Professional Development

In a constantly changing legal environment, we believe clients are best served by confident, creative, and well-rounded lawyers.

The broad experiences and training you receive as a new stagiaire or associate will lay the foundation for your future. As your experience builds, you will assume increased responsibilities in your chosen areas of interest.

An Ongoing Focus on Learning

  • “miniMBA” Program: New associates will be invited to attend a program that covers the basics of Wall Street, finance, accounting, and other topics usually found in an MBA course. Our goal is to ensure our associates are literate in the business and financial topics they will encounter in their practice.
  • In-House Accredited CLE Program: Comprehensive courses for lawyers with all levels of experience and in all practice areas throughout the year—in person and online.
  • The Cleary Core Curriculum for Leadership Development: An in-house associate training program that delivers the practical knowledge you need to be a great lawyer. Topics include project management, negotiating with difficult adversaries, mentoring junior colleagues, and communicating effectively with clients.
  • Practice Group Meetings and Training: The Brussels office holds practice group meetings to update all lawyers on legal and business developments and, wherever possible, provide CLE credits. Many of these sessions involve lawyers from our other offices or outside counsel.

Training and Mentoring Associates

We give our associates the training to hit their stride quickly and take responsibility in client matters early on in their careers.

  • We present concepts and insights—business, legal, and financial—that delve into the particulars of the transactions and litigation matters they face every day.
  • Experienced mentors will guide you, both formally and informally, through your professional and personal life at Cleary.
  • We help you build the broad skills that will make you a nimble and well-rounded lawyer.
  • Expectations are clearly defined, and your progress is measured against benchmarks set out in our  review process.

Cleary is a firm where lawyers at all levels talk to each other frequently and freely, so working and training go hand-in-hand.