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Erik: Why is it important for law firms to engage their alumni and create a positive
alumni experience?
James: Every lawyer has a different experience in his or her working environment no matter
what it is, whether it is a law firm, whether it is government, whether court system what
have you. It is imperative that those organizations, law firms and otherwise, recognize that everybody’s
experience different, good and bad, can contribute to how lawyers going forward can craft their
particular practice and develop and contribute to the organization going forward. So by maintaining
networks, alumni, encouraging those individuals to be part of the organization going forward,
whether it be from social perspective or professional perspective maintains consistency, draws in
a desire to be part of that organization, and contribute to the people that are coming
in as first year lawyers or people that are looking to develop business as fifth year
lawyers. Having those contacts if you will outside of that particular environment but
who recognize and know that environment is I think in many respects a natural and comfortable
way in maintaining continuity if you will.
Erik: How has that come full circle with you with regard to you coming back finding ways
to interact with Jones Day as well as Proskauer Rose?
James: Well, interestingly, whether it be through relationships I formed with lawyers
that I started practicing with, lawyers with whom I formed friendships, professional respect,
I call on them. Whether it be for purposes of understanding what is going on in the marketplace,
whether it be picking their brains on particular areas of expertise that they may have, understanding
whether or not a particular employment situation may be the type of scenario that would be
good not just simply for them but for people they know in the community and expanding the
network beyond me and including people they may know, thereby casting as wide of a net
as possible.