Assessing Law Firm 2010

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The document discusses several important factors to consider when assessing and selecting a law firm, including firm culture, clients/practice areas, training opportunities, compensation, billable hours, pro bono work, diversity efforts, work-life balance policies, partnership track, and potential transition opportunities between different types of employers.

The document suggests considering a firm's sense of collegiality, whether office doors are open or closed, what types of photos/decorations are in attorney offices, political affiliations of attorneys, and social/professional interaction opportunities when assessing a firm's culture.

The document states that law firms representing individual clients typically deal with issues like family law, employment law, trusts/estates, tax law, tort law, civil rights, and real estate law, while corporate law firms focus more on securities, mergers and acquisitions, antitrust, and other corporate legal matters.

Assessing

Law Firms:
Culture, Clients,
Compensation,
and Beyond

YLS Career Development Office


2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION .......................................................... 2

A. Firm “Culture” ................................................... 2

B. Clients and Legal Issues .............................. 3

C. Training and Development ......................... 4

D. Compensation and Benefits ....................... 5

E. Billable Hours .................................................... 7

F. Pro Bono and Split Public Interest


Summer Opportunities ................................. 8

G. Diversity Efforts ............................................... 9

H. Work/Life Balance Policies ...................... 11

I. Partnership Track......................................... 12

J. Law Firm Rankings and Reputation .... 13

K. Transition Opportunities.......................... 13

CONCLUSION............................................................. 16

Yale Law School Career Development Office 1


INTRODUCTION

There are thousands of law firms around the country and the
world seeking to hire law students. It is up to you to determine
which firm will be a good fit for you. Establish the factors that
are important to you in a law firm (e.g., intellectually-
challenging work, livable hours, early responsibility) and then
keep them in mind as you go through the process of seeking
summer and permanent employment. This brochure offers you
some suggestions for what you may wish to consider when
selecting a law firm and mentions resources to help you make an
informed decision.

In addition, use our alumni mentor network, YLS Career


Connections (www.law.yale.edu/careerconnections), to contact
alumni and learn from their law firm experiences.

A. Firm “Culture”

For better or worse, you will spend more time with your work
colleagues than with many of your friends and family. It is
important that you respect their judgment, enjoy their company
and believe that you can learn and develop into a good lawyer
under their tutelage. Assess the firm’s “culture.” Is there a sense
of collegiality? Are doors in the office open or closed? Are there
photos of family, friends or outside hobbies in attorney offices?
Are the attorneys of certain political affiliations? How do the
attorneys treat the support staff? What opportunities does the
firm provide for social and professional interaction among
attorneys? Are there opportunities to join clubs or sports teams
with colleagues from work? Consider all of these factors in
analyzing the firm’s corporate culture and your fit within that
environment.

You can assess a firm’s culture yourself through the interview


process, and you can gain insight from students and alumni with
knowledge of the firm. Chambers Associates (www.chambers-
associates.com) provides associates’ views of the culture of their
firms, as does the Vault Guide to the Top 100 Law Firms
(www.law.yale.edu/vaultonlinelibrary).
Yale Law School Career Development Office 2
B. Clients and Legal Issues

For many practitioners, the types of clients with whom they have
contact, the amount of that contact, and the types of legal issues
confronting those clients have an enormous impact on job
satisfaction. Some lawyers would prefer to represent individuals,
while others wish to work on behalf of large corporate clients.
Legal issues addressed by attorneys representing individual
clients can include family law, employment, trusts and estates,
tax, tort, civil rights, and residential real estate. Attorneys
representing corporate clients are more likely to be involved in
corporate legal issues, including securities, mergers and
acquisitions, environmental law, and commercial real estate.
They may also represent the company in employment and other
contract matters.

Different areas of practice require different sets of skills. Do you


enjoy analyzing complex statutes and regulations? Then perhaps
environmental, telecommunications, or tax law is for you. Would
you prefer to have little client contact and instead spend time
researching, drafting motions, and arguing in court? Then maybe
you should consider appellate law. Take a close look at the work
being performed by the junior associates in a particular practice
group for a better understanding of what your responsibilities are
likely to be. Understand what your skills and interests are and
then find a practice area that best fits you. Young associates who
are unsure of what practice area is best may benefit from starting
with a firm that offers a department rotation system or does not
assign associates right away.

