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Professional Development
To retain the talented lawyers we recruit, we work hard to provide them with the resources, experience and support necessary to succeed. This means assisting lawyers with their professional development and career satisfaction.
Here are some of the initiatives that we have taken in furtherance of these goals:
“Buddy” Programme. Each incoming associate is assigned an associate mentor who provides insight into life at Covington.
Mentoring Programme. Associates who have been with the firm for at least one year are designated a partner mentor to help foster their career development.
Training Programme. We offer an ongoing series of training and educational programmes for our lawyers, which varies depending on the relevant practice group. A number of these programmes are eligible for CPD (for English qualifieds) and CLE (for US qualifieds) credit. We include opportunities for our London-based lawyers to participate, by video-link and sometimes in person, in programmes conducted by our other offices.
Associate Evaluations. We provide a formal performance evaluation for every associate each year. These evaluations serve several purposes. First and foremost, they are intended to supplement day-to-day feedback by ensuring that each associate receives periodic assessments of his or her work, including identification of strengths and weaknesses and suggestions for development. In addition, the evaluation reports provide the firm with valuable information regarding the progress and needs of individual lawyers; this information is used in arranging future assignments and legal education programmes. The annual evaluation sessions also provide an opportunity to review individual career development issues, assignments and associates’ concerns about any aspect of life at the firm.
Managing Partners for Legal Personnel. Each of our offices includes “managing partners for legal personnel,” or MPLPs. The MPLPs have overall responsibility for associate assignments, coordinating junior associate evaluations and reviews, awarding associate bonuses, and proposing and implementing policies and procedures affecting associates.
Associate Advisory Committee. This committee, which is comprised of associates and partners from all of our offices, provides an organised way for the firm’s management and associates to exchange views and perspectives.
Women's Forum. The firm's Women's Forum provides women attorneys an opportunity to come together to discuss issues of common interest, including business and professional development, leadership and training opportunities, and mentoring. The forum regularly conducts a wide range of programmes, including training sessions, social gatherings, external receptions, public service projects, and other events aimed at benefiting and advancing the interests of women.
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