Recruitment and Talent Development
We take a strategic approach to strengthening the diversity of our workforce and cultivating inclusion. Our innovative recruiting programs—inside the Firm and in partnership with our clients—help grow our community of attorneys and business professionals from under-represented populations and advance their careers. These recruits benefit from the same apprenticeship programs, mentoring, and regular feedback experiences as our most senior lawyers and administrators.
But more importantly, we believe that celebrating employees and their diverse backgrounds is fundamentally important to their overall workplace well-being. At Choate, we use our “built different” operating model to our advantage. As an intentionally highly-focused law firm, we approach the issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion differently from others—with a personalized focus on the needs of every colleague. This allows for all members of our community to be viewed, and treated, as individuals.
Talent Development
High performers and teams are built at every stage of development, from recruiting to promotion. Increasing diversity involves identifying talent in an inclusive way, and ensuring that we engage in developing that talent in ways that recognize and leverage the differences they bring to the table, and catering their long-term success to who they are as individuals.
- Over the last ten years, 34% of incoming lawyers have been attorneys of color.
- At Choate, we have intentionally structured our approach to professional development so that the team with whom summer associates develop a relationship during the summer program continues to work with them throughout their career to ensure their professional growth.
- The Firm hosts monthly “Feedback Fridays” to encourage everyone at Choate to ask for and receive feedback on a regular basis. Actionable and frequent feedback is a critical element of everyone’s growth and development.
Mentorship
Attorneys at Choate have multiple opportunities to develop mentoring relationships, including Firm-sponsored programs that focus on teaching and mentoring, and affinity group-organized mentor pairings focused on various communities. In addition, our single-office model is highly conducive to the formation of informal mentoring relationships.
- During the summer associate program, each summer receives three formal mentors: a junior associate, a senior associate, and partner.
Commitment in Action
As part of our dedication to a truly diverse workplace that values and celebrates differences, we offer diversity fellowships to outstanding first and second year law students.
Here are just a few snapshots of what one can expect to experience as a summer associate Fellow at Choate:
- Dedicated mentorship opportunities to ensure summer associates leave the program with a deep connection to the Choate community and strong network of allies even before they begin their legal careers.
- A pre-orientation program which includes a focus on the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion to support and promote Choate’s commitment to these topics from early in each future attorney’s career. It also provides a framework for individuals to expand their experience through opportunities to work directly with Firm clients during the summer.
- A series of seminars, including speakers and interactive education sessions, throughout the summer, focused on succeeding in the practice of law.
