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| INFORMATION | | Click on the icons below to print, view the employer questionnaire and add to your list. Click on FAQ at left for definitions of terms. |
 EMPLOYER INFO |
| Employer Name: |
Law Weathers |
| Address: |
800 Bridgewater Place |
| |
333 Bridge St. NW |
| City: |
Grand Rapids |
| State, Zip: |
Michigan, 49504 |
| Country: |
United States |
| Phone: |
616.459.1171 |
| Fax: |
616.732.1740 |
| Web: |
www.lawweathers.com |
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| Hiring Attorney: |
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| Recruiting Contact: |
Ms. Lynette Hummel |
| Title: |
Recruiting Coordinator |
| Employer Name: |
Law Weathers |
| Address: |
800 Bridgewater Place |
| |
333 Bridge St. NW |
| City: |
Grand Rapids |
| State, Zip: |
Michigan, 49504 |
| Country: |
United States |
| Phone: |
616.459.1171 |
| Fax: |
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| Email: |
lawweathers@lwr.com |
| OFFICE/ORGANIZATION SIZE |
| Multi Office Form: |
N |
| Multi Office Form Reporting For: |
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| Specify: |
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| # Offices On Form: |
1 |
| Total # Offices: |
2 |
| Employer Size Range: |
26-50 |
| Office Size Range: |
26-50 |
| Total Attorneys In This Office: |
31 |
| DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION |
| 20 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 23 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 19 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| PRIMARY PRACTICE AREAS |
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| Business | 6 | 3 | | Criminal | 1 | 0 | | Employee Benefits | 1 | 0 | | Estate | 2 | 1 | | Family | 3 | 0 | | Health | 1 | 0 | | Labor | 1 | 0 | | Litigation | 5 | 0 | | Municipal | 7 | 1 | | Real Estate | 2 | 1 |
| COMPENSATION & EMPLOYMENT DATA |
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| STUDENT EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION |
| # 2009 entry-level attorneys who were former interns: |
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| # 2009 Summer 2Ls considered for associate offers: |
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| # offers made: |
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| Hire school term clerks? |
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| Prefer significant prior experience in area? |
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| 1Ls hired? |
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| For attorney hires, require: Bar admission? |
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| For attorney hires, require: Prior practice experience? |
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| If yes, # of years? |
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| U.S. citizenship required? |
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| When after 12/1 should 1Ls apply? |
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| Split summers allowed? |
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| If yes, minimum weeks: |
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| 1Ls considered for interns? |
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| Comments: |
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Accept applications for the 2011 Summer Program from: |
| Joint degree students graduating in 2013 or later? |
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| Evening students graduating in 2013? |
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| Judicial Clerks? |
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| Students at non-US law schools? |
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What % of legal staff has been with the organization: |
| less than 2 years? |
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| 2-5 years? |
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| 6-10 years? |
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| more than 10 years? |
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Application Process: |
| Date applications first accepted for summer interns: |
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| Date applications first accepted for attorneys: |
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| Deadline for applications from summer interns: |
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| Deadline for applications from attorneys: |
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| Date offers are made to summer interns: |
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| Date offers are made to attorneys: |
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| Average length of hiring process (months) for summer interns: |
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| Average length of hiring process (months) for attorneys: |
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| Do you hire domestic LL.M.s? |
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| In what practice areas: |
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| Do you hire foreign LL.M.s? |
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| In what practice areas: |
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| When should LL.M.s submit applications? |
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| Preferred application materials: |
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| Hiring Criteria: |
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| We look for solid interpersonal skills; strong, consistent academic performance in undergraduate and law school; initiative, responsibility, judgement and achievement in life experiences and in past employment. Participation in moot court, law review or other extra-curricular activity is considered valuable. |
| ATTORNEY HOURS |
| Average annual associate hours worked: |
1869 (2008) |
1631 (2009) |
| Average annual associate billable hours: |
1644 (2008) |
1337 (2009) |
| Is there a minimum billable hour expectation? |
Y |
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| If "Yes", number: |
1700 |
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| Hours policy details: |
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| Is billable hour credit given for pro bono work? |
Y |
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| Is there a maximum that will be credited? |
N |
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| If yes, what? |
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| For bonus consideration, is a pro bono hour equivalent to a billable hour? |
Y |
