THE VOICE OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION
Retention In An “UP” Market Over the last few months we have been, once again, having conversations with managing partners regarding associate retention. Judging by the nature of those discussions and watching an ever increasing demand for associates and partners over the past few months, it has become obvious that we are once again in an “up” market where lawyers of all seniority have a lot of employment options and there is a significant increase in lateral mobility. Most law firms invest great time, effort, energy and ultimately money in training their associates, often to lose them when they are finally coming into their own (around the 5th year mark). So how does one increase retention rates and ensure that associates are happy at the firm? This article offers a few suggestions. Be Aware Knowledge is power and you don’t want to know less than your associates about market activity. Talk to colleagues or contact a recruiter to find out how the market is doing. Find out if salaries are increasing. Ask how has the arrival of new firms in Calgary impacted the market. The more you know about what is going on in the market place the better prepared you will be to deal with questions or concerns your associates may have. Little is more frustrating to associates than feeling like management does not know about the market and is not responsive to changes occurring. Be Confident Chances are you feel as though you’ve got a great firm. You know that but make sure your associates know why you think that. Be honest, admit your weakness (and hopefully you are working to improve those) and play to your strengths. For example, not every firm can compensate at the “large national firm” level but
PEOPLE AND PLACES
Shek har Par mar chances are your billing targets and expectations are not as high either. Being cognizant and upfront from the initial recruitment through the years of associate development will ensure everyone is on the same page. Be Proactive Don’t put your head in the sand and hope that “no news is good news”. Associate retention is highest in environments where management has an ongoing conversation with the associates about topics such as professional development, type and quality of work, mentoring and compensation. The more comfortable associates are at discussing these issues the more likely they are to try and work them out as opposed to making a lateral move to solve them. Be Generous Being generous with your associates does not only mean being fair with compensation. Be generous with things that cost nothing such as praise, recognition, and mentorship. Recognition of a job well done, or an afternoon off for an associate that has had a “crazy” week or month can do a lot to improve morale and increase retention. Organizing a regular monthly breakfast or lunch for an associate with someone more senior who can act as a mentor is a great way to create a dialogue and ensure that issues are dealt with in a timely and appropriate manner. Associate retention is critical for the success of most law firms. In an “Up” market, associates have a lot more options and as such firms need to be more responsive and proactive in ensuring that their associates are happy.
Shekhar Parmar is a Director with The Counsel Network. Shekhar can be reached at sparmar@thecounselnetwork.com
Long Term Disability Claims Call Allan and James Bayda Ludwar Law Firm #310 - 433 Marlborough Way NE Calgary, AB T2A 5H5 Phone: 403-670-0055 or toll-free 1-877-682-3476
Disability Insurance Claims with CPP, Group Insurance and Private Plans
Catastrophic Injury and Wrongful Death Claims ™
everard & kubitz Ron Everard, Q.C. Walter Kubitz Susan Fisher
260, 600 Crowfoot Cr NW Mailing Address: Box 1020, 105-150 Crowfoot Cr NW Calgary, AB T3G 3T2
(403) 250-7100
20
