Training & Attorney Development

From informal to structured training, Munger, Tolles & Olson is committed to the long-term professional development of all attorneys. Because our attorneys have so much latitude in how they build their practice, they are empowered to take advantage of a range of options available to them both inside and outside the firm.

On-The-Job Training and Feedback
Munger, Tolles & Olson’s low leverage model and culture of collegiality means attorneys work in closely knit teams. This results in meaningful early responsibility and ongoing feedback from more senior team members. Informal assessments are supplemented by a biannual associate review through which each associate receives a formal review of performance and progress. Regular evaluations ensure two-way communication and ensure meaningful career development opportunities.

In-House Training Program
Munger, Tolles & Olson offers training programs featuring in-house and outside speakers. Associates in their first year are invited to attend our New Attorney Retreat, where they receive an introduction to various aspects of the firm, including ethical issues, community involvement and our pro bono practice. Further early-career training programs include Succeeding in Your First Law Firm Job, Nuts and Bolts of Motion Practice, Constructing a Cross-Examination, Interviewing Witnesses, Anatomy of an M&A Transaction and Negotiation Skills.

The firm holds a variety of trainings for junior attorneys, including: Preparing for Depositions, Working with Experts, Propounding Written Discovery, California Civil Procedure, Jury Selection Training, Opening Statements, Direct and Cross Examination at Trial and Closing Arguments. Munger, Tolles also hosts a two-day National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) deposition seminar, which helps attorneys develop their own successful deposition styles.

Other examples of structured training offered by the firm include:

• Writing Workshops: The firm has historically hosted Bryan A. Garner, editor of Black’s Law Dictionary and an expert in legal writing and persuasion, for an all-day writing workshop, and also provides writing workshops led by senior lawyers at the firm.
• Public Speaking Workshops: The firm has hosted Brian Johnson and Marsha Hunter, communication consultants who train new Assistant U.S. Attorneys at the Department of Justice National Advocacy Center, for a workshop on oral presentation skills. We have also engaged Cara Hale Alter who runs SpeechSkills, a training to help lawyers build career-transforming presentation skills.
• Weekly Attorney Lunches: Munger, Tolles & Olson’s twice-weekly attorney lunches often provide training and continuing legal education (CLE). Lunches feature firm attorneys who share experiences and insights from their matters.

External Training Opportunities
Beyond the firm, we encourage attorneys to engage with and learn from the legal community at large. Our attorneys regularly attend external training programs and conferences, from the NITA Trial Advocacy Program to the Hastings Women Leadership Academy, as well as local, state and national bar association convention. Attorneys are encouraged to pursue training offered by these organizations.

Senior associates have also participated in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity’s (LCLD) Pathfinder Program, a relationship-building and leadership training program. The firm also participates in LCLD’s Fellows Program, which serves lawyers with 3-7 years of practice.

In addition, attorneys have the opportunity to gain trial experience by working for four months on a pro bono basis at the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, the Federal Public Defender’s Office, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office or the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office.

Mentoring
Munger, Tolles & Olson attorneys have always engaged in formal and informal mentoring. Our low-leverage structure and weekly firm lunches foster an environment in which relationships develop organically. Our formal mentoring program has two tiers, in which all attorneys participate: one for newer attorneys learning to navigate the firm and the practice of law, and a second tier for mid-level attorneys seeking to sharpen their legal skills and develop their own practice.