Richard Hays Discusses Lateral Loyalty in American Lawyer

Richard Hays, managing partner-elect, discussed Alston & Bird’s management of new laterals in an article titled “Signing a Star Prospect is Just the Beginning: Integration and Retention are the Real Challenges,” in the November issue of American Lawyer. In the article, which noted that the firm is “one of five law firms ranked as one of Fortune's '100 Best Companies to Work For' for 2007,” Richard pointed out that, “So much of what we do is relationship-driven. So the stronger those relationships are, the stronger we are as a partnership.” The article also pointed out that the firm sponsors special events to introduce lateral partners and increase the visibility of their practices, Richard observed that, “We want to make sure that our lateral partners are seen and heard from as quickly as possible. Lots of opportunities come out of these get-togethers.”