All full-time employees are eligible for medical, dental, long- and short-term disability, life and AD&D insurance, a 401(k) plan, flexible spending account, including dependent care spending account, paid holidays, paid time off, as well as paid parking.
Our summer associate program is a working clerkship. We strive to include summer associates in varied legal experiences, including drafting research memoranda, pleadings, attending depositions and court, drafting transaction documents, and attending closings in a variety of our practice areas. We believe that this process allows a summer associate to learn about the full range of the Firm’s practice and allows the summer associate to demonstrate analytical and writing skills.
Summer associates receive direct, project-specific and prompt feedback from our assigning lawyers. We also have a formal evaluation process at the end of the summer, in which all lawyers who have assigned projects participate.
Our summer associate program is for a period of six weeks.
Because Doerner is highly sensitive to the needs of our clients, our goal is for associates to bill the number of hours they have billable work to justify. Associates are responsible for internal marketing to help ensure they are able to attain a respectable billable hour level. Doerner has a bonus program that takes effect above 1,900 hours.
When an associate starts with Doerner, he or she typically is assigned to two Practice Groups, but is encouraged to work in all areas before deciding upon the practice area that is most suitable. These assignments may be discussed and changed on an annual basis. An associate is given significant responsibilities to handle client matters. To assist in training associates, Doerner offers formal training meetings, as well as informal educational opportunities. Additionally, Doerner encourages and pays for our associates to attend high quality continuing education seminars that are germane to their practice.
We currently evaluate and conduct reviews for all associates at year-end. Associates are reviewed by partners, and are then given their reviews in a one-on-one review session with a partner.
Lawyers of all ages engage in a wide variety of business development activities. Doerner encourages associates to assist partners with business development and to begin developing their own business and connections within the community. While we do not require associates to develop any particular amount of business, business development is one of many factors used in considering associates for bonuses and advancement.