Work and Professional Development
Developing Skilled Lawyers and Strong Leaders
When you work at Kelley Drye, we’re invested in your success.
From your time as a summer associate to your return as a first year and throughout your career progression, we support your professional development.
Understanding that everyone learns in different ways, our Attorney Training and Development Committee sponsors programming that includes interactive mock training opportunities, one-on-one coaching, classroom style lectures and on-demand options:
- Opportunities as a summer associate to negotiate as part of a mock leveraged buyout program and argue a motion as part of Kelley Drye’s trial advocacy program
- A multi-day first year associate orientation followed by an on-going learning curriculum focused on writing in law firms and navigating the professional world
- Communication, management and leadership skills programs
- Practice-specific training curriculums led by internal subject matter experts
- Trial advocacy workshops including opportunities to conduct mock depositions and co-chair a mock trial
- Coaching with a legal writing consultant, access to on-demand writing modules and real-time writing support from the firm’s legal writing expert
- Through our annual evaluation process attorneys identify substantive areas of interest and future development goals and agree with their practice group leader timetables for implementation
It doesn’t stop with formal programs. We recognize that some of the most valuable learning comes from “on the job training.” The firm encourages shadow training so you can observe more senior lawyers “in action” and gives hours credit for shadow training
Building Relationships - Within the Firm and Outside
We appreciate the importance of relationship building. We hope that the relationships you form with colleagues and clients lead to long-lasting professional connections, career enhancement, and personal friendships. We know the importance of networking and social contacts that can build those relationships.
- Our mentoring program helps our newest associates and summer associates create meaningful personal and professional relationships with more senior attorney within the firms.
- We offer business development and marketing support, coaching and training throughout your time at the firm.
- We encourage relationship building outside the firm by sponsoring and hosting events for you and your contacts . We want you to start thinking about yourself as a potential business generator early on.
- An annual business planning process invites associates and special counsel to develop and execute on plans to grow their professional networks.
- We don’t believe in silos. Attorneys work with and develop relationships with colleagues throughout the firm, in different offices and practice groups. Whether you join an affinity group, lead a community service effort or learn about one another’s practice, we encourage you to build relationships that last.