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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 21 N OV E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 7 F O C U S L AW says. "So it was a natural expansion for us and it opened new opportunities." e Portland offi ce opened with three attorneys. Now it's at 15. Support staff , like paralegals, has grown as well. Earlier this year, Eaton Peabody leased larger space at 100 Middle St. in Portland, moving from One Portland Square. e fi rm's new digs "gives us a little more breathing room and lets us think about what we want to do in the future," Austin says. e Portland offi ce meant new opportunities, adding "strength on strength." " at means there are people who do what we do now in our practice, so it's an opportunity to align ourselves with additional professionals who share our vision and values," he says. It has also been an opportunity to look at new areas of practice. e most recent example is the expansion of an employee benefi ts practice — a niche waiting to be fi lled. " ere are few people in that prac- tice area," Austin says. "But it's incred- ibly important to our clients and it's becoming increasingly complex. ere's a lot of need and few truly sophisticated practitioners in that area." Recruitment Eaton Peabody hasn't found it diffi cult to recruit lawyers. But there's defi nitely a focus on pulling in younger lawyers. " ey're our future, so I'd like to invest as much as we can in their careers," Austin says. "When we pres- ent an off er to someone who is 25 years old — 'We want you to become a partner and be here the rest of your career' — they're not thinking like that at their age. So we want to make this a place where they really do want to practice. We want to provide challeng- ing work where they feel motivated on a daily basis, and feel like they're being mentored and being listened to in terms of how they want to grow their careers and eventually become a stake- holder or partner." e fi rm provides economic incen- tives on a case-by-case basis, depending on position. More important, he says, are mentor- ships and associate development programs that help new attorneys pursue their own paths. Austin credits the University of Maine School of Law for drawing potential attorneys to Maine, and the Maine lifestyle for retaining them. " ere are a number of people who attended Maine Law who might not have intended to live and stay in Maine, but fi gured out quickly that this is great place and stayed on for the long term," he says. "A lot of people have made the conscious decision that they want a little diff erence pace, but also to have the ability to maintain a pretty sophisticated practice." Austin hints there will be further developments in the future with regard to the Portland offi ce. In the meantime, he says, "We have wonderful profes- sionals who have aligned with us, some at the end of their career but providing incredible advice, particularly to younger attorneys. And we have younger attor- neys coming on, full of energy. It's a good combination." L S, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached at @ . Attorneys and tech T echnology is changing the profession, due both to new methods of communica- tion and new law-specifi c software programs, writes Haley Altman for Law360. At Eaton Peabody, President and Managing Partner David Austin says high- speed communications means clients and colleagues expect instantaneous responses. That doesn't always sync with reality. "As lawyers, a lot of the things we deal with are complex. They require a lot of thought and research," he says. "It doesn't necessarily lend itself to instant response. But that's become the expectation in the marketplace. And you have media that are evolving with whole new generations. Staying attuned to that is important for a law fi rm. How do clients and business owners of the next generation want to communi- cate? What information is valuable to them, and how do they get it? We've invested heavily in individuals who understand that emerging technology." "Identifying the best technology for a legal practice is often a challenge, espe- cially for solo attorneys or smaller fi rms," says Angela Weston, executive director of the Maine State Bar Association. "Not all, but many of our older solos don't know all the newer technology that is now available to help with the practice of law." That can include anything from social media vehicles, online research and discovery tools, billing software, and cybersecurity to ensure confi dential fi les aren't hacked. The bar association offers technology programs to help attorneys stay up-to-date. 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