Ongoing professional development is an essential element of a successful attorney's career. Sullivan & Worcester attorneys participate in a variety of professional development programs at the firm:

Mentoring 

All incoming associates are paired with associate advisors, junior and mid-level associates who assist with the new attorney's introduction to the firm and during the first year. Second and third-year associates are paired with partner mentors, who act as a resource and sounding board for strategic career planning. The firm's Mentoring Committee has developed a framework that encourages participants to grow in the direction most beneficial to and comfortable for them. This structured relationship lasts one year, but many mentors and associate mentees continue to work and learn together for much longer.

Development Tools 

Performance expectations are set out in the firm's Core Competencies for associates at the junior, mid- and senior levels. In fact, the entire professional development curriculum is designed around these competencies and focuses on providing the resources associates need to excel. Additionally,  practice groups have designed tools to guide associate professional development, such as skills development timelines, checklists of basic projects and practice development plans. With the guidance of a mentor, a practice group director or the professional development staff, associates use these tools to structure and advance their own professional development. The departmental work broker, who may be a partner, professional development staff member or other counselor, will also assist an associate in identifying work assignments that will best further the associate's growth.

In-House CLE 

Upon arrival in the fall, first-year associates participate in an intensive series of seminars, workshops and events designed to introduce new attorneys to many of the issues and situations they will likely encounter early in their careers.  Throughout the year, all associates may choose from classes ranging from basic to advanced topics. Practice areas also offer in-depth training in specialized areas for career-long learning. 

Skills Training 

Negotiation tactics. Delegation skills. Effective drafting. While on-the-job training may be the most effective way to implement these and other skills, supplemental workshops and coaching sessions provide a structured environment for practice and advice from experts. Sullivan & Worcester offers a series of workshops throughout the year on these topics and others, and associates at all levels are welcome to participate.

Business Development & Marketing

Business development and marketing skills are essential for success in today's competitive environment. New associate are often surprised to learn how much they can do at the beginning of their careers to build the foundations of a robust practice. S&W's Business Development & Marketing Skills Curriculum offers associates at all levels a variety of opportunities to learn business development skills and marketing tactics, including regularly-scheduled interactive workshops on communication skills, networking and public speaking, informal seminars with select clients regarding their experience working with outside counsel, a Business Development Mentor Program for one-on-one planning and support, and partnerships with the Marketing Department on several initiatives that make it easier for associates to get involved in industry and trade groups.

Evaluations and Feedback 

Associates are formally evaluated at least once each year on their achievement in the Core Competencies. New associates are evaluated part-way through their first year. In both instances, supervising attorneys complete written evaluations and are interviewed by department directors, who discuss each associate's career development at length with the full Associate Evaluation Committee. The department directors then review the results with each associate and chart the associate's career development going forward.  Attorneys are also encouraged to solicit and provide feedback on an ongoing basis, and training and coaching programs provide tips to facilitate ongoing conversations.

These are only a few of our professional development initiatives. For more information, please contact Heather Edes, Director of Professional Development, at hedes@sandw.com or 617-338-2912.