Washington Lawyer - March/April 2025 - 20

FEATURE
" If you're being authentic and doing those things, people will give you
grace. "
FACILITATING KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
At Morrison & Foerster LLP, D.C. office managing partner Natalie Fleming
Nolen believes that senior attorneys' institutional knowledge is essential
for tackling cases and engaging with clients, but it's also crucial to have
fresh pairs of eyes in the mix.
" Having a whole bunch of different perspectives
at the table creates better ideas,
better results, and the ability to be more
innovative and more nimble and to think
about creative solutions that we might otherwise
not have understood before, " says
Nolen.
NATALIE NOLEN
Morrison & Foerster LLP
Morrison & Foerster embraces a culture of
knowledge sharing, Nolen says. Several senior
attorneys in the D.C. office previously
served in the government, bringing to the
firm their unique regulatory insights and
experience. On the other end of the spectrum
are younger attorneys with hands-on knowledge and experience
with new tech, Nolen says.
The firm is thoughtful about how it approaches these different cohorts,
encouraging a culture that allows for direct interactions between senior
and younger attorneys. Through its MoFo Navigate, a mentorship program,
attorneys are paired up and down as well as laterally, allowing
them to build stronger bonds and ensuring that everyone is growing in
their careers.
" Facilitating an environment where everyone feels that they can contribute
and are expected to contribute helps us to bring out the great ideas, "
says Nolen.
The firm is also proactive in training its practice groups, offering attorneys
many opportunities to stay current with the latest regulations and
legal developments. The D.C. office hosts monthly meetings where attorneys
can share information learned from conferences and outside
meetings, case updates, and more.
One challenge of a multigenerational firm is navigating the retirement of
an integral partner, Nolen says. Although Morrison & Foerster does succession
planning for its senior partners, passing their clients on to other
attorneys, the loss of generational knowledge is always felt. " I think we
try to train and build up the associates and partners that we have as best
as we can, but [with the] understanding that there are people who have
such a broad knowledge base [and] it's really hard to truly replace them, "
says Nolen.
In 2025 Morrison & Foerster is continuing its recently launched Parents +
Caregivers Network, an initiative that provides support and resources for
attorneys balancing work and parenting or caregiving responsibilities.
The network helps attorneys navigate demanding life issues, creating
more casual opportunities for connections and interactions. " I think it
helps to create a greater bond and a greater sense of commonality, even
across age groups or other differences, " says Nolen.
20 WASHINGTON LAWYER
* MARCH/APRIL 2025
INVESTING IN CONNECTIVITY
An advantage of a multigenerational firm is having many backgrounds
and life experiences under one roof, allowing for plenty of opportunities
for learning and growth, according to Richard Alexander, chair emeritus
of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP. " I've been practicing for 42 years,
and I'm learning every day from my colleagues, " says Alexander.
Alexander likens law firms to a guild or apprenticeship, where younger
lawyers are trained by senior attorneys who pass on their skills and
knowledge. But the practice is transforming, says Alexander, and law
firms need to be aware that each new generation has different expectations
and aspirations for their legal careers.
" We need to be attuned to what the next generation wants, " says
Alexander.
Among the firm's multiple mentoring programs is its Executive Leadership
Academy (APEX), where recent lateral hires and newly promoted
partners and counsel are guided by a more senior partner. APEX is designed
to provide participants with a safe environment for discussing
challenges, offering guidance and support, and addressing questions
related to this important transition time in their careers.
Following the pandemic, Alexander says there have been challenges
with hybrid work and the disruption of in-person collaboration, but firms
must champion a return to the office as a value proposition that benefits,
not hinders, attorneys.
Firms must also take advantage of new
technology like AI, be nimble, and keep
an eye toward new ideas and concepts,
Alexander adds.
Law firms can also build stronger bonds
with their attorneys, particularly junior associates,
by leaning in on their history and
culture, Alexander says. One of Arnold
& Porter's renowned attorneys was Abe
Krash, who worked on the team that represented
Clarence Gideon in the landmark
1963 U.S. Supreme Court case Gideon v.
Wainwright. Krash, then a junior lawyer at
the firm, assisted Abe Fortas, a partner on
the case. Alexander says the retired Krash was frequently invited back to
the firm to speak with attorneys about the importance of Gideon and the
firm's role in a watershed legal moment.
" I think using those opportunities to create the connectivity between
the generations is really important, " says Alexander.
RICHARD ALEXANDER
Arnold & Porter Kaye
Scholer LLP
Multigenerational firms should also take advantage of each generation's
expertise and perspective, says Alexander, noting that it's not a one-way
street. At Arnold & Porter, they're making " a decision to invest in us, and
we're making a decision to invest in them, " Alexander adds.
Jeffery Leon is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C.
McCarter & English attorneys, Jati Lindsay; Lisa M. Richman and Jocelyn Francoeur, courtesy of McDermott
Will & Emery; Natalie Fleming Nolen, courtesy of Morrison & Foerster; Richard Alexander, courtesy of Arnold
& Porter Kaye Scholer

Washington Lawyer - March/April 2025

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