Bert Brannen, who heads Fisher & Phillips' Atlanta office, realized during the year-end review period seven years ago that his office's most promising midlevel associates were at risk of not making partner, even though they were doing great work and billing enough hours. The problem was that they didn't have any business of their own.

Brannen started the firm's Associate Business Program, designed to help associates build a book of business needed to make partner at the firm. The program includes a monthly meeting with Brannen to go over tactics and goals, and the firm reports it has been very successful.

Brannen also has helped create the State Bar of Georgia's Labor & Employment Mentorship Academy, in which he and other L&E lawyers help inexperienced lawyers outside of their firms.

We asked Bert to answer a couple of questions about mentorship.

Who was one of your most-important mentors, and what was that relationship like?

Michael Carlos, a client. He was a tireless worker and expected the best out of me. At the same time, he was generous and supportive. He taught me to be client-focused, problem-solving and responsive. Plus, he taught me practical skills like managing risks, writing for businesspeople and negotiating.

What is the biggest challenge to maintaining a mentor-mentee relationship?

The pressure on lawyers to generate billable hours never ends. Mentoring is not billable, and there is constant friction between that nonbillable time and billable time. The mentor and mentee must remember that development that comes from a mentoring relationship has substantial long-term benefits for the lawyers and their firms.