Is there a difference with the younger associates? What do you see as their biggest concerns, fears, and requests? And what are they bringing and adding to the profession to make it stronger and better?

• Position: Q&A

HULSE: Millennials have just got a different work ethic. I don't think it's a poor work ethic, it's just different. We've seen a lot of people where quality of life is really important to them. They're going to work hard, but they're going to work different than we all grew up working. They want to be able to be on the ski lift for six hours, from 8:00 till 2:00, and then they're going to get off and they're going to work from 2:00 till midnight.

It's something we have to figure out because it's here and it's not going to go away. We've got to find meaningful ways to deal with it that are going to make them feel comfortable with what they're doing and not feel like there's some pejorative thing that comes along with work-life balance. Because that's important to them.

HARMAN: I got an e-mail yesterday from one of our associates. We recently adopted a policy for paternity leave that didn't exist when I had my kids. And this e-mail was so touching. He said, "The policy conveyed to me the firm's support of my decision to take some time off. And it turned out to be two of the best weeks of my entire life."

That simply wasn't thought of 20, 30 years ago. And it's really important to these younger people to have that experience with their families. As firms you need to come up with ways to help them feel like this is important, you respect me, and you want me to be happy. And I'll work as hard as I can for you. This associate here works his tail off. He's never missed a billable hour requirement in the seven years he's been with us. And for him to write this very lengthy e-mail to the board of directors telling them how appreciative he was really made me stop for a second and think maybe we need to do some more of these things.

ALDER: We need to better address the issue of the low percentage of women that practice law. It's in the 20 percent range. We need more women to practice law in the state of Utah. We don't have enough women on the bench. And, nationally, we're challenged. Other states are doing much better than we are. We need to make sure we're doing everything we can to take the women that do graduate from law school and give them a full career in law.

BATEMAN: Before my dealings now, I had my own boutique firm. We were half women in the firm. I had amazing women who worked for me, and it was because we had complete flexibility.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

One of my best associates is a stay-at-home mom who practices law starting about 6...