Chambers USA (www.chambersandpartners.com) ranks law


firms by practice area. In addition, the NALP Directory
(www.nalpdirectory.com) and Martindale
(www.martindale.com) enable you to search for firms by
practice area. Print resources for learning more about law firm
practice areas include the NALP’s Official Guide to Legal
Specialties, MLA’s Law Firm Practice Area Summary
(handout), Building a Better Legal Profession’s Guide to Law
Firms; and The Law Student’s Guide to Finding the Perfect Law
Firm Job, all of which are available in CDO.
Yale Law School Career Development Office 3
C. Training and Development

The amount, type and quality of training that you will receive
can vary from firm to firm. Learn about the training
opportunities that are offered. Often, the larger law firms provide
mock programs as a means of providing experience to new
attorneys. Smaller firms, with cases staffed with fewer lawyers,
are more likely to allow you to interface with clients early in
your career and obtain more “on the job” training.

According to law firm responses to NALP’s Workplace


Questionnaire (available through www.nalpdirectory.com within
each firm’s NALP profile), virtually every large firm provides
one or more of the following: in-house training, external firm-
paid seminars, continuing legal education, organized formal
mentor programs, observation opportunities, and practice group
training. Most firms also offer trial advocacy training and
retreats. Some firms go beyond the typical substantive training
programs to also offer practical lawyering skills such as effective
writing to clients and client presentations. Smaller firms also
provide training and mentoring, although typically through more
informal methods. For example, instead of a deposition skills
workshop, a junior associate may shadow a senior associate
during depositions to learn the ropes. To help determine how
important training is to a firm, find out how involved partners are
in the training process and how the firm credits hours devoted to
training. Chambers Associate (www.chambers-associate.com)
and the Vault Guide to the Top 100 Law Firms
(www.law.yale.edu/vaultonlinelibrary) evaluate law firm
training opportunities.

You may also wish to seek out firms who allow associates to
contribute in a meaningful way to the firm and its clients. Firms
who are serious about associate development have written goals
for associates that list tasks associates should have completed at
each stage of their careers. They assist their associates in
meeting those goals by staffing cases leanly and making sure that
associates get to work on different types of matters with a variety
of partners. Find out whether and to what extent associates are
Yale Law School Career Development Office 4
involved in firm business matters. Do associates participate in
firm committees? Are they involved in recruiting? Do they
attend business development meetings? If so, that serves as
another indication that the firm is serious about developing its
associates into leaders within the firm. More and more firms are
hiring professional development directors to assist associates in
navigating their career paths.

The attorney review process is also an essential part of associate


development. Associates are more likely to thrive in settings
where their expectations are clearly defined, their performance is
periodically evaluated, and they receive regular feedback on their
work. Most law firms implement some type of formal and/or
informal performance reviews of their associates. Many firms
employ annual reviews; others conduct semi-annual reviews. A
small percentage use “360 degree” evaluations, where each
category of employees evaluates all others. Self-evaluation is
common, with firms requiring attorneys to sum up their own
performance. Find out how frequently associates are evaluated
and whether they are expected to seek feedback on their own or
whether partners are expected to review all associates with
whom they work. Inquire about whether the firm has written
goals for associates that provides tasks associates should have
completed at each stage of their careers.

D. Compensation and Benefits

The most common system of base compensation for associates is


the set lock-step system, where associates in each class year
receive the same base salary. Least common is the pure merit
system, in which firms compensate attorneys according to their
performance. In addition to these two systems, firms may use a
combination lock-step and merit system or a variable lock-step
system with a range per class year. Among the factors that may
be taken into account in systems other than the set lock-step are
the number of hours billed, quality of work, pro bono hours,
overall contribution to the firm through activities such as
recruiting and participation on internal committees, and business
development. Consult firm websites, NALP’s Workplace
Questionnaires (available at www.nalpdirectory.com) and
Yale Law School Career Development Office 5
Chambers Associate (www.chambers-associate.com) to learn
about a law firm’s compensation structure.

There are different views as to which system of compensation is


better. The set lock-step system may minimize competitiveness,
but it does not reward outstanding performance. Although the
merit system compensates star performers, it may create pressure
to meet or exceed performance goals at each level. On the other
hand, a merit system might allow flexibility for an attorney to
receive a lower salary in exchange for working fewer hours. Ask
attorneys in firms of interest to you whether and how the
compensation structure affects the firm’s work environment. It is
also important to understand the partner compensation system
because that too can influence a firm’s culture and attitude
toward training and mentoring of its associates. For example, in
firms that reward partners only for their client billable hours,
partners may be less willing to devote time to associate
development.