Lawyers: David Andrews is at Stewart & Andrews, 800, 633 – 6th Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB, T2P 2Y5, phone: 403-262-2746, fax: 403-262-2745. Michaela Blahutova is now at Millcreek Law, 117, 8627 – 91st Street, Edmonton, AB, T6C 3N1, phone: 780-461-9971, fax: 780-800-4942, email: mblahutova@millcreeklaw.ca. Stephanie Brown is now at the Crown Prosecutor’s Office, 6th Floor South, 10365 – 97th Street, Edmonton, AB, T5J 3W7, phone: 780-422-1111, fax: 780-422-9756. Andrew Cheng is now at Crerar Law, 1388 Weber Centre, 5555 Calgary Trail, Edmonton, AB, T6H 5P9, phone: 780760-1388, fax: 780-760-1389, email: acheng@crerarlaw.ca. Elsie Elford, is Dean of Grant MacEwan University, 10700 – 104, Room 5-306J, Edmonton, AB, T5J 4S2, phone: 780497-5210, fax: 780-497-5200, email: elforde@macewan. ca. Brian Felesky, CM., Q.C. has relocated to Credit Suisse Securities (Canada), INC., Bow Valley Square 1, Suite 1100, 202 – 6th Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB, T2P 2R9, phone: 403476-6000, email: brian-felesky@credit-suisse.com. M. Flaherty is now at Alberta Justice – Civil Branch, 2nd Floor, 10011 – 109th Street N.W., Edmonton, AB, T5J 3S8, phone: 780-427-8507, fax: 780-427-1230, email: Hillary. flaherty@gov.ab.ca. Mark Freeman is at Freeman Litigation, 300, 5 Richard Way S.W., Calgary AB, T3E 7M8, phone : 403-450-7883, fax: 403-451-9906, email: mfreeman@freemanlitigation.com. Kenneth Ham is at Municipal Counsellors, email: h.ham@ municipalcounsellors.com Sherrie Jones is now at Sherrie Jones Law Office, 403, 815 – 1st Street S.W., Calgary, AB, T2P 1N3, phone: 403-2657767, fax: 403-265-7768, email: joneslaw@telus.net Hillary Patricia Leeson is now at Capital Power Corporation located at 10065 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T5J 3B1, phone: 780-392-5102, fax: 780-392-5124. Paul William Matthews is at Cenovus Energy Inc., 421 – 7th Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB, T2P 0M5, phone: 403-766-2422, email: paul.matthews@cenovus.com Craig.A. Maurice is at Ogilvy Renault LLP, 1000, 110 – 9th Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB, T2P 0T1, phone: 403-355-3550, fax: 403-355-3551, email: cmaurice@ogilvyrenault.com Marco S. Poretti is now at Reynolds Mirth Richards and Farmer LLP, 3200, 10180 – 101st Street N.W., Edmonton, AB, T5J 3W8, phone: 780-497-3325, fax: 780-429-3044, email: mporetti@rmrf.com Beth Reimer-Heck, Q.C., is at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, 1000, 400 – 3rd Avenue S.W., Calgary AB, T2P 4H2, phone: 780-232-9654, email: breimerheck@blg.com Ryan Schindel is now at Daryl G. Schindel Law Office, 1, 3295 Dunmore Road S.E., Medicine Hat, AB, T1B 3R2, phone: 403-529-5548, fax: 403-529-2694
Jason Schlotter is now at 3607 Kerrydale Rd SW, Calgary AB T3E 4S9, phone: 403-452-4025, fax: 403-452-5707, email: jasonschlotter@shaw.ca Ronald Swist has left Parlee McLaws and can be contacted at 25422 Villeneuve Road, St. Albert, AB, T8N 1M8. Maeghan Toews is at McLennan Ross LLP, 1600, 300 – 5th Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB, T2P 3C4, phone: 403-303-9101, email: mtoews@mross.com
FIRMS: Crerar Law has relocated to 1388 Weber Centre, 555 Calgary Trail, Edmonton, AB, T6H 5P9, phone: 780-760-1388, fax: 780-760-1389 Heenan Blaikie has relocated to 1900, 215 – 9th Avenu S.W. Calgary, T2P 1K3. All contacts remain the same. MacPhail Harding has relocated to 201, 2004 – 14th Street N.W., Calgary, AB, T2M 3N3. All contacts remain the same. Milne, Davis & Young has merged with Phillip Meyers Law Offices and is now Meyers Davis LLP, 1410, 396 – 11th Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB, T2R 0C5, phone: 403-777-1400, fax: 403-781-7752 Savage Oykhman Law has relocated to 840, 396 – 11th Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB, T2R 0C5, phone: 403-266-4440, fax: 403-234-0337 VanHarten Foster Iovinelli Joshi has been renamed to Foster Iovinelli Joshi Border. All contacts and address remain the same. New firm of Widdowson Kachur LLP, 203, 200 Barclay Parade S.W., Calgary, AB, T2P 4R5, phone: 403-457-0511, fax: 403-457-0211; Lawyers are: Barbara Widdowson, Sherry Kachur, Krista Ostwald, and Scott Menzies
DIRECTORY REVISIONS: McLeod & Company LLP should have been listed at 14505 Bannister Rd SE, 3rd Flr, Calgary AB T2X 3J3. All contacts remain the same. Vipond Jones LLP, 2800, 350 – 7th Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB, T2P 3N9, firm phone: 403-517-4000, fax: 403-517-4001, Grant Vipond, phone: 403-269-4334 The following Lawyers from The City of Calgary – Law Department located at 415, 311 – 6th Avenue S.W., Calgary AB, T2P 3H2 should have the main phone number listed as 403-268-2441: James T. Floyd, My-Le Lai, David J. Lewis, Douglas D. Merchant, and Colleen N. Sinclair. The following individuals should be listed under Legal Services Centre, 300, 10320 – 102 Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T5J 4A1, phone: 780-427-7575, fax: 780-427-5909: Chereda Bodner, Cynthia Barber, Faye Wong, Jackson Lee, Janan Jarrah, Paul Eastwood, Scott Hammond, Teunis de Jong, Ruth Williams and Natasha Nakai.
21