Standout
Mayer Brown: WINNER
Originality: 8; Leadership: 8; Impact: 8; Total: 24
The firm launched a “technology general counsel in residence” programme in early 2023, in which an experienced, senior in-house lawyer from a tech company takes up an adviser role on a short-term secondment to Mayer Brown. The scheme, which is modelled on similar initiatives in the venture capital industry, helps the firm’s lawyers to learn about the legal needs of tech start-ups. So far, two general counsels have participated.
Goodwin
O: 8; L: 8; I: 7; Total: 23
The firm is exploring “use cases” for generative artificial intelligence and training lawyers and other staff in the technology. Exercises include a “test kitchen” programme, where lawyers and business professionals at all levels are developing and trialling the way that generative AI could work in practice. Collaboration and sharing knowledge across disciplines are emphasised. Nearly 160 such use cases have been identified so far, with the firm planning to develop and implement a number of them in the coming months.
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
O: 8; L: 9; I: 6; Total: 23
The firm introduced a policy in 2022 whereby new associates avoid any billable-hours targets for the first six months and are allotted time to work on pro bono projects, as well as research, and non-billable work with clients. Training, shadowing opportunities and mentorship have also been added. Orrick reports that this approach has improved lawyer performance and benefited clients, as they are billed less often for work by very junior lawyers.
Highly commended
Davis Wright Tremaine
O: 8; L: 8; I: 6; Total: 22
In 2023, the firm launched a programme to reduce unconscious bias in partner evaluation, admission and pay meetings. Participants receive training on unconscious bias, and one is nominated as a “bias interrupter” to call out any examples they see during a meeting. They dub it “throwing a bias flag” — a reference to American football refereeing — to call for a pause, in order to review and assess a statement for unconscious bias.
Weil, Gotshal & Manges
O: 7; L: 8; I: 7; Total: 22
The WeilPride programme highlights LGBTQ+ issues and provides pro bono support to several non-profit groups supporting the queer community. Within the firm, it has supported the rollout of a family benefits scheme, including financial contributions for fertility treatment, adoption and surrogacy, as well as providing advice and support through the network. The proportion of LGBTQ+ law students in “stepping stone” summer associate roles at the firm in 2023 was up 10 percentage points, to 18.2 per cent, on 2020, when the family benefits initiative began. Commended individual: Justin Lee
White & Case
O: 6; L: 8; I: 7; Total: 21
The firm has created a programme to help new partners acquire additional “soft skills”, to help with business development, by assigning a more senior partner as a sponsor who can help with networking, meeting clients, and generally gaining expertise. The new partner’s progress is taken into account in calculating the sponsor’s pay. More than 150 new partners have taken part this year.
Commended
BakerHostetler
O: 7; L: 7; I: 6; Total: 20
IncuBaker, the firm’s alternative legal services unit, worked with Georgia State University College of Law to create a course in legal technology for law students. The first ran in early 2023 and guided students on how to advance legal innovation projects. The curriculum will expand in 2024 to include new tech such as generative AI.
DLA Piper
O: 6; L: 7; I: 6; Total: 19
The firm created a corporate data analytics internship programme that trains participants using DLA Piper’s data, both internally and for client work. It demonstrates to them what law firms require. The results have included using data analytics and visualisation on environment, social and governance (ESG) questions, and a contribution to a summary of the risks of artificial intelligence. The internship, which started in 2019, now has seven data analytics interns a year.
Eversheds Sutherland
O: 6; L: 7; I: 6; Total: 19
Expanding out of its energy and employment practices, the firm’s global ESG group launched a training scheme for lawyers in other practice areas on some of the challenges facing their clients — such as energy transition, social responsibility, sustainable finance and climate litigation. Sessions are tailored to showing how different areas of the law are affected.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher
O: 6; L: 7; I: 6; Total: 19
Last year, the firm hired two former participants in its environmental analyst internship programme. The initiative — launched in 2021 and targeted at students who are not in law school — aims to broaden the range of skills in environmental analysis that the firm makes available to clients.