By JODI SOKOLOWSKI
Buffalo Law Journal

It is possible to have a social life outside of one's work life as a lawyer without compromising one's career. That's the goal for Generation Y - those born in the 1980s and 1990s - who value work-life balance more than making their careers their lives.

At 25, Craig Bucki is the youngest lawyer at Phillips Lytle LLP - and, likely, the youngest one in Buffalo. After graduating from Columbia Law School in 2006, he knew he could pick between making six figures in New York City while being tied to his job or returning to Buffalo to get the best of both worlds - a promising career and a social life.

Outside interests

Bucki said coming home, where he could live with his parents to more quickly pay off his student loans, was an easy decision. "Returning home made sense," he said.

While finances did play a major role in that decision, having the time and connections to get involved locally also was a factor. Bucki was actively involved in his mother's campaigns for Amherst Town Council, is a member of the Amherst Democratic Committee, sits on the board of the Kosciuszko Foundation, coaches Canisius High School's mock-trial team and serves on a New York State Bar Association committee that drafts fact patterns for high school mock-trial competitions.

Bucki's volunteering is not only a feel-good activity but good for his professional development as well.

"I think having that involvement gives me more dimensions as an attorney and enables me to meet new people who may someday be prospects or future clients for business," he said.

Both Bucki and Pietra Lettieri, a Harris Beach PLLC associate, said healthy work-life balance can easily be attained for Western New York lawyers because of the area's high quality of life and low cost of living.

"It's easier to do that in a city like Buffalo than the frantic pace of the larger cities," said Lettieri, who returned to her hometown after working in New York City right out of law school.

Lettieri, who, born in the 1970s, qualifies as a member of Generation X, said her firm is supportive of her volunteering - she's president of the University at Buffalo Law School's Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) Group and is a member of the Junior League of Buffalo - because it makes her a better attorney and an all-around better person.

"As long as my work is being done, I have that support to have a meeting here or leave early," she said. "If you have that support from your peers, it lays the foundation for a happier and more productive associate down the road."

Law firms here and across the country are reaching out to younger employees with recruiting and retention carrots ranging from paid PDA (personal digital assistant) service to intangible perks like flexible schedules, remote access and mentoring.

"It's more of the intangibles and the overall experience, because nowadays benefits (such as) retirement plans or health insurance are pretty standard things," Lettieri said. "There needs to be other things that differentiate firms."

Express yourself

Law firms are recognizing that young associates work best in collaborative environments.

"Our Gen-Y attorneys are among the hardest-working here at the firm," said Phillips Lytle managing partner David McNamara. "They come to us very much interested in being an active part of a team."

Young associates are more apt to give input and expect feedback in return.

"They're much more willing and more comfortable in expressing their views and asserting themselves," McNamara said.

At Phillips Lytle, Bucki said he's encouraged to express concerns and needs.

"If we have an issue with regards to scheduling or our workload, we're encouraged to come to our mentor," Bucki said.

Lettieri said that happens when young associates are brought into the fold right away and allowed "ownership" of cases.

"Even if it's part of a larger project that senior partners are working on, where you're brought into the client conversation, the more you feel part of the firm," she said. "It's a give and take."

So, when the Gen-Y associates give, they expect feedback to apply to their practice.

"I think your X's and Y's really want verbal recognition," said Stapell. "We take time for one-on-one dialogue or a two-second comment walking down the hall. This is important to these people. I think it's more valuable than the money."

Family matters

According to the Families and Work Institute, younger workers (Gen Y and Gen X) are more likely to be "family-centric" and less "work-centric" than baby boomers were.

While maternity leave is mandatory, some area firms go above and beyond by offering paternity leave, flexible or part-time schedules for new parents returning to work.

Lettieri does not yet have children, but said seeing how accommodating the firm is to mothers helped her choose the firm. "You might not need that starting out, but the fact that you might need that later on was a factor in looking for a firm," she said.

Phillips Lytle's Bucki also hopes to have a family someday, and wants a flexible schedule so he can spend more time with his family - unlike his father, federal Bankruptcy Court Judge Hon. Carl Bucki, who often worked nights and weekends in private practice when Craig was young.

"I believe that some of my younger colleagues, having seen that experience in their own families, have decided that more of a balance is what they want to pursue for their own lives," he said.

Technological advances

Technological tools can also help area firms lure young lawyers.

"That's the way we learned and how we came of age in terms of the information age," Lettieri said of PDAs and other handheld digital devices. "That's a given for us, and now that business operates 24-7, you need to be flexible."

Hodgson Russ pays for attorneys' PDA service if they buy the equipment themselves.

"Technology and the new generation's approach really go hand in hand," managing partner Gary Schober said. "Without technology, it would be much more difficult to be flexible."

What's my motivation?

Firms are accommodating Gen-Y employees' needs not only to attract and retain good staff, but for the greater good of the firm.

"It's hard to say we're doing it solely because of Generation Y; we're sort of doing it because the industry is moving in that direction," McNamara said.

Stapell said the firm "walks the talk" by finding out what motivates its young lawyers, then accommodating their values and objectives so they don't move on to other employers.

"Losing them is a very expensive proposition," Stapell said. "People need to be looked at individually, not in lockstep. People will have different skills and grow in different ways and should be recognized and rewarded in meaningful ways, not just by a paycheck."