Howrey, which laid off 25 staff in April, is adopting an “apprenticeship” program for its incoming associates, similar to that proposed by Drinker Biddle in May.
Under Howrey’s Tier 1 Program, new associates will spend only one-third of their time in their first year on billable client work. The rest will be spent on pro bono work and training programs.
In the “Howrey Academies,” associates will be taught writing, get assigned to trial teams, plus other programs.
In year two, associates will work on client secondments, judicial externships, and other advanced development opportunities. Billable hours in the second year will be capped at about half of total hours.
The bad news? The Tier 1 Program will be limited to a select number of associates each year. Compensation is annual salary of $100,000, plus $25,000 upon acceptance of the job offer to defray law school loans or third year law school expenses.
In their second year at the firm, participants will receive an annual salary of $125,000 and a $25,000 bonus upon successful completion of the program, and entry into Tier 2 of Howrey’s associate development program. Higher compensation may be offered to candidates with special qualifications, such as advanced technical degrees or clerkships.
Howrey LLP was founded as Howrey, Simon, Baker, & Murchison in 1956, and was the first national anti-trust law firm. It has more than 700 attorneys in 17 locations worldwide.