Richards, Layton & Finger concentrates on creating a positive work environment for its employees. The firm strives to build camaraderie among attorneys and staff through participation in lawyer league softball; firm trips to concerts, theater programs and art exhibits; and firm social events. For example, the firm recently has had outings to a Phantoms ice hockey game, Point-to-Point, a popular horse racing event, and the Delaware Theatre Company, a local acting company. The Associates Committee regularly has wine tastings for attorneys, and the firm’s attorneys gather at local restaurants after weekly softball games in the summer and an annual football game in the winter. Attorneys also recently enjoyed a night "at the tables" with a "casino" event.
Because of the substantial opportunities that associates receive, Richards, Layton & Finger places a premium on associate training and development. The cornerstone of the firm’s associate training system is the mentor program, supplemented by associate orientation, in-house and outside training, continuing legal education programs, and access to firm resources. Richards, Layton & Finger’s commitment to associate training and development is demonstrated by its hiring of Megan Greenberg as Manager of Associate Development - the first firm in Delaware to have such a full-time position. In this position, Ms. Greenberg, herself an attorney, develops in-house programs designed to educate new lawyers and keep more experienced lawyers current in their fields. Such in-house programs also enable Richards, Layton & Finger attorneys to satisfy certain of their continuing legal education requirements.
Training and Practice Development Programs and Seminars
Formal training at the firm begins with the new associate orientation, which is designed to give new associates an introduction to the various dimensions of the firm’s practice. The training program continues after the initial orientation with the goal of developing the skills and knowledge-base that associates need to succeed both within the firm and in interactions with other firms and clients. Richards, Layton & Finger provides in-house training programs on a firm-wide and departmental basis. Firm-wide programs include seminars on topics such as legal writing, negotiating, interpreting financial statements and valuing companies. For some firm-wide programs, the firm brings in outside consultants and speakers, while other programs take advantage of the expertise of the firm’s lawyers. For example, former presidential candidate, congressman and Delaware governor Pete du Pont regularly leads a public speaking seminar for first- and second-year associates.
Departmental training programs focus on the areas that relate directly to work in each of the firm’s departments. For example, in the Corporate Department, the training program includes presentations on discovery and deposition practice, advising boards of directors on the use of special committees, structuring business combinations, and hostile takeovers and defensive techniques. In the Business Department, associates participate in a series of mini-seminars on topics relating to transactional work with alternative entities, including selection of an entity, formation, dissolution and winding up, business combinations and liability issues. The Business Department training program also focuses on important practical elements of transactional practice, such as preparing legal opinions and advising clients. The bankruptcy and restructuring group has also held seminars, including programs addressing debtor-in-possession financing.
In addition to the firm’s in-house training program, Richards, Layton & Finger encourages associates to participate in a variety of continuing legal education programs sponsored by the American Bar Association, the Delaware State Bar Association and other providers of legal education. This also allows our associates to develop contacts with lawyers from around the country and to interact with and learn from some of the leading lawyers in the world.
Pro Bono and Public Service
We encourage our attorneys to become involved in charitable organizations, pro bono legal work and governmental or political service. Associates are encouraged to spend a minimum of twenty hours of work each year on pro bono legal work. Our lawyers are serving as guardians involved in child welfare proceedings. Another team of attorneys assists victims of domestic violence in securing protection from abuse orders. Another team of attorneys assists elderly, impoverished persons in drafting wills and living wills. In addition to providing legal or advocacy skills, some of our associates coach youth basketball teams and work with youth groups in local places of worship. There is ample opportunity for our lawyers to give back to the community and we promote their service.
The Mentor System
After one year at the firm, each associate is matched with a director who acts as that associate’s mentor. The mentor provides the associate with feedback and guides the associate’s professional development. In addition, the mentor meets regularly with the mentee and identifies opportunities for the associate’s professional development.
Associates at the firm are also paired with a director in the same department who coordinates the associate’s work. That director also coordinates the formal annual evaluation in which the mentor collects and provides the associate with constructive criticism and guidance from each director with whom the associate has worked. These pairings are changed annually so that an associate is able to develop relationships with many of the directors in his or her department over the years. This also helps our associates gain a wide variety of work experience and professional skills that come from exposure to different lawyers with different styles and different areas of practice.
Departmental Rotation
At the end of the first or second year of employment, an entry-level associate may request rotation to another department or practice group of the firm. These requests are honored, although the needs of the firm at that time sometimes require that the rotation be postponed to a later date.
Partnership
Because Richards, Layton & Finger is a corporation, what is commonly referred to as partnership track is, in our firm, referred to as eligibility for membership in the firm. Our associates work hard to develop the skills and reputation that would make them eligible for membership. Associates are first considered for membership in the firm after seven years with the firm.
In addition, the firm offers a variety of alternative work arrangements for our lawyers who wish to pursue a different work path. Some of these are on a limited-time or part-time basis. Some are full time but with a defined expectation of work hours. Some are in a position of seniority and advanced responsibility but without many of the burdens and expectations of full membership in the firm. We have found that flexibility in work arrangements is one of the keys to productive and loyal attorneys.
Technology
In addition to the state-of-the-art computer technology provided to all of the firm’s attorneys, Richards, Layton & Finger also provides Blackberries for any attorney interested in having one, and laptops are available for sign-out by those attorneys needing one for business travel. Futher, the firm allows remote access to the firm’s computer network from each attorney’s home computer, for research, communications, document drafting and other work while the attorney is out of the office.