Actual salary levels vary First Year Associate Salaries


widely among firms
depending on their Firm Size Median
location and size. Some 2-25 lawyers $70,000
students see the salaries 26-50 lawyers $92,500
offered by the largest law 51-100 lawyers $104,000
firms and forget that there 101-250 lawyers $110,000
are other considerations 251-500 lawyers $125,000
in assessing employment 501-1000 lawyers $135,000
over 1000 lawyers $160,000
opportunities. There is no
question that large firm 2009 Associate Salary Survey,
salaries are extraordinary, NALP (2000)
with starting salaries in
large firms in New York
and California around $160,000 plus bonus. One issue to keep in
mind is that different cities can have vastly different costs of
living. Although the NYC salary of $160,000 seems fabulous, it
might be surprising to find out that a $160,000 New York City
salary is equivalent to $94,000 in Austin, TX and $123,000 in
Chicago, IL. Compare the cost of living in different cities with
an online salary calculator like the one available at
Yale Law School Career Development Office 6
www.bestplaces.net/col. It is also important to note that in these
difficult economic times, some firms are scaling back salaries.

In good economic times, many firms augment associate salaries


with end-of-year bonuses. These typically have a merit-based
component and may take into account hours billed, quality of
work, overall contribution to the firm, business development,
and pro bono hours. A handful of firms expressly consider other
factors such as community activities and leadership. In addition,
some firms offer hiring bonuses to entry-level attorneys who
have completed judicial clerkships; the overall compensation
package depends on the time credited for the clerkship and the
resulting class year in which the attorney is placed. Although it
may not be of immediate concern to you, more firms are starting
to provide longevity bonuses and sabbaticals to associates who
remain with the firm for at least five or six years.

In addition to salaries and bonuses, benefits make up an


important part of any compensation package. Use the advanced
search feature of www.nalpdirectory.com to search for firms
offering particular types of benefits. Typical benefits include a
401(k) plan, health and dental insurance, family leave, relocation
expenses, and long term disability insurance. Some firms also
provide workout facilities, on or off-site childcare, dry cleaning,
meals for those working after hours, and more.

E. Billable Hours

It is also important to understand that the high salaries of the


large firms come at a high price—billable hours. Law firms
make money by billing their clients by the hour for their services
(litigation contingency fees and other methods of billing do exist,
but even associates in these areas must keep track of their
billable hours). The more hours billed by the attorneys, the
greater the profits for the firm. Attorneys must keep track
(usually in six-minute increments) of the time they spend
working on each client’s behalf. Some firms provide information
about “target,” “expected,” “minimum,” or “average” billable
hour requirements for associates on their NALP Forms
(www.nalpdirectory.com). Those figures are typically between
Yale Law School Career Development Office 7
1,800 and 2,500 hours per year. For a detailed description of the
toll it takes on your life to bill 1,800 or 2,200 hours per year, see
CDO’s The Truth about the Billable Hour brochure. However, in
these difficult economic times, associates are often more
concerned with keeping enough billable work and less concerned
with being overworked.

Generally speaking, students who hope to be involved in outside


activities, or who simply do not wish to spend so many hours
working, should consider working for a smaller firm, in a smaller
city, or both. Although salaries for these firms are not as high as
those offered by the largest firms, they are still more than enough
to live on, and the trade-off in terms of improved lifestyle may
be well worth it. In addition, a few firms are experimenting with
alternative billing structures for associates such as providing
more than one billable hour track. Associates can opt for the
greater billable hour track thereby receiving more compensation,
or they can opt for fewer hours at less pay. Time will tell how
these new systems will fare.

F. Pro Bono and Split Public Interest


Summer Opportunities

Pro bono comes from the Latin “pro bono publico” and means
“for the public good.” The ABA defines pro bono legal services
as providing legal assistance without expectation of pay to
persons of limited means or to organizations in matters
addressing the needs of persons with limited means. Most firms
view this more broadly to include work for nonprofits and for
social causes such as civil rights and the environment. Many
students who decide to pursue positions with law firms
specifically seek firms that offer meaningful pro bono
opportunities.

