Retaining and Advancing Women and Minority Attorneys

The Firm has in place people, programs and policies to assure that women and minority attorneys develop successful careers with us. Our Career Development Program guides associates in the development of their professional skills and goals. The program includes a curriculum of over 50 courses designed to help associate attorneys attain the knowledge and skills they need to successfully advance in the practice of law and develop rewarding careers. The Career Development courses are taught by Warner Norcross & Judd partners and associates and are supplemented by nationally known presenters.

Each of our Practice Groups is charged with creating a model career plan and providing a mentor to guide associates in their development. The Firm also employs a full-time Director of Professional Development, who is an attorney and who is responsible for creating a personalized career development program and establishing important formal and informal mentoring relationships for each associate.

The Firm recognizes that mentoring is a key component of success in the practice of law. The Firm asked Ida Abbott, a nationally recognized expert on associate retention and mentoring, to address the partners and associates at our September 2006 retreat. Among the topics Ms. Abbott discussed was mentoring across racial and gender differences.

Our flextime employment policy enables talented lawyers who have a strong commitment to the practice of law to balance that commitment with their commitment to family or other nonbusiness-related responsibilities. Our policy is designed to provide flextime work opportunities that appropriately balance personal needs with the needs of our firm and its clients and allow an associate to continue to advance toward partnership. Currently, two attorneys are on flextime.

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