Law360 Article Explores the Gibson Dunn New Associate Pods Program

In the Media  |  May 30, 2025

Law360 Pulse

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Gibson Dunn’s New Associate Pods program, which has small groups of new associates in the same practice across different offices meeting once or twice a month with a professional development coach to brainstorm ideas and exchange personal experiences, is the subject of the Law360 Pulse article “Gibson Dunn Helps 1st-Year Associates Connect With ‘Pods.’”

Orange County associate Jonathan Ray and Ryan DuBose, director of professional development and one of six coaches who run the pods, describe how all first-year associates in the firm’s U.S. offices have participated in the virtual program since it was launched in 2020 during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic — over 800 associates to date.

Ryan says the program originated from a desire to ensure that associates could make connections, meet people, and access information and resources while working in different offices. “It was such a success that we’ve just continued it ever since.”

Jonathan adds that, as a new associate, “hearing from other people who were going through that exact same transition in a different part of the country was hugely beneficial, because it allowed me to normalize successes, normalize challenges and really feel integrated and connected at an early stage.”

The New Associate Pods program also involves a lot of one-on-one confidential coaching and professional development with the six coaches, all of whom previously practiced law at big firms.

Read the article, “Gibson Dunn Helps 1st-Year Associates Connect With ‘Pods’,” in Law360 Pulse [PDF].