Bottom line, our goal is to bring on attorneys who advance in their legal career, become a shareholder, and retire from practice with our firm – all while contributing positively to our client's needs, the legal community, the community at large and maintaining a quality work/life balance.
 
Through our recruiting process, we are focused on hiring lawyers who have a strong academic record, solid clerkship experience, legal savvy, excellent written and verbal communications skills, resourcefulness and creativity, high ethical standards, and who we believe will fit within the culture of our firm. We are also pleased that many of our new Associates have held judicial clerkships; however, this is not a requirement.
 
We believe that it is our responsibility to assist our Associates in their career development by facilitating a professional development program as they begin their legal career. This is to more fully assimilate our young attorneys into the Ahlers & Cooney family and culture. Through this process, we help them understand the business of practicing law, as well as how to develop a long-term practice development plan, with periodic coaching sessions. Our ultimate goal is to ensure their transition from associate to shareholder is very smooth.
 
We meet periodically as an Associate group to discuss legal trends, ideas and resources in order to support their personal and professional growth as an attorney. Further, we support each Associate's continuing education needs that are specifically designed around their areas of practice. We provide opportunities for our Associates to write client alerts, organize client seminars, and speak at conferences on leading legal topics.
 
Our firm also believes strongly in civic involvement. We want our Associates to be involved in our industry’s professional organizations, as well as community organizations that align with their passions and interests by serving on boards and committees.
 
All of these combined aspects of our Associate Development Program provide for a long and successful career as an Associate at Ahlers & Cooney.