C OMBINING OLD SCHOOL McCarter & English, LLP Managing ences - - PDF document

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OMBINING “OLD SCHOOL” training with valuable new skill sets, law firms are using the infu- sion of Millennial attorneys as an oppor- tunity to embrace new technology, pass

• n courtroom and workplace experi-

ence, and hone the services that they

• ffer current clients, while preparing for

the future. The result is more horsepow- er, and the ability to run law firms that can compete and win in the new and emerging business paradigms. The fol- lowing law firm leaders participated in COMMERCE’s 2016 Law Firm Managing Partners Roundtable:

• Archer & Greiner P.C. President

Christopher R. Gibson, Esq.;

• Cole Schotz P.C. Co-Managing

Shareholder Michael D. Sirota, Esq.;

• Connell Foley LLP Managing Partner

Philip F. McGovern, Esq.;

• Genova Burns Managing Partner

Brian W. Kronick, Esq.;

• Gibbons P.C. Chairman and Managing

Director Patrick C. Dunican Jr., Esq.;

• Harwood Lloyd, LLC Co-Managing

Partner David M. Repetto, Esq.;

• Jackson Lewis Managing Principal,

Morristown Office, Richard Cino, Esq.;

• McCarter & English, LLP Managing

Partner Stephen M. Vajtay, Jr.;

• Norris McLaughlin & Marcus, P.A.

Chairman Matthew R. Sorrentino, Esq.;

• NPZ Law Group Managing Attorney

David H. Nachman. Esq.;

• Riker Danzig Scherer Hyland &

Perretti LLP Managing Partner Glenn A. Clark, Esq.;

• Scarinci Hollenbeck Managing Partner

Kenneth Hollenbeck, Esq.;

• Sills Cummis & Gross P.C. Managing

Partner Max Crane, Esq.;

• Trenk, DiPasquale, Della Fera &

Sodono, P.C. Managing Partner, President Sam Della Fera, Jr., Esq. Archer & Greiner P.C. By Christopher R. Gibson, Esq., President The ability to attract and retain younger lawyers is essential to the future success of any law firm, and we have paid particular attention to our recruiting efforts as more Millennials enter the workforce. We know the importance of recognizing and adapting to generational differ- ences and understanding what moti- vates young attorneys. When speaking with candidates, we emphasize our training, mentorship and professional development programs. And while com- pensation is always an important factor, we know that for this group that means benefits, perks and other advantages— not just salary. We remain committed to providing a successful mentorship program for new associates to help them become integrated into the firm and their individual practice. New lawyers are assigned two mentors who help guide them through their first years with the firm. A senior associate serves as a resource for new attorneys, answering questions about the firm and helping to facilitate their professional development, and a shareholder helps lead the attorney through the career development process. This generation of attorneys contribute greatly to the firm’s digital footprint. Through their regular use of social media, they bring people to the firm’s Website and social media sites, drawing more attention to the firm’s services and professionals.

COMPILED BY MILES Z. EPSTEIN

EDITOR, COMMERCE Creativity is allowing New Jersey’s top law firms to assimilate Millennials into their complicated cultures. All generations learn and are forever changed by the process.

Annual Law Firm Managing Partners Roundtable: Recruiting, Mentoring and Managing Millennials

LAW

Cole Schotz P.C. By Michael D. Sirota, Esq., Co-Managing Shareholder Our Millennial attorneys are one of our greatest

• assets. They form the cornerstone of our

growth and expansion plans and infuse energy, innovation and technical skills in our practice. They are eager to learn and very interested in being future lead- ers of the firm. Our strategic business model is to recruit extremely talented young lawyers and then provide them with accelerated training and skills

• development. All new attorneys are

assigned mentors and we schedule numerous interactive and substantive programs focused on developing our young talent into seasoned profession-

• als. Young attorneys at our firm gain

invaluable experience working as inte- gral members of client teams and are involved from the beginning of the representation through completion. We also provide young attorneys with

• pportunities to learn about firm man-

agement issues, participate on various firm committees and present ideas to advance the firm’s position in the mar-

• ketplace. Millennials are particularly

well suited to expand our digital foot- print and we encourage them to do so through our Blogs, client alerts, Webinars and strategic, industry-related media placements. Many of our younger attorneys have been able to build impressive online profiles, which serve to validate their particular expertise and the accomplishments of our firm. Connell Foley LLP By Philip F. McGovern, Esq., Managing Partner Connell Foley has a long established commitment to developing its future leaders. Buttressed by an active recruiting program, we rec-

