differs from that of most other law firms. We have a Professional Development program that is based on creating opportunities for young lawyers to observe experienced lawyers at work. Then, when they are ready, young lawyers are given the opportunity to practice their developing skills under experienced lawyers' supervision. Under this singular system, associates learn "to do," thanks to a bonus compensation system designed specifically to reward pro bono, education and "personal professional development" activities. For example, associates are rewarded for observing trials, depositions, meetings, closings, conference calls and other non-client billable activities that advance the young lawyers' career.

Young associates also can cut their teeth by participating in the firm's unique Small Case Program. The program, operated in conjunction with willing existing clients, offers first, second, and third year associates opportunities to "first chair" cases or handle transactional matters by taking on files with less than $100,000 in controversy. The associate is supervised by a partner and receives client billable hour credit for the work. Dozens of young associates and firm clients have benefited from over 100 matters that have been opened since 1999.

In addition to these hands-on programs, the firm offers extensive training to new associates and laterals under its traditional educational program, known to all here as "New Attorney Education Program." Each fall the recently arrived attorneys are invited to in-house workshops on such topics as: Billing Time and Evaluation of Associates; Good Relations with Clients, Partners, Associates & Staff; Legal Writing; and Communication Strategies and Letter Writing. Special luncheons also offer presentations by the Pro Bono and Professional Standards Committees, second year associates, and all practice groups.

Practice groups play a major role beyond these luncheons. Each practice group has monthly meetings of partners and associates for the purposes of education, organization, staffing and marketing. Several times during the year, outside speakers are also brought in and videotaped conferences are discussed within the group.

Finally, young associates also learn to perfect their skills through the firm's Core Curriculum Seminars. These topics include: Professional Standards, Persuasive Writing, Drafting, Marketing, Financial Analysis, Negotiation and Oral Presentations.

Lateral Lunch: Wildman Harrold organizes a "Lateral Lunch" each month. Every lateral associate who joins the firm is invited to attend a luncheon each month with other recent laterals who have joined the firm during their first 18 months. Recent outings have been planned at Heaven on Seven, Singha, Shaw's Crabhouse, and SushiSamba Rio.

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