Our training program is designed to assist new attorneys with the transition from law school to private practice, and to provide all attorneys with ongoing opportunities to develop and enhance their legal and business development skills.

New attorneys receive training in general skills as well as specialized training in issues specific to their practice area. For example, business attorneys participate in training sessions on specific topics, including business financing, licensing and leasing transactions, bankruptcy and legal opinions, and litigation attorneys participate in training sessions on topics including pleadings, discovery, alternate dispute resolution and depositions, trial preparation and oral argument. Additional training sessions cover topics of general interest, including professional responsibility and legal research.

We have a comprehensive training program for counsel attorneys. This program focuses on the skills and development needs of attorneys who have been practicing for six or more years. This training includes general topics, such as business development, project management, delegation of work and the supervision of others, as well as training focused on specific practice areas.

CLE Affiliations and Support

Perkins Coie provides many avenues for our attorneys to continue their substantive legal education while also satisfying state bar requirements. Every local office has its own programs and state-specific trainings. Additionally, there are firmwide practice group trainings, workshops and retreats. The majority of our in-house training sessions qualify for continuing legal education (CLE) credit.

The Attorney Development Department provides access to both West LegalEdCenter (WLEC) and Practising Law Institute (PLI) CLEs. PLI and WLEC have live teleconferences and thousands of hours of pre-recorded events. Perkins Coie attorneys may also attend any of PLI’s live CLEs in New York, Chicago and San Francisco. Content partners of PLI and WLEC include ABA, NBI and the Seminar Group, to name just a few. With appropriate approval, our attorneys attend nationwide and local association meetings, CLEs and trainings.

Every office has a CLE Coordinator who is the local expert on that state’s CLE rules. In addition to friendly reminders, CLE Coordinators have access to automated programs that track credits and help our attorneys stay up to date with CLE requirements.

Participation in Firm Management

Associates and counsel participate in firm management primarily through committees. Associates and counsel participate in the firm's Hiring, Summer Associate, Associate and Counsel, Attorney Development, Community Service, Paralegal, Pro Bono and Diversity committees. The Associate and Counsel Committee, comprised principally of associates and counsel, advises firm management on issues of particular interest and concern to associates and counsel.

Building Bridges Mentoring Program

The national Attorney Development Department has created an enhanced firmwide mentoring program for all associates: Building Bridges.  The goal of this program is to provide additional professional development opportunities and strengthen connections between lawyers within offices, practice groups and across the firm.

The Building Bridges mentoring program establishes two types of mentoring pairs: Orientation Mentee/Mentor pairs for new and lateral associates, and Bridge pairs for current associates.  Orientation pairs are established when a new or lateral associate joins the firm and the pairings remain active for one year.  The orientation mentors are generally more senior associates or counsel in the new attorneys' practice group.  Bridge mentors are typically senior counsel or partners.  Pairings will be determined by the local Attorney Development Committees and Mentoring Liaisons, with support and guidance from the national Attorney Development Department.