• gnize the need to plan for the future

and in so doing place significant value

• n the unique skills and perspectives

that Millennials bring to the practice of

• law. As a whole, Millennials are techno-

logically savvy and have played a signifi- cant role in increasing our digital foot- print through blogs and sharing content

• n social media. The firm provides regu-

lar training programs that are geared towards offering our associates the pro- fessional development opportunities they need to grow into becoming seasoned practitioners. We do this to ensure that not only are they satisfied in their careers at Connell Foley, but also to make sure that we are developing the type of legal and business leaders that our clients have come to rely upon from our firm. We believe this approach is a win-win-win for our associates, the firm and most importantly our clients. Genova Burns By Brian W. Kronick, Esq., Managing Partner With Millennials more focused on work/life bal- ance and quality of life, it is key to pro- mote our firm culture as one that offers flexible work schedules, technology to work virtually, and hands on assign- ments with small teams of junior attor- neys, senior attorneys and partners that create an environment which provides for great growth and experience at an early stage in one’s career. We recognize that Millennials get their news and information in much different ways than previous generations. Our digital foot- print and social media strategy needs to be geared to that end, and we seek input from our Millennials on how best to accomplish that mission and get our message out. Gibbons P.C. By Patrick C. Dunican Jr., Esq., Chairman and Managing Director At Gibbons, we treat Millennial attorneys no differently than we have prior generations of attorneys at the outset of their careers. We are upfront about our high expectations for client service, skills enhancement, billable hours, pro bono commitment and business development. We hope they are excited by the challenge, as prior generations of attorneys have been, and they appreciate the respect we show them by treating them as equal to those who came before them. Nonetheless, we certainly adapt our approach to the particular stage of their careers that Millennial attorneys at Gibbons currently occupy. For example, they have several mentoring options. Traditional partner-to-associate mentor- ing offers career guidance, support and passage of institutional and professional knowledge, while associate-to-associate mentoring enables sharing of insight by 18

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more established associate mentors who are closer in age and experience to their Millennial mentees. To further build our firm’s future leaders, we established the Gibbons Leadership Academy, a training platform designed to equip newer attor- neys with the tools to advance their careers to partnership and beyond. Our Millennial attorneys particularly benefit from the “fundamentals” instruction, which focuses on tools for new business development, including setting goals and action plans while building relation- ships and credibility. Harwood Lloyd, LLC By David M. Repetto, Esq., Co-Managing Partner As Harwood Lloyd cele- brates its 40th year, perhaps nothing is more important to me as a co-managing partner of the firm than ensuring our continued success and longevity. To do that, we will contin- ue to hire Millennials, each of whom I believe will have much to contribute to

• ur future success. I have found in our

experiences that the stereotypes about Millennials are simply not true: they do not have a sense of entitlement and are not afraid to work hard. Millennial attor- neys understand the value of hard work and that experience in the practice of law gives not only insight but also wis- dom and judgment in counseling our

• clients. They also have much to offer:

they are adept team members with great collaborative skills who are highly net- worked and use technology with great skill and proficiency. They are extremely efficient and goal oriented. Their work practices may be different from those

• f my generation, but like all of us they

also volunteer in the community, give their time to pro bono legal causes and are very optimistic about their futures and the future of Harwood Lloyd. Jackson Lewis By Richard Cino, Esq., Managing Principal, Morristown Office As a national law firm, we are very entrepreneurial. Our attor- neys, particularly the more junior associ- ates, are afforded opportunities for sig- nificant experience and development early in their careers, which is appealing to Millennials. Jackson Lewis seeks to develop the entire attorney, which is

• ne of the reasons we eliminated the

billable hour as an evaluative tool for

• associates. This does not mean associates

don’t work hard or have to bill hours. However, we focus on professional development and the value of the attor- ney-client relationship. We have a for- mal mentorship program that examines both the practice and business of law. Our junior attorneys are paired with more senior associates, of counsel or