Firms provide a great deal of information touting the


opportunities they offer for students and attorneys to pursue pro
bono work. The formats of these programs differ widely, as do
the levels of commitment and organization on the part of firms.
There are five main attributes to look for in assessing a firm’s
pro bono program:
Yale Law School Career Development Office 8
• A meaningful and sensible definition of pro bono
• A strongly written pro bono policy
• Institutional support and partner role models
• Associate initiative and input into pro bono
commitments and firm priorities
• Crediting pro bono hours on the same basis as billable
hours

Refer to CDO’s brochure Critically Evaluating Pro Bono


Policies and Programs, for suggestions on how to evaluate a law
firm’s commitment to pro bono work. Useful resources include
law firm profiles on www.nalpdirectory.com, including
responses to the NALP Workplace Questionnaire; Vault’s Guide
to Law Firm Pro Bono Programs available online at
www.law.yale.edu/vaultonlinelibrary and in CDO; Chambers
Associate (www.chambersassociate.com); and the American
Lawyer’s annual Pro Bono report (www.law.com under surveys
and rankings).

There are many ways to explore pro bono work during the
summer, including working for a firm that offers a sponsored
split public interest summer. Participating firms allow summer
associates to work part of the summer at the firm and the other
part at a public interest organization, with the firm paying the
entire summer’s salary. If you seek community focused, pro
bono friendly firms, you should consider working with a firm
that offers a sponsored summer program. See CDO’s brochure,
Firm Sponsored Split Public Interest Summer Programs, for a
listing of firms that offer these opportunities.

G. Diversity Efforts

There are numerous resources available to learn about the efforts


firms are making to increase the diversity of their attorneys and
how successful those efforts have been. One resource is The
Minority Law Journal’s Diversity Scorecard (available online at
http://www.minoritylawjournal.com and on the CDO bulletin
board), which ranks more than 200 large law firms based on their
percentage of minority attorneys in the U.S.

Yale Law School Career Development Office 9


Vault compiles a list of the “Top 20 Law Firms for Diversity”
and also provides separate lists for women; minorities; and
LGBT. These lists are available online on the Vault Career
Insider at www.law.yale.edu/vaultonlinelibrary by clicking
“Industries.” The Top 20 list relies on associate responses to
three diversity questions: “How receptive and effective is your
firm in terms of diversity for: 1) women; 2) minorities; and 3)
gays and lesbians; in terms of hiring, promotion and mentoring?”
The organization Building a Better Legal Profession
(www.betterlegalprofession.org) has created diversity “report
cards” for firms in easy to read pie charts. Beyond these
rankings, consult Chambers Associate (www.chambers-
associate.com) and Law Firm Diversity Programs, a joint Vault
and Minority Corporate Counsel Association publication
(available in the CDO library) that provides information and data
on diversity programs at law firms around the country.

NALP has authored the Diversity Best Practices Guide, available


through www.nalp.org by clicking “Diversity Initiatives.” The
guide provides best practices for diversity in the areas of
leadership; retention, culture, and inclusion; professional
development; and recruitment. NALP also shares information
about specific law firm diversity initiatives. Through
www.nalpdirectory.com, you can access demographic
information on firms and read descriptions of their diversity
recruitment and retention efforts. According to that data, most
firms participate in minority job fairs and bar-sponsored
programs, recruit at schools with large minority enrollments, and
communicate with law student groups. Some firms sponsor
programs such as minority moot court competitions and diversity
scholarships. To retain diverse attorneys, some firms make direct
mentoring efforts and involve employer committees.

Sometimes simply looking at a firm’s website will give you


insight into their diversity efforts. For example, some firms
include a specific section on diversity, which may highlight the
firm’s recruiting efforts, provide its non-discrimination policy,
and describe its support of diverse law students and attorneys.
Find out whether diverse attorneys are members of the law
firm’s leadership. Finally, when scheduling callback interviews,
Yale Law School Career Development Office 10
ask to meet with diverse attorneys. Ask them how the firm
supports an open and affirming environment for all lawyers.

H. Work/Life Balance Policies

When the economy is strong and legal work is plentiful,


work/life balance is a real concern for lawyers. Although billable
work is not as plentiful at this time, how firms deal with
work/life balance issues may still be an important consideration
for you. One way to assess a law firm’s efforts is to learn about
their parental leave and flexible work policies. Keep in mind that
while most large firms have written policies in place, many
smaller firms handle these issues just as well, but on a more ad
hoc basis. In addition, remember that work life balance policies
are meaningless if the firm either implicitly or explicitly
discourages attorneys from utilizing them.

