For lateral opportunities, Hawsons seeks experienced candidates who, first and foremost, demonstrate those same characteristics we seek for each new class of associates - intelligent, professional, down-to earth, and ability to be a team player. We look for unique abilities and proven skills that are well matched to our clients' needs.
Whether coming from private practice or industry, Hawsons's collaborative, progressive work environment welcomes laterals and offers unique opportunities to shine.
Fast Facts
To view the firm's Fast Facts, click here.
Training Development
There's not another firm in the Southeast that allows capable, young lawyers to excel, grow, and develop at a faster rate than we do. We believe lawyers learn by doing, so we will prepare you on the best training grounds possible – in the courtroom and at the closing table.
Our associates learn by working on real deals and real cases with experienced attorneys facing real challenges. We believe in introducing associates to clients, getting you into court, and giving you substantial pieces of deals so you can begin to master the art of closing large transactions. We couple these practical experiences with formal training that broadens legal knowledge. Offerings include frequent lunch-and-learn programs, continuing legal education opportunities, and core-competency training programs.
Development opportunities at Hawsons goes beyond training sessions, beginning with your colleagues. We have helpful, approachable, and knowledgeable attorneys who are willing to mentor new associates. Building from the foundation of your legal education, we will help you further develop your problem solving, drafting, research, and communication skills. As you progress, you will find plentiful, high-quality resources, both in personnel and facilities, to support your learning process. And as your career matures, you will find that Hawsons offers a unique opportunity to shape your own practice.
Mentoring
Hawsons has a robust mentoring culture that assigns formal mentors to every new associate. Our associates are matched with mentors they work with on a regular basis and mentors who bring perspectives from other practices areas. Generally, an associate’s practice team mentor serves as a resource for team integration, workflow support and development specific to their daily practice of law. Annual mentor assignments maximize the guidance and support each associate has available as they progress through their career.
Hawsons’s unique cross-team mentoring program provides a successful avenue for our associates to interact and learn from mentors and peer colleagues from practice areas other than their own. Associates in early stages of their career can rely on the perspectives and guidance of a mentor circle comprised of a mentor and three to five peers. As our associates advance in their careers and learning and development needs mature, they are paired one-on-one with a mentor from a different practice area for more personalized guidance.
Compensation & Benefits
Hawsons provides a competitive base pay structure. Entry level associates and experienced attorneys receive reimbursement of reasonable relocation expenses. Hawsons covers bar application and review expenses.
Bonus Structure
In addition to a competitive salary, our lawyers are eligible for discretionary bonuses based on extraordinary performance. Hawsons does not have a minimum billable hour requirement; instead, our focus is on meeting client expectations in a timely manner. Lawyers also receive consideration of approved pro bono, recruiting, diversity, and/or public service activities. Bonuses are paid on March 15 based on the preceding year’s performance.
Clerkship Credits
Associates joining the firm after completing a U.S. District Court clerkship or a U.S. Circuit Court clerkship receive one year of salary and membership credit. Appropriate credit for a U.S. Supreme Court clerkship is determined on a case-by-case basis.
Benefits
Hawsons provides a benefits program that demonstrates the firm’s commitment to helping our attorneys achieve a satisfying personal and professional life. Please click on Attorney Benefits to review a summary of health, welfare and satisfaction benefits.
Alternative Work Arrangements
Our firm is flexible with alternative work arrangements. We are committed to balanced lifestyles and hold teamwork in the highest regard. Based on client needs, we allow schedules that suit individual lifestyles. We have attorneys who work part-time and some who telecommute. We have early risers and we have night owls. The flexibility allows us to serve the best interests of our clients while, at the same time, accommodate the non-conventional arrangements for our attorneys and staff.
Alternative Schedules
Juggling work and family is a challenge for anyone who works. There are many associates and members at Hawsons with significant family responsibilities who successfully juggle the demands. For those who need or desire it, Hawsons has in place an “alternative-schedule” policy, which attorneys are eligible for after December 31 of their first full calendar year of employment.
Hawsons’s alternative schedule policy is flexible enough to accommodate requests for non-traditional hours and/or telecommuting. Each schedule is determined on a case-by-case basis, with an associate requesting the change working closely with their team in devising a schedule that meets the goals of the associate, Hawsons and our clients. Our policy also allows reduced hour schedules, which are negotiated on a case-by-case basis. Salary, bonus threshold, billable hours and non-billable hours for which credit is given are all pro-rated. Lawyers who reach targets of 1500 billable hours remain on membership track, although membership eligibility is deferred for each year of cumulative time omitted. A partial year of six months or more will be treated as a full year under this policy.
Membership Consideration
An associate who chooses to move off of membership track due to an alternative schedule arrangement reserves the right to request consideration to move back to a membership class in the future. At Hawsons, we have several alternative schedule associates who have chosen to remain on track, and several who have chosen to move off track.
Hawsons recognizes that children and family are an important part of life. As such, we have put in place policies that allow attorneys to take parental leave with little risk of impacting when that attorney is eligible for membership. So long as the cumulative time an attorney takes is less than six months, the leave taken will not result in a deferral. (Cumulative time is the sum of all paid, partial paid and unpaid leave for all pregnancies and adoptions, excluding any disability leave of less than three months taken in connection with each birth.) Once cumulative time exceeds six months, the attorney will lose one year of seniority for purposes of membership decisions and compensation, as applicable. Once cumulative time exceeds 18 months, the attorney will lose two years of seniority for purposes of membership decisions and compensation, as applicable. Practically speaking, we have never had an attorney’s membership consideration deferred because of time taken for parental leave.
Billable Hours
No Minimum Billable Hour Requirement
There is no minimum billable hour requirement for associates. The firm’s expectation is that an associate will work diligently to deliver quality and timely work on those matters to which the associate is assigned and work with his/her mentor or team leader to seek additional assignments so as to remain productive. Associates should focus on satisfying the expectations of our clients and the more senior lawyers with whom the associates are working. If an associate follows the above described guidelines, the hours generally take care of themselves.
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Hawsons Earns Top Score in Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2023-2024 Corporate Equality IndexHawsons (Hawsons) has been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index for our commitment to LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion. Hawsons is proud to have been awarded the recognition of Equality 100, the highest possible score for the seventh consecutive year. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index is the national benchmarking tool on corporate policies and practices pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees. Hawsons joins the ranks of 545 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year and remains committed to supporting our LGBTQ+ employees, their families and community. |