• principals. Research shows that the num-

ber one reason Millennials leave their current job is due to problems with their boss, so we strive to create an environ- ment where associates feel supported and valued by senior team members. Most of all, we instill in our attorneys that there is more to a career at our firm than simply billing hours. We urge associates to think about their careers with long-range vision the day they walk through our door. This allows us to recruit and retain loyal and effective Millennials. McCarter & English, LLP By Stephen M. Vajtay, Jr., Managing Partner New blood and fresh ideas keep law firms thriv- ing for the long haul, to their benefit and that of their clients. Millennials are the future leaders of our firm, and we actively recruit them, train them to lead and provide a work environment that resonates with them so they want to

• stay. Our award-winning pro bono prac-

tice is thriving, and we give the same credit for pro bono hours that we assign to billable time. We have a generous, gender-neutral parental leave policy that applies equally to births and adop-

• tions. We pay for every lawyer’s mobile

device (including all data, voice and text charges), plus we offer technology that allows McCarter attorneys to enter their time through those phones. Younger attorneys tend to favor a green work- place, and our Newark office is certified LEED Gold in the practice areas and LEED Silver in our conference center; we insisted on sustainable design and construction for the build-out. The needs and wants of today’s younger attorneys differ significantly from those

• f their older colleagues and we strive

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to make McCarter a place they want to practice and stay for their careers. Norris McLaughlin & Marcus, P.A. By Matthew R. Sorrentino, Esq., Chairman Norris McLaughlin & Marcus encourages its youngest mem- bers to become leaders both in and out- side of the firm. Our Millennials are a part of the greater community, partici- pating in local charity and civic boards and associations in which they have a sincere interest, as well as through their use of social media. You will consistently see blogs posted, mostly on our own Web site, but also in other online spaces, in regard to various law topics and legal developments. One of the many areas in which our Millennials play a strong role is on the WeWork Member

• Network. WeWork is an organization in

which small businesses and entrepre- neurs can rent office spaces, as well as work in a community setting. Participat- ing in Member Network allows our Millennials to build a network of mean- ingful, professional relationships and resources, as well as to promote oppor- tunities in order to gain business. Being active on social media is a great strategy we encourage to establish leadership both in and outside of the firm. It also displays an understanding of the con- stant advancements in technology and communication methods, to which Millennials have become accustomed, and that keeps us able to recruit and manage the younger generation into

• ur workforce.

NPZ Law Group By David H. Nachman. Esq., Managing Attorney, U.S. Division We are committed to recruiting, mentoring, and building future leaders out of individuals who fall into the often disparaged age group known as Millennials— Generation Y. Millennials have a reputa- tion for job hopping, expecting flexible hours for life/work balance, and seeking immediate gratification in terms of client contact, compensation and job

• advancement. Millennials need to recog-

nize that mastery of a skill set requires time and that management rewards individuals with consistent performance and commitment. While stereotyping may not always apply, especially for individuals who have the unique experi- ence of being immigrants or minorities, we find Millennials are amenable to learning the value of the old adage “patience is a virtue,” when there is good rapport with senior-level staff. Humor and a generous dose of humility from senior-level staff members encour- ages the Millennial to sustain his/her effort toward career advancement with- in an organization rather than looking

• elsewhere. Our goal is to invest in the

professional development of the next generation of U.S. workers rather than pursue the current trend to outsource the legal work offshore to increase profit margins. Riker Danzig Scherer Hyland & Perretti LLP By Glenn A. Clark, Esq., Managing Partner Riker Danzig has a multi- prong approach for recruiting, mentor- ing and developing future leaders. Attracting top prospects is key. Millennials grew up with technology, which has created a culture of trans-

• parency. Often, the first thing prospec-

tive Millennial employees (often law school students) will do before an inter- view is search the firm online. We aim to demonstrate digital relevancy by having an active online presence so that prospects get some sense of our culture through this avenue. We believe that Boomers and Gen-Xers have important roles in mentoring Millennials. Millennials desire meaningful and regu- lar feedback. Frequently, they do not

• nly rely on one mentor. They are accus-

tomed to searching for and choosing their own mentors, which includes both seasoned partners and peer coaching. We support the bridging of their choices both internally with current leadership and externally via social networks, exter- nal programs and business connections. Our culture promotes these more diverse mentor relationships rather than more traditional calendared “check-in”

• meetings. We view all mentoring rela-

tions as meaningful contributors to their professional growth. We also recognize the advantage of “reverse mentoring,” 22