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CLERKSHIP/CREDIT/SUPPLEMENTAL
COMPENSATION |
| Do you have a Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)? |
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| If yes, describe: |
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| Judicial Clerkship Bonus: |
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| Compensation/progression credit for judicial clerkship? |
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| Compensation/progression credit for other advanced degrees? |
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| Other Compensation: |
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| BENEFITS |
| Benefits: |
401(k)/IRA/Other Ret. Plan w/Employer Contribution
529 College Savings Plan
Bar Association Fees
Employee Assistance Program
Medical Insurance
Medical Spending Account
Parking/Transportation
Sick Leave
Vacation Leave |
| Benefit Package Comments: |
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| Medical, life and disability insurance; four weeks paid vacation; profit-sharing/401 (k) retirement plan; state and local bar dues; bar review course and bar exam fee; parking; cafeteria plan with medical expense reimbursement and dependant care; employee assistance program. |
| WORK/LIFE INFORMATION |
| Average weekly hours per attorney: |
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| Usual scheduled working day: |
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| Part-time allowed? |
Y |
| Part-time available to entry-level? |
Y |
| # of part-time associates: |
0 (m) 0 (w) |
| # of part-time partners/members: |
0 (m) 0 (w) |
| # of part-time other lawyers: |
3 (m) 0 (w) |
| Do you have a written part-time policy for associates? |
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| Do you have a written part-time policy for partners? |
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| What is the impact of working part-time as an associate, if any, on an associate's progression toward partner? |
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| Can an associate be promoted to partner while s/he is working on a part-time schedule? |
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| Can a partner work on a part-time schedule? |
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| Eligibility for alternative work schedules determined by: |
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| Paid non-medical parental leave? |
N |
| Comments: |
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| TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT |
| Coaching/mentoring program? |
Y |
| Evaluations: |
Annual |
| Upward reviews: |
Y |
| Professional development staff: |
N |
| Billable hours credit for training time: |
N |
| Rotation for junior associates between departments/practice groups? |
N |
| Is rotation mandatory? |
N |
| Comments: |
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| PARTNERSHIP DATA |
| Does the firm have two or more tiers of partner? |
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| If no, how many years is the partnership track? |
0 |
| If yes, how many years is the non-equity track? |
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| How many years is the equity track? |
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| Additional partnership progression information: |
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DIVERSITY RECRUITMENT & RETENTION
EFFORTS |
| Activities to increase the presence and retention of under-represented groups: |
| Minority job fairs: |
 |
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Bar sponsored Programs: |
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| Outreach to law student groups: |
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Firm Diversity Committee: |
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| Directed Mentoring Effors: |
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Rec. at schools w/ large min. pop.: |
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| Comments: |
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| CAMPUS INTERVIEWS |
| Selected Campuses: |
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| Job Fair/Corsortia Attended: |
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| CAMPUS INTERVIEWS FOR PRIOR YEAR |
| # of Schools Visited in 2009: |
0 |
| # of Job Fairs / Consortia Attended in 2009: |
0 |
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| PRO BONO INFORMATION |
| Pro Bono Contact Information |
| Pro Bono Contact: |
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| Title: |
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| Phone: |
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| Fax: |
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| Email: |
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| The information indicated here is: |
| Firm-wide: |
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Office Specific: |
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| %Firm Billable Hours last year: |
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| Average Hours per Attorney Last Year: |
Associates
Partners/Members
Other Lawyers
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| Participation last year: |
% Associates
% Partners/Members
% Other Lawyers
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| What percentage of attorneys performed more than 20 hours? |
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| What was the number of actual pro bono hours contributed by the organization in the prior calendar year?
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| Does the organization maintain a formal pro bono policy that sets forth the organization's commitment to pro bono? |
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How does the organization define what constitutes pro bono legal work?
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| Does the organization set annual goals regarding the minimum number of pro bono hours to be contributed by the organization? |
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| If yes, what is that annual goal? |
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| Does the organization set individual attorney goals regarding the minimum number of pro bono hours to be contributed? |
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| If yes, what is that annual goal? |
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| Is an attorney's commitment to pro bono activity considered a favorable factor in advancement and compensation decisions? |
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If yes, to what extent?
