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It's not a secret that a strong summer associate program is essential to attracting and retaining talent. Aside from providing good work assignments and networking opportunities, a summer program would not be complete without a training component. In fact, most incoming summer associates expect that they will receive some formal training, classroom style or otherwise, over the course of the summer.

If you don't focus on improving your networking skills and networking behavior, it will become a tedious and uncomfortable business development behavior that will lead to failure and frustration in the business development part of your practice. The authors give some helpful tips.

Recently, the author spoke with the general counsel at a Fortune 500 firm about some of his best, and worst, experiences with law firms. His central message was that 'Social events and personal relationships just don't matter like they used to. These days, if a firm wants a steady flow of new business, [it] must deliver value.'

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Marketing abounds with buzzwords and bromides ' and dangerous ones at that. When, for example, we sling catch-phrases like 'partnering,' or pontificate about how important it is to 'understand the client's business,' it becomes way too easy to talk a lot of sanctified talk without ever really walking the proverbial walk.

As you have noticed, there is a generation gap in your law firm. You and your colleagues would like to plan your exit strategy, but meanwhile the younger generation is not ready to step up to become the new leadership.

News about lawyers and law firms in the franchising industry.

When Howrey decided to fill its Chief Professional Development Officer position with a professional in the field, instead of with a partner as had been the norm, it turned to Heather Bock. With a PhD in Organizational Behavior, training experience at Accenture, and human resources consulting experience with Fortune 500 companies, Heather was the ideal candidate to help the firm align its attorneys' skills with its business strategy.

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A 1999 Notre Dame study stated that 'lawyers suffer from depression, anxiety, hostility, paranoia, social alienation and isolation, obsessive-compulsiveness, and interpersonal sensitivity at alarming rates.' Lawyers topped the list (of 104 professions studied), suffering from (major depression disorders) at a rate 3.6 times higher than non-lawyers who shared their key socio-demographic traits. How can we change this?