Working at Burch, Porter & Johnson
Recruiting & Lawyer Development | Summer Associate Program | Diversity | Specialization | Ethical Standards | Resources | Pro Bono Work & Outside Activities
Recruiting and Lawyer Development
Burch, Porter & Johnson actively recruits and seeks to employ the most talented and capable lawyers, and to provide the responsibility, opportunity and support necessary for them to develop into exceptional attorneys and citizens. The firm invites applications from law students nationwide. The firm also actively recruits judicial clerks, and employs more than a dozen attorneys with federal or state clerkship experience.
For more information or to express interest in a summer or permanent position as an attorney at the firm, please email the firm at recruiting@bpjlaw.com or write to Joshua B. Lawhead, the chairperson of the firm’s Recruiting Committee.
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Summer Associate Program
Burch, Porter & Johnson’s Summer Associate Program is integral to the firm's recruiting and hiring efforts. The program is intended to provide prospective attorneys the opportunity to work closely with members and associates on a variety of matters, and to provide a realistic view of work as an associate at the firm.
Summer associates typically perform research and writing projects under the supervision of members of the firm, and are given the opportunity to participate in the various facets of law practice by attending client meetings, court appearances, depositions, closings, and the like. In addition to providing its summer clerks an educational experience, the Summer Associate Program also includes social events and outside-the-office experiences to foster interaction with all of the lawyers in the firm in more informal settings, including an annual reception for all summer associates and interns working in the Memphis legal community.
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Diversity
Burch, Porter & Johnson is committed to promoting diversity, and recognizes that individuals of varying races, cultures, and backgrounds offer varying perspectives that both enhance the workplace and improve client service. The firm’s commitment to diversity is reflected in its active recruitment efforts to qualified minority applicants, and in the support its attorneys offer to numerous community organizations. The firm has a Diversity Committee whose mission is not only to assist with recruiting efforts, but also to promote the firm’s objectives within the workplace. Burch, Porter and Johnson encourages applications from all persons regardless of their race, sex, religion, age, disability or national origin.
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Specialization
Beginning lawyers are encouraged to identify their talents and interests and to choose the extent to which they wish to specialize within the litigation or transactional areas of the practice. Beginning lawyers typically work on matters in a number of areas, becoming involved in projects at their inception and follow through to their conclusion.
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Ethical Standards
All lawyers are expected to perform their work at a level of excellence and to devote their greatest energies to the practice of law and the improvement of legal skills. All are expected to maintain the high levels of performance and ethical standards for which Burch, Porter & Johnson is known in the legal community.
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Resources
Experienced lawyers are a valuable resource for beginning associates, who from their first day have substantial client contact and responsibility. It is expected that every lawyer in the firm will occasionally need the counsel and advice of other lawyers in the firm, and all of the firm's members are available to discuss any pending matter or problem.
Beginning associates are given great freedom in handling cases and are expected to seek assistance when they need it. Associates are encouraged to develop clients and are given the time and help necessary to serve their clients' needs.Beginning associates work with members in the litigation or business sections of the firm, and the members are responsible for assigning associate work and reviewing associate performance.
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Pro Bono Work & Outside Activities
All lawyers in the firm are encouraged to provide pro bono legal services and to participate in outside activities. The firm's lawyers contribute a portion of their time to local pro bono panels and other pro bono work. All of the firm's lawyers, including beginning associates, are encouraged to become active in political, civic, cultural, social and/or charitable activities.
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