Students: This questionnaire supplements the NALP Law Firm Questionnaire. For a complete picture of the employer, students should refer to the NALP Law Firm Questionnaire, this questionnaire, the employer’s website and brochures. Students are also urged to contact their law school's career service office for additional resources that may be on file.
Note: For simplicity, the form uses the terms associate and partner. Organizations that do not use these titles should define associates as junior/mid-level attorneys and partners as senior/managing attorneys.
2005 NALP WORKPLACE QUESTIONNAIRE
Organization: U.S. Postal Service
Address: 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, DC 20260-1149
Telephone: 202-268-3082
This questionnaire reflects information for: □ one office only ■ multiple offices
Office size (attys) completing questionnaire: □ 2-10 □ 11-25 □ 26-50 □ 51-100 ■101-250
□ 251-500 □ 501+
Questionnaire completed by: Elisa L. Edwards
Title: Administrative Coordinator
Date Completed: August 9, 2005
Website address: www.usps.com/lawdept/
Associate Training, Development and Diversity
1. What are some of the types of training and professional development opportunities your organization offers?
(Check all that apply)
■ In-House training programs ■ Trial advocacy training
■ External firm-paid seminars ■ Observation opportunities
■ Continuing Legal Education (CLE) □ Practice group training
■ Organized/formal mentor program □ Retreats
□ Other:
2. What roles do partners/senior attorneys play in the training of attorneys? (Check all that apply)
□ Presenters ■ Supervise projects
■ Develop/design training programs □ One-on-one training
■ Mentoring □ Other:
3. Does your organization have a formal evaluation program in place? ■ Yes □No
Comment box:
4. Would you describe the evaluation program as: (Check all that apply)
□ Top down □ Peer review
□ Bottom up □ 360 degree
□ Attorney self-evaluation □ Partner review
■ Annual □ Semi-annual
□ Other:
5. What activities is your organization involved in to increase the presence and retention of under-represented groups (e.g., ethnic minorities, women, gays, lesbians) within the ranks of attorneys?
□ Please see NALP Law Firm Questionnaire ■ Recruitment at schools with large minority enrollment
■ Participation in minority job fairs □ Participation in bar sponsored programs
■ Outreach to law school student groups □ Involvement of employer committees
□ Directed mentoring efforts □ Other:
Comment box:
Associate Compensation and Benefits
6. Associate base salary (excluding bonuses) is determined by:
□ A set lock-step system (same base salary for each class year)
□ A combination lock step and merit system
□ A lock-step system with variable component (range per class year)
■ A merit system
□ Other:
7. If not strictly a set lock-step system, what criteria are used to determine associate base salaries (excluding bonuses)?
(Check all that apply)
□ Hours billed □ Pro bono hours
■ Quality of work □ Business development
■ Overall contribution (e.g., recruiting activities, internal firm committees)
□ Other:
8. Has your organization offered annual bonuses to eligible associates in the past five years? □Yes ■ No
Comment box:
9. What factors are used to determine the amount of an associate's bonus? (Check all that apply) N/A
□ Hours billed □ Pro bono hours
□ Quality of work □ Business development
□ Overall contribution (e.g., recruiting activities, internal firm committees)
□ Other:
10(a). Are same sex domestic partners afforded the same benefits as spouses of attorneys? □Yes ■ No
If not, what (if any) benefits are provided to same sex domestic partners?
10(b). Are opposite sex domestic partners afforded the same benefits as spouses of attorneys? □Yes ■ No
If not, what (if any) benefits are provided to opposite sex domestic partners?
Parental Leave/ Family Care: benefits offered in addition to those provided by the FMLA.
11. Does your organization have a written parental leave or family care policy? □Yes ■ No
If you answer yes to number 11, please answer questions 12 - 14.
Comment box:
12(a).How many weeks of paid parental leave do:
Female attorneys receive? Male attorneys receive?
12(b). Have one or more attorneys made use of your parental leave policy in the last 12 months? □Yes □ No
12(c). Are attorneys currently utilizing this benefit? □Yes □No
13. Does your parental leave or family care policy include adoptions? □Yes □No
Comment box:
14. Does your parental leave or family care policy cover children/dependents of:
same sex domestic partners? □Yes □No
opposite sex domestic partners? □Yes □No
Comment box:
15. Does your organization offer a flexible spending account for:
dependent care? ■ Yes □No □ N/A
& health care? ■ Yes □No □ N/A
Comment box:
16. Does your organization offer use of a childcare facility? □Yes ■ No
Is the facility for emergency use only? □Yes □No ■ N/A
Is the facility on site? □Yes □No ■ N/A
Comment box:
Alternative Work Options
17. Does your organization have a written alternative work option policy (e.g., part-time, flex-time)? ■ Yes □No
Comment box:
18. Does your organization allow:
Job Sharing (two or more persons sharing one position) □Yes ■ No □ Case-by-Case
How many associates are currently participating in a job sharing arrangement? How many partners?
Flex-Time (working a full-time schedule with flexible hours) ■ Yes □ No □ Case-by-Case
How many associates are currently working under a flex-time arrangement? How many partners?
Telecommuting (working remotely one or more days per week) ■ Yes □ No □ Case-by-Case
How many associates are currently working under a telecommuting arrangement? How many partners?
Part-time Schedule (working less than a full-time schedule) ■ Yes □ No □ Case-by-Case
How many associates are currently working a part-time schedule? How many partners?
Other:
19. What determines eligibility for alternative work status? (Check all that apply)
■ Case-by-Case
■ & Minimum time with employer Minimum time required? 2 years
□ Level of legal experience Level of experience required?
■ Other: Merit Rating
20. Is there a minimum percentage of full-time hours that a part-time attorney must work?
■ Yes □ No □ Case-by-Case If you answered yes, what is the minimum? 24 hours
Comment box:
21. Are attorneys who work part-time and exceed their agreed upon part-time hours compensated in some manner for the additional hours? □ Yes ■ No □ Case-by-Case
If so, how are they compensated? □ Salary adjustment □ Bonus consideration □ Other:
Comment box:
22. Are attorneys who work alternative schedules given bonus consideration? N/A
Job Sharing □Yes □No □Case-by-Case
Flex-Time □Yes □No □Case-by-Case
Telecommuting □Yes □No □Case-by-Case
Part-time Schedule □Yes □No □Case-by-Case
Other:
Comment box:
23. In the past five years, have attorneys made partner who have worked or are currently working alternative schedules with your organization? □Yes □No □No one eligible N/A
Comment box:
Pro Bono Policies and Practices
24. Through what internal means do attorneys learn about and/or are assigned pro bono cases? (Check all that apply)
■ Circulated memorandum ■ Circulated email
■ Pro bono coordinator □ Pro bono committee
□ Random assignment □ Other:
25. If an associate is interested in a particular kind of pro bono work in which your organization is not currently engaged, is the associate free to bring in the work for consideration for possible representation by the firm?
□Yes □No N/A
Comment box:
26(a). Is billable hour credit given for pro bono work? □ Yes □ No ■ N/A
Is there a maximum that will be credited? □ Yes □ No ■ N/A
Comment box:
26(b). For bonus consideration, is a pro bono hour equivalent to a billable hour? □Yes □No ■ N/A
27. What percentage of attorneys participated in pro bono activities in your firm last year? N/A
Associates? Of Counsel/others? Partners?
Additional Information
Space below is provided for additional information your organization may like to share about policies, benefits, work/life initiatives, and other programs that are not described on the NALPForm or this Workplace Questionnaire.