After consideration of the firm's needs and our new associates' preferences, associates immediately begin working in either the litigation or business services department. This approach offers new associates immediate opportunities to work closely with partners and senior associates on complex matters, to assume primary responsibility for less complex matters, and to work directly with clients.
Most matters are handled by a partner and one associate with the support of paralegals and other lawyers as needed. This arrangement enables an associate to work closely with the partner responsible for the matter, and to assume responsibility for as many phases of the representation as his or her experience permits.
In a business services transaction, an associate's responsibility on the matter may range from performing legal research and drafting documents to participating in client meetings and closings. On the litigation side, depending on the complexity of the matter, an associate may perform legal research, organize and manage discovery, and draft pleadings and briefs; argue motions in court, meet with clients and witnesses to gather facts and prepare them for depositions, hearings and trials; or take and defend depositions and assist at trial, including questioning witnesses.
Work is distributed to associates by department chairs. The litigation and business services departments are responsible for overseeing associate workload in terms of both hours and variety. They strive to expose all associates to work with as many partners as possible and with as many different types of matters within the department as the associate's interests and experience dictate.