Skip To The Main Content

Retention, Development and Advancement

Investing in the retention, development and advancement of our talent is paramount to the success of our lawyers and the Firm. Every year we devote additional DEI resources and develop new programs to ensure our lawyers are supported at each step of their professional development.

  • Mentoring: we firmly believe in the importance of mentoring throughout each stage of career development, and we know that each mentee has individual objectives from mentoring relationships. Our first year associates have the opportunity to opt into our Diversity Mentoring Program (DMP). As part of that initiative, partners serve as mentors to associates of color and LGBTQ associates, focusing on retention and career development. DMP mentors and mentees participate in a series of meetings with the DEI team to discuss mentoring goals and important factors when building relationships across difference. The goal is to help create and boost the interactions between mentee and mentors and build the foundation for longer and more meaningful relationships at an early stage of the associates’ careers. More than 200 associates have participated in the Program since its inception in 2016.
  • Practice Group and Office DEI Development Discussions: Practice Group heads, office leaders, staffing partners, Diversity and Women’s Committees Co-Chairs and representatives from the Legal Personnel and Diversity Departments meet semi-annually to focus on the career development of female, LGBTQ and associates of color across our offices. During these meetings, partners share information on the associates and counsel in their groups, including a performance overview, and suggestions for career development, training and advancement opportunities. Time is devoted to discussing associates and counsel at length to ensure they are performing well, have access to quality work and are not being overlooked. At the recommendation of the partners, the Firm can provide private internal or external coaching to these lawyers as further investment and continued commitment to our associates’ career development.
  • Biennial Diversity Leadership Conference: the Firm invites all diverse associates and counsel across our U.S. offices to attend our Diversity Leadership Conference. The Conference provides a valuable opportunity for lawyers attending to build relationships across offices and groups, including with Firm leadership.
  • Leadership Council for Legal Diversity (“LCLD”): Simpson Thacher is a member of LCLD and ranked as a “Top Performer” law firm by the organization because of our high level of DEI engagement. Since its establishment in 2009, we annually sponsor a diverse attorney to participate in the LCLD’s Fellows Program. The program complements internal development and advancement efforts, and provides Simpson’s diverse attorneys with career, leadership and client development opportunities. 
  • Associate Leadership Institute (ALI): for the past several years, we have sponsored mid-level associates to participate in ALI, an ABA award-winning series of high-level development trainings for mid-level and senior associates hosted by the New York City Bar Association.