Amid the so-called Great Resignation and a feverish associate hiring market, Cozen O'Connor has reported associate turnover has fallen from 16% to around 10%, and the firm wanted to find out what was convincing attorneys to stick around. Law.com business of Law reporter Dan Roe spoke to Mindy Herczfeld, Cozen's chief legal talent officer, about the firm's effort to conduct stay interviews with 100 associates across 19 offices.

Herczfeld said the interviews, conducted in person or by Zoom, revealed about two-thirds of two-year associates said the top reason they wanted to stay at the firm was because of the people. Overwhelmingly, the participants said they felt connected with the people they work with, even during the pandemic. Herczfeld said she thinks that sentiment is due in part to a return to in-person events, such as an upcoming all-firm retreat. Still, the talent expert noted that the results could be different for attorneys hired during the pandemic, a group that is the next target for the stay interviews.