ATLANTA - Ford & Harrison, a national labor and employment law firm, unveiled its new “Year One” Associate Development program. This unique 15-month regimen, in which all first year associates will participate, emphasizes on-the-job training through mentoring, hands-on work assignments and direct observation of client matters. It is modeled after the medical school’s resident approach.
The central component of the program is the elimination of billable hours requirements for all participants. Instead, an attorney’s performance is tracked and measured through participation in clinical hours. The firm’s new lawyers will be immediately engaged in the labor and employment law practice by participating in collective bargaining sessions, depositions, trials and hearings, labor or other arbitration cases, EEOC on-site investigations and strategy meetings.
“Our goal is to close the gap between what law schools teach and what clients demand,” said C. Lash Harrison, managing partner of the law firm. “By placing the emphasis on learning rather than billing, Ford & Harrison will increase the capacity of its associates to handle greater responsibility earlier in their careers.”
This year, Ford & Harrison will be bringing on six first year associates. The new lawyers said they were eager to participate in the program.
“Regardless of how much time is spent in a classroom there is no substitute for experience,” said Lauren M. Wherley, an incoming associate with the firm’s Washington, DC office. “Through this program, we will be able to tackle larger tasks sooner than our colleagues at other firms, resulting in higher quality and lower costs for our clients.”
“I am very impressed by Ford & Harrison’s progressive approach and commitment to the development of their associates,” said Regine Zuber, Vice President & Associate General Counsel at Turner Broadcasting System, Inc, a client of the firm. “I would think that this would be a great tool to attract the best and the brightest law school graduates.”
To learn more about the Year One Program, go to the Careers section of our Web site.