The cornerstone of our hiring in the Cleveland and Cincinnati offices is our Summer Associate Program. Our summer associates come to us with the shared hope and expectation that their performance will lead to an offer to become associates with the firm. Indeed, almost all of our summer associates receive offers. If you subscribe to the following simple philosophies, you too might have a future at Ulmer & Berne.
Home Is Where The Heart Is
As a successful law student, you can find a job at any law firm. You should make your career, however, at the firm that feels as comfortable to you as home. The people at Ulmer & Berne have created a firm that feels like a second home for many of us. It is the quality of those people that differentiates us from other firms. Although we continue to grow steadily with the addition of smart, diverse individuals, many of our partners were with Ulmer & Berne when our attorneys numbered less than 50. The resulting “small firm” camaraderie and collegiality that is shared among the partnership is instilled in our associates and is expected to be maintained by every new attorney hired by the firm.
It Is Quality – Not Quantity – That Is Most Important
We hire small summer associate classes compared to other firms of our size. The reason for this is simple: When we offer a law school student a summer associate position, we do so hoping that he or she will become an associate at the firm and, ultimately, a partner. Because we hire based on the quality of the candidate and the needs of our firm - - and not numbers - - we hope that every summer and first year associate will succeed and become a valued member of our legal team. In addition, with smaller summer associate classes, we will have a better opportunity to get to know each summer associate and assess his or her future success at the firm. In turn, each summer associate will have more opportunities to get to know the attorneys at Ulmer & Berne, ensuring a good fit for the future.
It Takes A Village To Raise A Child
There are many things to learn when entering a new situation. Entering a law firm for the first time is no different. That’s why Ulmer & Berne has a formal mentoring program for its associates at all levels. In the summer program, the firm pairs its summer associates with both a partner and an associate mentor, providing a level of comfort and direction. The firm encourages additional, informal mentoring relationships over the summer. For our associates, the firm has always had a formal mentoring program for first year lawyers, but is now launching a formal program for associates at all levels with the assistance of our new Director of Associate Development. In addition, the firm encourages informal mentoring relationships for all of our attorneys – partners and associates alike.
No Man Is An Island
Teamwork is critical to the success of any organization. Although our associates have the opportunity to work independently and “cut their teeth” on smaller matters, the high quality of legal work we deliver and sophistication of our clients demands that Ulmer & Berne lawyers have the ability to work in teams with other attorneys and staff. Our team approach is across the board, from business development ventures to administrative tasks to legal work. We work together and expect all of our attorneys to contribute significantly and positively to the team effort.