Industry Leaders Discuss the Future of Lawyer Hiring, Development, and Advancement
June 24, 2009

Nineteen industry leaders met on June 24, 2009, for the first invitation-only Roundtable on the Future of Lawyer Hiring, Development, and Advancement, sponsored by NALP and The NALP Foundation and hosted by Arnold & Porter LLP.

• NALP Bulletin article on Part I of the June 24 Roundtable: "How Much Change Will the Recession Bring to Recruiting?" (August 2009 - PDF)
  
• NALP Bulletin article on Part II: "Future Holds More Student & Lawyer PD, Not Less: Emphasis Will Be on Practical Training, Business Skills" (September 2009 - PDF)
• NALP Bulletin article on Part III: "Diversity as a Core Value Will Withstand the Recession" (October 2009 - PDF)
• Read June 30, 2009 press release (PDF)
• Read excerpts from the transcript (PDF)
• Watch video of the roundtable discussion
• Participant list and bios
• Background reading - Thies White Paper on Recession and Legal Education (PDF)

In nearly three hours of candid discussion, participants —

• Concluded that the economic slow-down will have a lasting impact on lawyer hiring and development, including a move away from lock-step lawyer advancement models by many law firms;
• Agreed that beginning on-campus interviewing of second-year law students in August is problematic and that different models should be considered;
• Explored the ways in which the economy and client needs may change traditional law firm leverage models;
• Expressed great interest in development of an apprenticeship model of lawyer training;
• Concurred that commitments to diversity would withstand the impacts of the recession;
• Concluded that increased competition will create new demands for lawyer training; and
• Agreed that where associate retention was once the impetus for lawyer professional development, the new impetus is client retention.