At Bell Nunnally, we hire only those attorneys we hope will become partners one day. Because we intend to form long-term relationships with our associates, we are committed to providing them the experience and training they need to achieve their highest potential. To that end, we have created an associate training program which consists of the following components.
We hold regularly scheduled luncheon seminars featuring speakers from inside the firm and outside on pertinent topics ranging from conflicts of interest to conducting the first client interview and meeting, the ethics of negotiation, latest developments in legal research tools and document management systems, and many other topics
Beyond seminars, associates participate in practical exercises such as taking and defending depositions, working with expert witnesses, and practicing trial skills. These sessions are conducted in a positive way to allow associates to cut their teeth before a sympathetic audience whose members will provide them with helpful feedback and suggestions. This way, associates feel more confident and prepared when they actually appear in front of opposing counsel or a judge.
Each associate is assigned to a supervising partner who will serve as a mentor and sounding board, and we periodically rotate the assignments to make certain all are exposed to a variety of practice styles and approaches. We consider the associate’s practice area interests when making these assignments, and balance those interests with providing a well-rounded training experience.
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