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| Are full-time support services (word processing, online research Lexis/Westlaw, out of pocket costs) available for pro bono representation? |
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If so, are there any limitations?
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| Are associates provided written evaluations of their work on pro bono matters? |
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| Does the organization employ one or more of the following structures to manage its pro bono program and to provide training and guidance to participating attorneys? |
| Full-time attorney in a dedicated pro bono coordination/oversight role |
| An attorney who coordinates pro bono projects as an ancillary duty to other work |
| Pro Bono Committee |
| Non-attorney administrator |
| Other: |
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How is pro bono work assigned/distributed?
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| If an attorney is permitted to bring a pro bono case
for possible consideration by the firm, who makes decisions about
whether the firm will handle the matter?
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| Pro Bono Coordinator |
| Pro Bono Committee |
| Department Chair |
| Other: |
| N/A |
| Does the organization provide any of the following to enable its attorneys to participate in pro bono activities or work in a public interest setting? (Check all that apply) |
| Externships |
| Sabbaticals |
| Fellowships |
| Part-time pro bono programs |
| Other |
| If so, please describe: |
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| Are pro bono opportunities available for summer associates? |
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| Additional comments (Please use this space to provide any additional information about your organization's pro bono program including any special recognition or awards the organization has received for its pro bono work.): |
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| What are some of the areas in which your firm has performed pro bono work in the past year? |
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| PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWSHIPS |
| Do you sponsor split public interest summer and/or post-graduate fellowships? |
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| Public Interest Fellowship Comments: |
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| NON - DISCRIMINATION POLICY |
| Non-Discrimination: |
| Hiring decisions are made without regard to race, sex, age, religion, color, national origin, marital status, height and weight or disability. |
| NARRATIVE |
Founded in 1868, Law Weathers has a long history of legal and community service. For more than 132 years, our attorneys have been leaders in the legal profession, in business and in the community. Among those who have practiced with our firm are former President Gerald Ford and his presidential legal counsel, Philip W. Buchen, as well as Julius Amberg, who was the second president of the State Bar of Michigan and served as counsel to Secretary of War Henry L. Simson during World War II.
Prompt and personal attention to our clients is our first priority. Law Weathers provides the talent of a full-service diversified law firm dedicated to providing superior service in a timely manner and at a reasonable cost.
Although our overriding goal is to maintain the highest quality standards, the firm's internal culture is collegial, and we strive to balance work with family time. We invest in our clients' and our community's future by encouraging our lawyers, legal assistants, and staff to participate in organizations which promote growth and development of the Grand Rapids area.
West Michigan's diversified economic base, strong work ethic, superior work force, and abundant natural resources provide the base for steady growth that has outpaced the rest of the state. The high quality of life is enhanced by good public, private and higher education facilities, reasonable cost of living, and varied summer and winter recreational activities. The active cultural community in Grand Rapids features symphony, opera, ballet, Broadway shows, and various arena events. Grand Rapids also features a wide array of sporting events including, minor league basketball, baseball, and hockey.
The summer associate program is one of the methods used to hire new associates. The program is designed to provide summer associates with experiences similar to those of a full-time associate. This approach helps both the summer associate and the firm make a more informed decision about hiring for full-time associate positions. Summer associates are invited to all summer firm functions.
All attorneys are encouraged to give at least one assignment to each summer associate. As a result, the associate has the opportunity to experience all practice areas and work with a variety of people. Summer associates prepare briefs, memoranda, and corporate documents, and participate in client meetings, and attend hearings and depositions. Work is assigned to summer associates directly by the attorney in charge of the project and the associate is responsible to that attorney for completion of the assignment. The attorneys who assign projects provide feedback throughout the summer to the Recruiting Committee. The Recruiting Committee monitors workloads and the type and source of all assignments. Also, at least one attorney is assigned as a mentor to each summer associate to provide individualized assistance.
We hope that this brief introduction to Law Weathers encourages you to consider speaking to our attorneys on campus or in Grand Rapids. Once you do, we are confident that you will be enthusiastic about pursuing your practice at Law Weathers.
For more information about Law Weathers please visit our website at www.lawweathers.com. Resumes are also accepted electronically and may be emailed to either RBuchanan@lawweathers.com or LHummel@lawweathers.com. |
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