Pros
There are plenty of reasons why people work here their entire lives. Opportunities are rich at Hodgson Russ. You have the ability to move up and really build professional connections throughout the building. The initial training provided is excellent. It’s hard to grasp it all, but it’s really good. The subsequent lunch and learns are also a great resource to brush up on skills. The compensation and benefits provided by the firm are very competitive. I would not be surprised if the benefit packages are the best offered among all the law firms in the Buffalo area. The work is interesting and although the workload can be overwhelming at times, there is a great sense of work/life balance if you are part of the staff.
Cons
While the initial training is great, some departments need to train their paralegals and associates in the actual work done in their department. By not providing adequate training, you’re setting them up to fail and it causes difficulty in retaining top talent. Their are also some attorneys (very few) that treat their staff terribly and go through a scary amount of secretaries in a short amount of time. It is known throughout the firm who these individuals are, but nothing is done to correct that behavior. It’s unfortunate because you lose good people by not addressing these issues.