The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/96072
Smart but Still Green At the other end of the spectrum are the untrained newcomers. New associates are intelligent, well-educated, highly skilled and eager to begin their legal careers. Fresh from law school, they bring new energy, new ideas and new perspectives. Because they need new associates to grow and prosper, firms devote countless hours and dollars to recruiting from a considerable pool of talent. Expectations of the new associate run high. Yet, with every new crop of associates, senior staff can be heard grumbling that law schools do not equip their graduates with the practical skills needed to practice law. Even the best and brightest may lack the skills to handle a client interview or negotiation, draft a simple contract or pleading, or correspond with clients and other counsel. Forgetting what it was like starting out, seasoned lawyers feel that new lawyers have little understanding of the legal process, how deals unfold and basic business development. Management also becomes frustrated when new associates leave the firm too soon. These days, associates rarely spend their entire careers with the firms that give them their start; most new lawyers leave their firm within the first few years. How do we quickly and effectively train new associates to give them the skills they need to succeed and, at the same time, get a real return on that investment before they jump ship? Firm management invariably turns to the practice support folks to get these new lawyers quickly conversant in the practice and business of law, not to mention the firm's unique culture, critical clients and priorities. The firm's eagerness to have them up-and-running is understandable when one keeps in mind how soon and often associates leave. Educating new associates is an expensive cost of doing business. With all this in mind, wouldn't it be great if while learning the ropes, new associates contributed tangible and substantial value to the firm? What if the problem could become a solution? Three Problems, One Solution Could the solution to all of the above — succession planning, creating new and better knowledge, and training and investing in new lawyers — be a KM boot camp, where all new associates start by doing an extended stint in knowledge management? What if new associates could be mobilized, ideally for six to 12 months (though Litéra IDS transforms the way people collaborate. ■ Simultaneous editing by unlimited number of people ■ No editing conflicts, no version control issues ■ Secure, auditable history You work with the smartest people around. Make the most of their minds, and make productivity soar. Learn more at Litera.com/IDS Peer to Peer 51