To help our new associates achieve their professional goals, RDB has a comprehensive mentoring policy in which the partnership takes collective responsibility for seeing to it that each associate receives the best development and training possible, as well as opportunities to forge bonds with other lawyers in the firm.

It is our belief that such a group mentoring system can be far more effective than the rigid, one-on-one mentoring program found at many firms, which might pair mismatched personalities or result in development of only one or two aspects of an individual’s potential as a lawyer. We also believe group mentoring ensures that each associate develops meaningful relationships with more partners and associates than might otherwise be the case. The collective mentoring program is implemented in several ways.

Opportunities to Develop Skills
First, we keep records of the professional experiences of all our associates, with the long-term goal of making sure that each associate enjoys as many opportunities as possible to exercise the skills necessary to become a partner, from taking depositions to meeting with clients to appearing in court. Our partners will be routinely updated on the experience of each associate to be certain that no one “slips through the cracks.” In addition, as early and as often as we can, we bring associates to major client events, such as court hearings and mediations, so they may observe the skills of more senior lawyers. Where it is not appropriate to bill the client for the costs of bringing the associate, the firm will cover them.

Partners Involved in Development
Second, our partners are involved in seeking out development opportunities for our associates, and in providing means for associates to get to know other associates and partners throughout the firm on a personal basis.

Recognition
Third, we have instituted a comprehensive recognition system for our associates. Rather than wait until the end of the year, we will, where appropriate, reward associates immediately for outstanding contributions to the firm. These rewards provide both acknowledgement of, and incentive for, commitment to the shared enterprise of our firm. We believe this goes hand-in-hand with the mentality that our mentoring system is designed to foster: a deep commitment not just to the client but to one’s friends and colleagues at the firm, and to the firm as a whole.