Investing in Our
Lawyers

We cultivate each lawyer’s individual talents, interests, and competencies through a supportive culture and a suite of programs designed to help them achieve their professional goals and deliver exceptional service to our clients.

Effective lawyers learn throughout their careers — law school marks just the beginning of the journey. A career at Latham means embarking on a path of perpetual growth, whether joining as a first-year associate or a mid-career lateral. We support professional development with robust and comprehensive training, coaching, networking, and mentoring programs that encourage lawyers to explore their interests, hone and expand their skills, and chart their own path. We also reserve positions in firm leadership for associates to give junior lawyers leadership experience at an early stage in their careers.

Associates take charge of their careers with 360-degree support from the partnership.

Associates help lead.

An equal number of associates and partners manage associate reviews and bonuses and make promotion recommendations through the firm’s Associates Committee, creating a transparent environment unmatched by other firms. The committee comprises a cornerstone of our culture, providing associates with meaningful influence on the direction of their career, and a seat at the table when it comes to firm leadership. Associates also participate on management committees and lead our global affinity groups.

Associates are encouraged to explore.

Whichever area an associate practices in, they work directly alongside partners, with opportunities to take on early responsibility and gain invaluable experience. In the US, during an associate’s first year, they can follow their intellectual curiosity to explore any number of the firm’s market-leading practices before choosing a department and practice. Additionally, associates are encouraged to take on pro bono matters that interest them.

Associates receive and offer actionable feedback.

From day one, we provide our associates with the mentoring, training, feedback, career guidance, and substantive work experience they need to be at the top of their field. Supervisors provide feedback on writing, legal and factual analysis, and performance throughout the year, and we ask all associates to review their supervisors on a confidential basis, in-line with our culture of transparency and continual improvement.

Associates drive pro bono and knowledge management efforts.

We are among the world’s largest providers of pro bono legal services, and provide billable, bonus-eligible credit with no cap on hours for approved pro bono projects. Associates have the opportunity to assume client-facing and first-chair roles on pro bono matters and receive substantive annual reviews for their pro bono work. Recognizing the importance of knowledge management to enhance our collective expertise, our lawyers get credit for their efforts to contribute to the firm’s library of thought leadership and knowledge resources.

Associates engage with mentors from their first day.

Every new and lateral associate is assigned a formal mentor to help orient and support the associate as they begin their progression. Practice and affinity groups offer additional formal and informal mentoring opportunities, as do local offices. Organic, informal mentorship takes off as lawyers integrate into their practice groups and draw on the support and knowledge of more senior lawyers.

Associates hone their core lawyering skills every year.

Our first-year Latham & Watkins University (LWU) bridges the gap between law school and law firm practice. The Training & Career Enhancement Committee curates signature academies and hosts numerous annual multi-day skills programs, including a financial literacy curriculum and trial advocacy retreats. Associates also have access to a vast library of on-demand programs tailored to various practice areas. The firm consistently evolves its programming to equip associates with the skills to meet market demand and trends.

I really appreciate how much Latham cares about training and investing in junior associates. Apart from the trainings, there is a broad range of videos and resources available to us junior associates to give us a better understanding of the tasks that we will face this year and beyond.

First Year Academy Attendee, New York

I sincerely appreciated the messaging and symbolism that the academy represents insofar as signaling to us first-years how much Latham cares and how much Latham invests in us. That means a ton to me, and to see the effort and lengths the firm went to express that message made me even more excited and grateful to be here.

First Year Academy Attendee, New York

I enjoyed being able to see fellow fourth year associates from all across the world on video and found the sessions to be relevant and straight to the point. It was great to hear from senior member of the firm what the plan is for the future and what direction the firm wants to take going forward.

Fourth Year Academy Attendee, London

This is an event where everyone can actually feel the "spirit" of our firm — our values, and what sets our culture apart from other firms.

Fourth Year Academy Attendee, Milan

“Engaging directly with the material through hands-on activities helped to reinforce my understanding and provided a valuable opportunity to practice the concepts in a supportive environment.”

Women’s Leadership Academy Attendee, Frankfurt

TACE (Training & Career Enhancement)

TACE programs provide world-class training and development to equip Latham lawyers to be leaders in their respective fields. We build on each individual lawyer’s talents through robust, comprehensive training and mentorship programs that encourage new lawyers to explore their interests and senior lawyers to continually hone and expand their skills.

Latham Academies strengthen connections and capabilities

Latham Academies bring together associate classes from around the world, building connections and camaraderie among colleagues as well as developing individual capabilities. From learning Latham culture and foundational skills as summer and junior associates, to mastery of project management and team leadership abilities in preparation to progress to counsel or partner, Latham Academies lift lawyers up to their highest potential and strengthen connections across the firm’s global platform. Programs focused on communication, business, and technical skills complement the academies, equipping associates with the tools and knowledge to fully evolve their career.

Summer Academy

Provides summer associates with a formal introduction to the firm, our culture and our practice areas, and the opportunity to meet attorneys and summer associate colleagues.

First-Year Academy

Provides training on Latham culture, management, and structure, as well as “nuts and bolts” skills for associates as they begin their careers as Latham attorneys and integrate into the firm. 

Fourth-Year Academy

Provides critical mid-level associate training with an emphasis on supervision and project management skills.

Sixth-Year Academy

Provides critical training for seasoned associates, with an emphasis on the progression process and leadership skills.

Leadership Academies

Our firm is composed of people with varying life experience and we seek to create an environment in which all can succeed. Through this lens, we host a number of Leadership Academies designed to provide a more in-depth focus on leadership and career development strategies within our firm and an ever-changing global legal industry.

AI Academy

Provides first- through fourth-year associates with advanced training in the ever-evolving field of artificial intelligence, allowing Latham attorneys to deepen their understanding of AI technologies and further develop their knowledge of the established and developing legal regimes that apply to AI. The academy includes interactive workshops and panel discussions led by leading experts and our own partners who practice at the intersection of AI and the law.

Additional Curricula

TACE offers several Skills Programs annually, designed to provide associates with opportunities to build their writing, communications, negotiations, and leadership skills through hands-on workshops with experienced Latham faculty and renowned external consultants. Curricula ranges from contract drafting and persuasive writing to business development, supervision, and negotiations skills, with programs sequenced to align with associates’ career progression.

CareerDesign

We make confidential career coaching available to associates and alumni from the start of their time with Latham. The program fosters connections within Latham’s vast professional and alumni networks, helping lawyers build relationships, take advantage of growth and learning opportunities, and develop the skills and experience that will help them evolve their career, and navigate from one stage to the next.

Our Alumni

Latham & Watkins’ vibrant, talented alumni community embodies our past, present, and future. Current and former Latham lawyers can connect with the alumni community via LathamAlumni.com.

For questions, contact Amanda Stipe, associate director of alumni relations.

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