The next generation of lawyers holds the key to providing strong and consistent service to our clients. With that in mind and using data collected from sources including associate surveys and focus groups and engagement with Firm leaders, White & Case explored the best ways to position all our associates for success. In 2022 the newly formed Associate Empowerment Committee chose to focus on three areas: work allocation, professional skills and leadership.

A better way to allocate work

Traditionally, staffing partners have been responsible for allocating work. This arrangement has drawbacks. Ensuring that the right work is assigned to the right associates—and doing it equitably—can be a full-time job. But partners have day jobs. It’s also a challenge when staffing partners cycle out of the role, taking with them all their institutional knowledge especially as to each associate’s development. Another problem: Partners often bypass the staffing partner, going straight to the same associates whenever they need help. As a result, some associates do not receive the training they need. Others feel burned out.

To level the playing field for associates and create a better system for everyone, we launched a pilot program with two of our practice groups. The program supplemented staffing partners with a full-time allocation and development professional, a member of the business services team responsible for ensuring a fair distribution of work among associates. The allocation and development professional also understands the development needs of each associate and can help them manage competing demands. Based on the program’s success, we are expanding it to other practice groups.

Building skills and leaders

In addition to improving the way we allocate work, we are devising initiatives to boost associates' professional skills, including client communication, industry knowledge and project management. We drafted a new skills framework designed to clarify expectations regarding development areas, help associates retain skills they learn in classroom trainings and improve our ability to hold effective career conversations and make staffing decisions. 

Finally, to help engage our associates in the Firm's management and leadership, we are adding associates to many of our management functions around the Firm, including at the office level, in industry groups and on various global committees. Several committees that have not previously included associate members will have one to two designated associate slots. Our efforts in this area include shifting the Firm’s culture so that associates are invited—and expected—to participate in the Firm’s management and leadership. We are also setting guidelines that address issues such as term limits, diversity measures and an application process to help ensure that the opportunity to join a committee is open to all interested associates.

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Xinghai Bay Bridge, a cross-sea suspension bridge in Dalian, China