Brad Vynalek Writes About Firm Efforts to Nurture Innovation Among Associates in Article for ABA Journal
In an article for the ABA Journal, Quarles & Brady President Brad Vynalek wrote about a project the firm has undertaken to encourage creativity and innovation among its associates.
Project Rocky, inspired by the nimble and anticipatory mindset of Vynalek’s dog, launched in 2020 and has brought together groups of associates to discuss and develop innovative new business development ideas. In addition to the idea generation, Project Rocky has given participating associates the opportunity to connect and build relationships with colleagues across the firm with whom they might not normally work.
An excerpt from the article:
As the pandemic was upending life and work across the globe, we saw an opportunity to bring together a small cohort of our talented associates to leverage that same nimble and innovative approach. This gave rise to “Project Rocky,” a microincubator program aimed at giving associates room to develop leadership skills, foster creative thinking and facilitate collaboration with colleagues in different locations and practice areas.
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If this all sounds like a departure from typical law firm culture—top-down, risk-averse, bound by tradition and driven by committees—well, that’s the point. We wanted this project to be inspiring, nonbureaucratic and provide a call to action. At the same time, the people who are often most successful in big law firms tend to be creative and embrace risk-taking, and I feel strongly that these are traits that can be developed if you give people the right opportunities.