Associate Life |
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Unlike most large law firms, Sheehan Phinney does not hire a large associate class each year. Instead, we generally hire a few new associates, most of whom are graduates of our highly selective summer program, and commit to train and help them develop the full complement of skills that will allow them to become the next generation of exceptional Sheehan Phinney partners.
As a Sheehan Phinney associate, you will work closely with partners and clients, developing, among other things, strong interpersonal skills. Through training, editing, and experience, you will also hone your analytical, writing, oral advocacy, and negotiating abilities. You will be assigned a mentor who will guide your progress and help to manage your workflow. You will be given as much responsibility as you can effectively handle - mindful of the fact that your colleagues' doors are always open, and that our culture fosters and encourages collaboration and the sharing of ideas and strategies. It is not atypical for a Sheehan Phinney associate, with supervision and support from a partner, to brief and argue a case to the New Hampshire Supreme Court, or to play an integral role in a corporate deal in their second or third year of practice.
Sheehan Phinney associates are expected to bill 1800 hours per year, to be a member of at least one board or community service organization that complements your personal interests, and to write articles, or to serve as a continuing legal education panelist in a relevant field. We want to become fully integrated into our communities and we actively support you in this regard by helping you through sponsoring community events, finding suitable board positions, or volunteer opportunities to compliment your interests. We will help you in creating client development skills that will make you a successful partner.
The commitment to work-life balance is also a critical component of our culture at Sheehan Phinney. While you are responsible for your workload and for meeting your billable hour requirement, assuming you can work efficiently during the workday, late nights and weekends should be the exception and not the rule. Our lawyers take pride in the time they spend with their families, coaching their childrens' sports teams, pursuing hobbies and other interests, traveling, and being involved in their communities.
You will receive a comprehensive annual written and oral review that will identify your strengths and any areas in need of greater focus or concentration. During the first three years, your review will focus primarily on your progress in developing a legal skill set. In your fourth, fifth and sixth years, your reviews concentrate more heavily on your client development efforts and integration into the community, your overall reputation inside and outside the firm, and your general readiness for election to partnership. Because you are not competing with anyone else for a partnership slot, your only governor is the speed and effectiveness of your own development.
At Sheehan Phinney, you become eligible for partnership consideration after completing your seventh year at the firm (which includes credit given for eligible judicial clerkships). Although Sheehan Phinney selects very few new associates each year, we take and develop the best lawyers and expect our associates to become partners. Our track record proves it.