Mentoring
O’Melveny offers a range of mentoring and advising opportunities throughout a lawyer’s career at the Firm. Mentoring relationships, so critical to integration, retention, and professional development, can and do arise naturally. But, to ensure that all lawyers benefit, we also provide structured mentoring options. Our programs are customized to meet the needs of lawyers at various career levels, from new associates and midlevel associates to newly-promoted partners. Lateral lawyers have the opportunity to participate in programs appropriate for their level. Each program is flexible and recognizes that mentoring runs the gamut from advice on day-to-day practical matters, to exposure to another lawyer’s style and technique, to counseling on how to manage one’s career and maintain work/life effectiveness.
New Associate Mentoring Program
The New Associate Mentoring Program (NAMP) focuses on the integration of new lawyers during their first nine months at O’Melveny. NAMP provides new lawyers with two assigned peer mentors (one adversarial and one transactions), a partner mentor, and a structured training curriculum tailored specifically for new lawyers on topics such as working with an assistant, properly billing time, and making the most of your mentoring relationship. New lawyers receive a formal review after their first six months, coupled with their annual review.
Midlevel Associate Advisor Program
O'Melveny recognizes the importance of continuing to provide mentoring opportunities for associates beyond their junior years. The Midlevel Associate Advisor Program (MAAP) is a unique formal mentoring program for third-, fourth-, and fifth-year associates. In order to build on organic pre-existing mentoring relationships, MAAP advisees have the opportunity to choose a partner advisor with whom they would like to be paired. MAAP advisors and advisees collaborate to create Individual Development Plans, which create a roadmap for the advisees’ career development. To facilitate opportunities for advisors and advisees to connect, the Firm provides coffee gift cards, monthly lunches, and yearly opportunities to go to dinner or a ticketed event such as a concert or play.
New Partner Advisor Program
This program aims to ensure that our new partners are well positioned and supported by accountable practice leaders to make a successful transition to partnership. Each new partner is assigned one to two advisors. The advisor’s responsibility is to work proactively with their assigned new partner by creating a business plan and advising on the implementation and execution of the plan; guiding the new partner in developing client relationships; holding discussions about specialization (if appropriate); and identifying and procuring internal leadership opportunities, speaking engagements and other events that will raise the new partner’s community profile. Each new partner, his or her advisor(s), the Chair of the Firm's Partner Admissions Committee, and our Firm Vice-Chair, participate in status meetings at six and twelve months to monitor progress during the critical first year.
Lateral Mentoring
We also have a program specifically designed for incoming lateral lawyers. New laterals are paired with a mentor appropriate to their level to help them navigate their new working environment. Each office hosts a series of social events to foster the new lateral’s personal connections within the Firm. Lateral lawyers can also take advantage of the “Take a Partner to Lunch” program, which encourages lawyers to go to lunch with a partner of their choice.