Canadian Lawyer

w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 6 19 on more complex files. That, in turn, helps her to develop her career and carve out a niche in insolvency and commercial litiga- tion. What she seeks, in addition to monetary compensation, is support from the firm to help her develop. She believes she's found a good fit with GSNH, where associates are encouraged to build their own brand. She has regular access to mentorship from expe- rienced lawyers within her practice group, has greater exposure on a file, access to training, and works "reasonable" hours, allowing her to maintain the work-life balance she seeks. Specialization is indeed where lawyers will have the advantage, observes Gene Roberts, division director at the legal recruiting firm Robert Half Legal. How a lawyer is compensated depends upon his or her area of expertise and any extra education or experi- ence he or she has in that area. A lawyer with a degree in biology with exposure to the pharmaceutical industry, for example, could become a great asset as an internal resource in that area for a firm. Fluency in French and English, too, is an advantage. "It's all about what you're bringing to the table," says Roberts. And work-life balance has become an important part of the conversation between the firm and the associate, but not to the exclusion of the discussion about partnership, adds Roberts. He sees the associate looking for the freedom to practise in his or her specialization and having more responsibilities with the ability to jump on to that special project and take on more interesting work. In its 2016 Salary Guide for the Legal Field, Robert Half Legal reports that lawyers' salaries increased by only 2.1 per cent in small law firms for first-year associates over last year and up to 4.5 per cent for a senior lawyer in mid-sized law firms, which are seeing the greatest growth. The recruiting firm also observes that employ- ers are emphasizing career growth opportunities, training pro- grams, job stability, and corporate culture when trying to attract associates. Those seeking jobs are looking for additional vacation time, flexible work options, and dental and health-related benefits. Jim Titerle looks at new lawyers joining his firm as potential partners who will grow with six-year-old Miller Titerle and Co. LLP. While the firm pays attention to the Vancouver-area market and strives to pay associates at the higher end for a small firm, Titerle also wants his firm to be an appealing place for its 14 associates and eight office staff to work. Its open concept office is intended to be non-hierarchical and encourage lawyers to interact and seek sup- port, feedback, and advice from one another. A sense of ownership is fostered with all staff members through regular retreats, parties, and outings attended by everyone. Titerle says the firm is also driven to be supportive of everyone's careers. "We build a pretty strong internal culture and most people won't leave here," he says. Everyone in the firm is regularly engaged in discussions about its future and what that might look like. The goal is to provide every- one with a sense of ownership, which binds them to the firm so they are less likely to leave. Compensation also includes a bonus system keyed off the firm's profits. "We're very transparent about our num- bers so everyone can see how we're doing," says Titerle. Feedback and reviews have also become an important part of the relationship between associates and the firm. At Miller Titerle, reviews are conducted three times each year in which a "straight up" discussion could include how an individual can overcome their weaknesses and set them on a route forward to meet their goals and objectives. Their mantra is that the firm's success is based on the success of its individual members. At GSNH, formal two-way feedback is conducted every year to review the associates' performance, including the business relationships they've developed. Options on how to improve the lawyer's own relationship with the firm are also explored and goals and objectives are then mapped out along with targets. "This is a really fine time to get an idea where their heads are at," says Sloan. A followup meeting is then held to hash out a plan for the next year. And while keeping up with everyone in the firm on a regular basis is difficult, Sloan tries to keep the lines of communication open, so if there are any issues they can be addressed early. Sloan says the last thing he wants to see is someone leave because of a problem that could have been fixed. Whitney Burins, of legal recruiter RainMaker Group, notes that firms don't guarantee partnerships after a certain number of years as they once did. Achieving partnership can now take 10 or 12 years. At the same time, firms want to keep the associates of all experience levels by offering work that appeals to them, is chal- lenging, and brings them into good deals and cases. While the base salary hasn't fluctuated much, Burins says bonus- es are less predictable than what they once were. "Bonuses tend to be more discretionary in nature these days." But still, she observes, despite the changes and trends, lawyers rely on tradition and pre- cedence. The goal for young lawyers to strive for partnership will never go away, and firms will have to continue to offer those and other opportunities to keep talent and grow their business. CONNECT WITH IN-HOUSE COUNSEL COLLEAGUES AT LEXPERT.CA/CCCA Check out in-house counsel's best networking tool! The 2015/16 Lexpert CCCA/ACCJE Directory & Yearbook online edition is a user-friendly, outstanding key resource for all in-house counsel. Access more than 4,000 listees, more than 1,900 organizations, find fresh editorial content, and information on deals and links to important resources. ANYWHERE. ANYTIME. ANY DEVICE. Untitled-3 1 2015-10-29 1:06 PM

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