Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett LLP

• University of Michigan Law School
  February 11, 2010
  
  
  

• 2010 Summer Associate Program
  May 2010 to August 2010
  

• Cook County Bar Association Job Fair
  August 2010
  

Choosing where to launch your career is an important decision. You need a firm that engages your professional ambitions, compliments your character and reflects your priorities. Like law students, law firms don't all have the same goals and personalities. At Varnum, there are certain essential characteristics that are central to our culture. If the following statements apply to you, we encourage you to learn more about becoming a part of the Varnum family.

You have high expectations for yourself. You want your firm to provide you with the opportunity to excel as a lawyer. You don't want to do three years of due diligence and you don't want to be a senior associate before you take a deposition. You want sophisticated legal work and you want to exercise your ambition.

• Varnum maintains and actively cultivates a culture of excellence. Varnum attorneys have high expectations of themselves and each other. Varnum associates don't spend years waiting to see a court room or have client contacts. At Varnum, associates practice law right out of the gate.

You want your firm to want you to succeed as much as you do. You don't want your job to be a stepping stone and you want your firm to feel the same way about you.

• Many firms operate on a pyramid structure, hiring countless associates with the expectation that many will leave each year. Competition abounds amongst associates for hours and opportunities, and lateral moves are routine. According to the latest survey on attorney attrition conducted by the National Association of Law Placement, 37 percent of associates leave large firms within the first three years, and 77 percent depart within five years. That is not the case at Varnum. Varnum associates excel out of their own determination, not a fear of being eliminated. We hire associates with the expectation that they will become partners and will remain with the firm until they retire.
  
  

• In 2008, our commitment to associates was recognized when Varnum was named the "21st Century Innovator of the Year" by Michigan Lawyers Weekly and the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan for outstanding efforts in recruiting and retention.

Whether it's the economy changing, or the size of your family, you want to know that your career is secure. In these tough economic times, many law firms are downsizing. Recent surveys show that 30% of practicing attorneys fear losing their job at their current firm.

• Fortunately, not all firms are affected in the same way by the downturn in the economy. Varnum's diverse practice areas and services allow it to succeed regardless of where the NASDAQ closes. We've been here for over 120 years, and are looking forward to 120 more. We're serious about strategic planning and strategic growth to ensure our future success and continued prosperity. Varnum's managing partner, Larry Murphy, values transparency and contribution from all levels of the firm. Each attorney knows where we are going and how we plan to get there, so feel free to inquire about this issue during your OCI or callback interview.



• It's not just a changing market that affects what future you foresee with a firm. While the most obvious life choice is the decision to have children, other events, such as caring for an ill parent or sibling, will change the way an attorney planned to practice law. Varnum has adopted a part-time program that allows for flexibility when you need it. The part-time program offers a lightened work schedule without sacrificing the opportunity to advance in the firm.

You want your firm to reflect your commitment to professional responsibility and community leadership.

• Varnum attorneys recognize these committments. Our commitment to the Pro Bono Program begins with our summer associates, who handle at least one referral case during their clerkship, a unique and positive aspect of our summer program. This sense of responsibility continues with our associate level attorneys, one of whom was recently recognized by ARC of Kent County as the Pro Bono Attorney of the Year. Our partners also devote a significant amount of time to the program through supervising younger attorneys and summer clerks as well as through their own representations.



• Varnum attorneys also hold leadership roles in community and professional bar organizations. In 2007, Varnum received a Silver Award from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation for its fundraising efforts. Varnum has also partnered with a local school in a distressed neighborhood, providing school supplies, Christmas presents, and ice cream socials for the school's children. We take our commitment to West Michigan seriously, and seek candidates who share the same dedication to their community.