Professional firms and all sorts of employers are challenged by engaging the younger generations in the workplace as well as making sure they are learning enough to handle the responsibility they are asking for. A program known as "YearOne", now entering it's second year at labor law firm Ford & Harrison, is proving to be very popular with associates and partners and accomplishing those objectives.
Started in September 2007, the program substitutes a billable hour requirement of 1,900 hours for first year associates with a requirement to compile 1,900 hours of a combination of billable and non billable (to clients) time working on key tasks they would not be likely to be given if the firm was billing their time to clients. Meg Holman, partner and Director of Professional Development at the firm, said in a National Law Journal article (Sept. 8, 2008): " This is souped-up mentoring that allows the associates to practice law and interact with other lawyers - not just sit in the offices doing research, never knowing how it fits into the big picture." She is surprised how fast the associates produced work that is billable once they are no longer under pressure to do so without the needed training and mentoring.
Here's praise from first year associate Valeria Cornetto: "What is expected of most second-, third-, fourth-year associates is what I am learning to do now, on the firm's dollar, so I can end up doing it a lot sooner on my own."
Now in the program's second year, second- and third-year associates can file proposals for 200 clinical hours that count toward their 1,900 hours requirement. The expansion comes as the firm has witnessed that the young associates are more capable, have established client relationships and like their jobs, according to Holman.
It seems to me that not only are the young employees more engaged, but also it is more cost-effective for the firm to implement such a program. Their associates are prepared sooner, costly turnover is reduced, and the firm trains people their way. It should also be a boon to succession planning - starting earlier to have succeeding generations know and serve key clients.
Phyllis Weiss Haserot www.pdcounsel.com