hillips Lytle recognizes that the retention of talented lawyers involves three steps: give them the tools and opportunities they need to grow professionally; support a balance between their work and personal lives; and effectively evaluate their work.

Phillips Lytle is accredited by the New York State Continuing Legal Education Board as a provider of continuing legal education to attorneys. In 2000, we created a program that allows our Associates to learn from highly skilled attorneys within the firm and within our clients’ in-house legal departments. In 2004, we constructed an in-house courtroom in our Buffalo office. Equipped with state-of-the-art electronics, this courtroom (the only one in Western New York) helps us prepare for multimedia courtroom presentations as well as stage mock witness examinations in a realistic setting.

In addition to supplying the best professional resources, we are committed to promoting a balance between work and personal life. Since 1995, for example, Phillips Lytle has given Partners and Associates with children the opportunity to work part-time. We also offer paid maternity and paternity leave (in addition to disability) following the birth, adoption, or placement in foster care of a child. We also have a discretionary leave policy that provides unpaid leave for reasons unrelated to medical issues, maternity, or paternity.

Finally, Phillips Lytle maintains a committee to run its Associate Evaluation Program. In 2003, the firm enhanced this program and adopted the ABA Fair Measure Toward Effective Attorney Evaluations, sponsored by the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession. The ABA Fair Measure protocol supports the promotion of women Associates.