The SPIRIT Top Performer Model™

The SPIRIT Top Performer Model™ reflects our focus on legal excellence and stakeholder leadership.

Subject matter expertise and technical skills
Pipeline investment
Investment in career development
Resilience and grit
Impact on firm and clients
Team play and collaboration

Subject matter expertise and technical skills

At the core of top performance are strong legal skills and subject matter expertise. We are looking for Associates who demonstrate that they are on a developmental trajectory directed to current technical excellence and future subject matter expertise.

Pipeline Investment

At each stage of their careers, top performers “lift as they climb”, mindful that they have a responsibility for making a meaningful and continuous investment in talented individuals in the pipeline.

Investment in career development

Top performers recognize that their firm makes significant investments in creating early Career Opportunities and understand that such investments are predicated on an expectation that Associates self invest at high levels. In addition to “hard work”, top performers take specific steps to invest in their own career development.

Resilience and Grit

Grit, defined as passionate perseverance in the pursuit of a long-term goal, is a characteristic seen in all top performers. All top performers demonstrate resilience in the face of challenge. Moreover, grit and resilience have been shown to be strong predictors of long term achievement in challenging professional environments.

Impact on firm and clients

Accumulated technical skills and expertise are most valuable when they are directed to the strategic needs of the law firm and client. Top performers understand how to impact the outcomes that matter to firm and client.

Team play and collaboration

World class legal services are delivered by individuals who function effectively as team members. Moreover, Associates who earn their way onto key client teams are generally in the pathway of the challenging work that fuels professional growth.

The Regional and National Selection Committees will evaluate candidates by applying our SPIRIT Top Performer Model™ to their review of the Partner Nomination Form and Candidate Application Form.

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