My Herrick Story: Kyle J. Kolb

Kyle J. Kolb | kkolb@herrick.com | 212 592 1514

What was it about Herrick that enticed you to join the firm?

Beyond Herrick’s strong reputation as a high-caliber mid-sized firm, I was particularly intrigued to learn that the Firm was focused on enhancing its complex financial litigation capabilities. That fit well with my existing clients and experience. And the growth of this group (the Restructuring and Finance Litigation Group) seemed like an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.

The people are also ultimately what really attracted me to Herrick. There was a real sense of camaraderie among the lawyers and cohesiveness across the practices. This was demonstrated by the broad mix of lawyers that I met throughout the interview process. It was clear this mindset was a core part of the Firm’s culture and went beyond just the recruiting process—this is how Herrick approaches client service, business development and marketing, professional development, and beyond.

How is Herrick supporting you in your professional growth and development?

The partners at Herrick are truly invested in the development and growth of the junior lawyers at the Firm. They have also prioritized ensuring that I am part of that process too, which I have always enjoyed. We have a formal mentorship program which provides each associate or counsel with a dedicated partner who provides ongoing support throughout the year. There is an emphasis on business development and marketing at an early stage—something I had not seen before but found refreshing and energizing—and our lawyers are actively involved in business development at all levels. The partners at Herrick have also actively encouraged my own business development activities and bringing in new clients and matters to the Firm.

The partners not only commit real resources and time to training and mentoring the team but also provide opportunities for junior lawyers to play more active and central roles in client matters. For example, in my short time here our group has already dedicated entire days to bringing in outside experts that provided intensive and hands-on training on deposition and brief writing skills that has quickly reaped dividends. As another example, in an important dispute before the Court during discovery, a junior associate argued the matter due to his mastery of the case, and the partners were quick to applaud his success throughout the Firm.

How is Herrick unlike other firms?

Herrick has combined the formal training and sophistication of “Big Law” firms, with a high level of focused mentoring and hands-on experience that is hard to surpass at any sized firm.

Another example of Herrick’s uniqueness that appealed to me given my interest in e-discovery is that, while Herrick is mid-sized, the Firm invests in litigation support resources on par with larger firms. The Litigation team has access to the latest e-discovery tools that create significant efficiencies when managing litigation or investigations matters. This ultimately translates to not only sophisticated approaches to discovery management but also cost savings for clients.