Professional Development

Bingham McHale believes in the importance of training, developing and mentoring its associates to become productive and effective members of the firm.

In the first years of employment, new associates experience several general areas of law practiced by the firm, but focus primarily on one or two specialties. During this period, the firm's lawyers hone their areas of concentration and expertise, enhancing their ability to apply the most contemporary body of knowledge to client matters. The result of this policy is that lawyers attain the ability to analyze and manage many facets of any single matter and, at the same time, have the opportunity to develop specialized skills.

Our size, reputation and philosophy of practice offer an associate the ability to create an immediate impact both at the firm and in the Indianapolis legal community. We are seeking individuals who are excited by that challenge and opportunity.

We are committed to the training and integration of each new attorney into our firm.

Mentoring Program
The firm Mentoring Program was created to foster the professional development of our associates. The Mentoring Program is intended to provide informal opportunities for interaction between professional members and associates. Each mentor serves as a sounding board for the associates, responding to questions and concerns about assigned projects, office procedures and policies and provides the associate with informal feedback on his/her development. Although work assignments need not come from a mentor, a mentor may assist the associate in maintaining an appropriate workload so that the associate will be of value to clients, the Firm, and will be able to maximize his or her own development. The Mentoring Program also serves as a forum for mentors to share their perspectives about the Firm and to provide opportunities for associates' voices to be heard.

Developing a mentoring relationship requires the efforts of both the mentor and the associate. To this end, each associate is given a budget for the "Take a Partner to Lunch" program, which encourages one-on-one interaction. Furthermore, the Associate Committee sponsors four annual organized activities: two of which are designated as Associate / Partner events and two that are designated as Associate only events. The Associate Committee will sponsor at least one activity to launch the Mentoring Program each year. Mentors and associates meet at least once a month and are encouraged to conduct sessions off-site whenever possible.

Associate Committee
The Firm's Associate Committee is designed to include the associates' perspective in shaping the future of Bingham McHale. The Associate Committee includes three associates and three partners. The Committee meets on a monthly basis to discuss and review the Firm's programs and procedures as they relate to associates.

Training
Substantial training is provided primarily by the individual instruction of supervising partners. The firm also conducts in-house education, such as substantive presentations at practice group meetings and business development skills at quarterly luncheon programs.

The firm strongly encourages lawyers to attend seminars on a regular basis, at the firm's expense, in order to increase the learning ability of the lawyer in his or her practice area or toward increasing visibility of the firm in a substantive area. Lawyers are encouraged to enhance that learning through other CLE programs sponsored by the Indiana State and Indianapolis Bar Associations and other sponsors.