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whereby both the mentor and mentee reap the rewards of the relationship. We regularly engage our leaders in that process. Scarinci Hollenbeck By Kenneth Hollenbeck, Esq., Managing Partner Scarinci Hollenbeck is a leading law firm in creating an award-winning Web presence which has helped to establish our footprint throughout the Internet, while high- lighting the accomplishments of our

• attorneys. Our open platform attracts

Millennials and is a recruiting tool in and of itself, as it highlights the fact that we have embraced Millennial-dri- ven technology. Millennials come to work at Scarinci Hollenbeck knowing that they will be able to utilize their understanding of technology to help showcase their legal and analytical skills which, in turn, will help them attract

• clients. Our partners mentor and sup-

port them in developing relationships from leads received via our Internet

• presence. We actually encourage our

Millennials to contribute to our highly- visible Web sites and blogs, which affords them the opportunity to high- light their experience and expertise and get their names out there on various social media platforms. It is a win-win situation for the Millennials and for the firm as a whole: they receive leads and a growing network of business contacts from the work we publish, which brings new business to the firm while at the same time allows them to grow profes- sionally as creative legal writers and as business-generating attorneys. Sills Cummis & Gross P.C. By Max Crane, Esq., Managing Partner When it comes to recruiting young lawyers, Sills Cummis & Gross focuses primarily

• n whether or not a candidate is a good

fit for the firm. We have in place a train- ing committee and a mentoring commit- tee, and whether the lawyer is a Baby Boomer, Gen-Xer or Millennial (Gen-Y), we do everything we can to assist them in acclimating to the firm. Millennials possess talents that heretofore did not

• exist. They are very tech-savvy. For our

veteran lawyers, I am happy to say that the “teacher becomes the student” and it’s a win-win for the firm. Millennials work well in small groups, another posi- tive attribute, as this is often the way legal matters are staffed. They are look- ing for a work-life balance which ulti- 24

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NOTE AD P/U P . 00 ZZZ. 00 PRINTER PLACED THAT AD

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

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HERE RURES ADQUIRERET Perspicax zothecas amputat catelli. Fiducias deciperet tremulus syrtes, et matrimonii lucide senesceret oratori. Ossifragi circumgrediet verecundus suis, etiam bellus chirographi senesceret concubine, iam rures divinus circumgrediet zothecas. Lascivius chirographi praemuniet optimus adfabilis

• syrtes. Adlaudabilis suis pessimus comiter adquireret

Octavius, quamquam pretosius matrimonii deciperet perspicax agricolae. n Gulosus matrimonii fermentet syrtes, et umbraculi prae- muniet perspicax syrtes, ut gulosus oratori infeliciter senesceret adlaudabilis syrtes, et gulosus rures suffra- garit agricolae, quod aegre parsimonia umbraculi prae- mun

BY ANTHONY RUSSO

EVP, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS & COMMUNICATIONS

Verecundus catelli amputat rures

mately makes for a happier workforce. As to our social media and digital foot- print for client services, we have been tweeting, blogging and have had a pres- ence on Facebook and LinkedIn for

• years. We encourage all of our lawyers

to understand this media and use it. Obviously with Millennials, they remain ahead of the game, and we always wel- come their input. With CEOs and GCs getting younger, recruiting Millennials is a must for any law firm. Trenk, DiPasquale, Della Fera & Sodono, P.C. By Sam Della Fera, Jr., Esq., Managing Partner, President Millennial attorneys at Trenk DiPasquale seek to attain the same goals as prior generations of associates, but typically desire to achieve those goals in a different way. We have given them the tools and opportunities to do so. For example, like their predecessors, Millennials strive for excellent work product and stellar client service, but they do not accept that those results are achievable only from behind a desk in a paper-intensive office environment. Our firm has implemented technology and modified policy to permit working from home and otherwise producing deliver- ables remotely, with untethered access to documents, research and electronic

• communication. Similarly, marketing

by Millennials is more often done elec- tronically—online and through social media—rather than at dinner or while playing golf. Accordingly, our younger attorneys and administrative staff are managing our firm blog, e-mail blasts and social media posts, and are actively involved in maintaining our dynamic firm Web site. We also have been utilizing our younger attorneys on our recruiting committee, and as new associ- ate mentors, as they better relate to Millennial candidates and hires. n

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