Associate Lifecycle: The Legal Industry’s Take on Corporate Alumni Strategy

In a world where most associates will not become partners, how can firms maximize the talent and relationships they are investing in BEYOND an associate’s tenure? The majority of Fortune 500 companies have some semblance of an alumni program or formal effort to engage with former employees. Law firms were some of the first (and best) to build out alumni programs to do just that, turning departing associates into brand ambassadors, future clients, and strategic business references. But the way that people live, work and identify with their professional selves has shift drastically in the last few years, all of which impacts this type of strategic engagement.

This panel discussion features professionals from several firms discussing best practices for building, maintaining, and growing an alumni program, highlighting the nuances that make each program unique.

Key Takeaways:

How to enhance the associate culture within a firm, normalizing alternative career explorations, and (where appropriate), celebrating those departures
Creating seamless marketing and business development opportunities with associates (and their new employers) who are leaving for in-house roles
How to establish strategic relationships throughout the industry (including non-clients/targets), to be well placed for referred business or referred talent.