WORDS FROM THE WISE
Marty Ellin
Executive Director of
Atlanta Volunteer
Lawyer’s Foundation
Christina McCoy
Counsel for Calero
With Thanksgiving and the Holi-
day season upon us, the Editorial
Board posed questions to a diverse
group of Atlanta Bar leaders and
members seeking their advice on
leading a team of junior associ-
ates and support staff and showing
gratitude for them. We posed the
following questions to:
Marty Ellin, Executive Director of
Atlanta Volunteer Lawyer’s Foun-
dation; Christina McCoy, coun-
sel for Calero; Melissa Redmon,
Deputy District Attorney and Di-
rector of the Public Integrity Unit,
Fulton County District Attorney’s
Office; and, Ryan Walsh, partner
at Jones Day and Vice-President/
President-Elect of the Atlanta Bar
Association.
1)
As a partner or senior at-
torney, what are some tips and
advice for building the best work-
ing relationship with your staff?
26
November 2018
Melissa Redmon
Deputy District Attorney and
Director of the Public Integrity
Unit, Fulton County District
Attorney’s Office
Marty Ellin: Work harder than ev-
eryone else. Work with your office
door open, so you can model a
good work ethic. But don’t stay in
your room - go through the office
and connect with the people- your
staff - on whom the success of the
operation truly depends. Know the
people you work with, and don’t
be afraid to be known by them!
Christina McCoy: Building rela-
tionships with colleagues is im-
perative. Tips that work for me
are: (1) Always be respectful of
all employees regardless of title
or position within the company;
(2) try to maintain an open door
policy; (3) schedule a cadence for
updates; and (4) have employees
responsible for their own projects.
Melissa Redmon: Everyone needs
to work together towards a com-
mon goal. It should not be a “you
work for me” relationship. The
workers become much more pro-
Ryan Walsh
partner at Jones Day and
Vice-President/President-
Elect of the Atlanta Bar
Association
active if it’s their case too, which
in turn helps productivity with
the next case.
Ryan Walsh: People tend to work
harder and more effectively when
they’re working with people who
they respect and enjoy working
with. In short, they feel like a part
of a team when focused on a goal.
Make sure to show your apprecia-
tion and treat your staff as partners
on the team – not as someone to
do your bidding.
2)
What is your advice for
newer associates or younger law-
yers in working with more senior
support staff?
Marty Ellin: First, listen. Then
work very hard to do what you
have been asked to accomplish.
Show them your best, but do not
be afraid to let them know when
you need help. Smart senior staff is
invested in your success- it inures