"Associates crave training and mentorship opportunities, but not every Biglaw firm has been able to fulfill their end of the bargain. The American Lawyer just released its midlevel associates survey, and as noted by Dan Roe, "the sheer existence of a mentorship program or formal training doesn't guarantee that midlevel associates are being adequately mentored." He goes on to explain that today's midlevels are seeking out guidance, but that some programs are missing the mark:"
"Indeed, midlevels were quick to differentiate between the roll-out of firmwide or practice-wide training efforts and the importance of having relationships with more-senior attorneys. "Provide actually effective mentoring as opposed to formal mentoring programs that feel forced and do not contribute much," said one Latham & Watkins midlevel. The challenge for partners, of course, is that they already have extensive demands on their time, and large associate classes in recent years have resulted in even more midlevels for each partner to look after."
Third-, fourth-, and fifth-year Biglaw associates worked intense hours during COVID-19 and then returned to in-office schedules they had little recent experience with. Associates prioritize substantive training and meaningful, personalized mentorship over formal programs that feel perfunctory. Many firms maintain formal training or mentorship initiatives but fail to deliver effective guidance. Partners confront heavy time demands and larger associate cohorts, limiting hands-on mentoring capacity. Associates emphasize the value of direct relationships with senior attorneys. Some associates recommend recognizing mentorship contributions in partner promotion decisions to incentivize senior engagement.
Read at Above the Law
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