Most large firms have written parental leave policies that include
coverage of adoptions and children of domestic partners. In
addition to offering leave, some firms provide a stipend to defray
the cost of adoption. Firms may base their policies on gender or
the attorney’s status as primary caretaker. Find out whether a
non-primary caretaker is eligible for leave. Even for those
attorneys eligible for leave, whether the leave is paid and the
duration of that leave will vary from firm to firm. Beyond
learning the specifics of the firm’s leave policy, find out what
effect, if any, taking a leave has on advancement in the firm.
Inquire whether attorneys who have taken a leave have
continued to progress on the partnership track and/or have gone
on to make partner.

Typical types of flexible work options offered by firms include


part-time, telecommuting, flex-time, and job sharing, with part-
time work being the most common option. Some firms require
attorneys to provide justification for seeking alternative work
options. Of the firms that offer these options, almost all allow
them for attorneys with family obligations (children, spouses, or
dependent parents); fewer firms allow attorneys to exercise these
options for personal reasons. Firms may restrict the availability
of an alternative work arrangement to attorneys who have
Yale Law School Career Development Office 11
worked at the firm for a specified amount of time (often one
year). In some firms, certain practice groups are more amenable
to attorneys working an alternative schedule than other groups.
Some firms require that a part-time attorney work a certain
percentage of hours of a full-time attorney (often 60%). If the
attorney exceeds his/her agreed upon hours, some firms
compensate the attorney with additional time off, some provide a
salary adjustment, and others add that factor when considering
end of year bonuses. A few firms limit offers of partnership to
full-time attorneys.

To learn about a firm’s flexible work options read their NALP


Workplace Questionnaire (online at www.nalpdirectory.com). In
addition, Chambers Associate (www.chambers-associate.com)
has a “Work-Life Policies” section. For information about the
part-time policies in DC law firms, consult the Project for
Attorney Retention website at www.pardc.org. Working Mother
Magazine (www.workingmother.com) compiles information
about best companies, including the 50 Best Law Firms for
Women. Factors used to create the list included benefits and
compensation, parental leave policies, child care options,
flexibility, and retention/advancement of women.

I. Partnership Track

While you may or may not intend to remain at a firm through


partnership, it is still important to understand the partnership
process and structure at firms. Traditionally, law firms had only
one type of partner – an equity partner who shared in the profits
of the firm. Now, many firms have two tiers of partnership. They
have nonequity partners who do not share in the profits of the
firm and are not the firm decision-makers, in addition to equity
partners. Also, the number of years it takes to make nonequity or
equity partner varies from firm to firm. Find out what that is.
Some firms will hire lateral partners while other firms tend to
promote only from within. The NALP Directory
(www.nalpdirectory.com) provides partnership track
information.

Yale Law School Career Development Office 12


J. Law Firm Rankings and Reputation

As has been referenced above, law firms are ranked in a whole


host of ways. Through www.law.com, you can access the
multitude of surveys and ranking provided by American Lawyer
Magazine, including The AmLaw 100 and 200; the law firm
“A-List”; the Midlevel Associates Survey; and the Summer
Associates Survey, just to name a few. Vault also provides
various rankings (available through the Vault Online Library at
www.law.yale.edu/vaultonlinelibrary) including the Top 100
Law Firms; The Best 20 Firms to Work For; regional rankings;
diversity rankings and more. Chambers USA
(www.chambersandpartners.com) ranks firms by practice area.
While these rankings may provide you with some guidance in
determining which firm is right for you, it is critical that you
have some understanding of the universe of employers being
ranked (typically only the largest law firms); the criteria used to
create the ranking (subjective attorney opinions or objective
data); and the agenda of the publisher (if any). Use rankings as
one source of information about potential employers, but do not
assume that just because a firm ranks well that it will be right for
you.

Some students start their law firm research by gauging the


relative “prestige” of law firms, and then aim to work at the most
“prestigious” firm they can find. The problem with that
approach is that as with beauty, prestige is in the eye of the
beholder. Simply because a firm ranks #1 on the AmLaw 100 list
(for example), does not necessarily make it a better place for
YOU to work than a firm that isn’t even on the list. If you want
to maximize your chances of securing employment with a law
firm best suited to your personality, work style, and practice
interests, you cannot cut corners by relying on someone else’s
definition of prestige.

K. Transition Opportunities

For some students, an important factor in selecting a law firm is


what opportunities that position will afford them when they
decide it is time to move on. Perhaps you want to transition to a
Yale Law School Career Development Office 13
different type of law firm, a public sector position, or legal
academia after a few years. While all of these are viable options,
there are certain factors you should keep in mind as you chart
your career path. Use our alumni mentor network, YLS Career
Connections (www.law.yale.edu/careerconnections), to view the
varied career paths of our graduates. In addition, many firms
devote a section of their websites to their “alumni,” depicting the
career paths of attorneys who have left their firms for other
opportunities.

1. Large Firm to Small Firm or Public Interest

Most students assume that after a stint with a large, well-known


law firm, smaller law firms and public interest organizations
would be eager to hire them. That is not always the case.
Fortunately, as a YLS graduate, you have a leg up on the rest of
the market. However, what will be most important to the smaller
firm or public interest organization, especially if you have
worked in a large firm setting for a few years or more, is the type
and quality of work you’ve been involved in. If you have spent
four years working only on international mergers and
acquisitions and are now seeking a position with a small
plaintiffs’ employment firm, you will likely have a challenging
transition. Don’t simply rest on your laurels. If you know you
eventually want to work in the employment arena, take
advantage of every opportunity your large firm offers to learn
about that field—do pro bono projects, attend the employment
group’s practice meetings, participate in bar activities relating to
the subject. Then, when the time comes for you to make the
transition, you will have substantive experiences to point to. For
public interest employers, your resume needs to demonstrate
commitment to public interest; your experience with a corporate
law firm may not demonstrate the needed skills or knowledge.
Again, be sure you do lots of pro bono work, and maintain and
cultivate contacts in the public interest community. Finally, don’t
get stuck with golden handcuffs—live within a tight budget
knowing that once you make the transition, your big firm salary
will be a thing of the past.

Yale Law School Career Development Office 14


2. Small Firm or Public Interest to Large Firm

At some point in your job search you will likely hear that you
should start with a large firm because you can always transition
to a smaller firm or public interest, but that you cannot go from
one of those organizations to a large firm. In terms of the ease of
finding large firm work, it is true that you will never again have
the Fall Interview Program, with its wealth of large firms at your
fingertips. However, if your legal experience relates to the work
of the large firm such that you can tell a compelling story as to
why they should hire you, there is no reason that you can’t make
that transition. Litigators in the public interest often make
smooth transitions to private practice. Similarly, attorneys who
have developed knowledge of government regulation in an area
of interest to a firm often make lucrative career changes. To the
extent that your experience is unrelated to your desired large
firm job, and you have been in that position for a significant
period of time, you must work harder to change jobs. The issue
is not really private versus public, but moving to fields where the
skills, knowledge and contacts gained in your work experience
are relevant.

3. Law Firm to Academia

If you are interested in going on the law teaching market, there


are many factors that will be significantly more important to
your candidacy than the type of law firm where you work after
completing law school. These factors include publications,
judicial clerkship experience, additional advanced degrees, and
recommendations. In fact, while several years of practice
experience is generally an asset in the law teaching market,
candidates with four or more years often face more challenges on
the market. For additional information about law teaching, read
CDO’s guide Entering the Law Teaching Market.

Yale Law School Career Development Office 15


CONCLUSION

Selecting a law firm that best fits your career goals and lifestyle
can be very challenging. In addition to reviewing this brochure
and the resources mentioned here, use the interview process to
learn more about a particular firm’s policies.

One resource of particular value in this context is “The Cheat


Sheet,” written by Deborah Epstein Henry of Flex-Time
Lawyers. The Cheat Sheet provides sample questions to ask
prospective employers relating to the following topics: statistical
and background information; partnership and advancement;
leadership and accountability; business development and
networking; workplace flexibility; and mentoring. The Cheat
Sheet is available as a handout in CDO and online at
www.flextimelawyers.com/pdf/art3.pdf.

Deciding when to ask questions about certain matters mentioned


in this brochure can be tricky. Remember that Yale law students
have considerable power in the job market. If you ask questions
about issues such as pro bono policies, part-time work, and
quality of life issues, firms will have to come up with answers
and may decide to implement policy changes. At the same time,
your goal in the interview is to demonstrate your interest in the
work of the firm and your work ethic, so it would be wise to ask
these questions as a small portion of the universe of questions
you pose. You may decide to ask some of the questions that are
more important to your decision-making earlier in the interview
process, and save other questions for after you have an offer in
hand.

W:\brochures\private\assessing law firms 2010 (July 2010)

Yale Law School Career Development Office 16

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