Associate just doesnt get it
I am a new partner who has a team of about 10 associates. 4 if them are first years. Of the first years, I have one associated how just does not get it and I have no clue how to get through to him (we will call him Trevor). I'm being trained to become a managing partner and need to figure out how to avoid issues with the Trevors of the world moving forward.
The firm hired Trevor about 9 months ago. Trevor was transferred to me 6 months ago. Since that time, we have: Had weekly case meetings, numerous discussions about case (and billing basics), provided Trevor samples of everything, provided a case handling memo (basic expectations fot case handling), case senior partner expectations, and dozens of calls/emails about all these issues.
Regardless of all the training and resources, Trevor keeps messing the same things up over and over and over and over again. It boggles my mind.
I have a conversation about how he cant double bill the same item on the same bill on the same day. Inevitably, the next round of pre-bills, Trevor has double billed the same item on the same day. Now I have to write-off all the duplicate billing. I chalk it up to Trevor being sloppy, but 6 months of being sloppy is ...its a lot. If I write off too much time, I have to answer to a committee and explain why. Every time I write off Trevor's time, I call him before-hand and walk him through the issues (this is addition to the training, weekly calls, and resources). I don't understand how this is a continuing issue.
I correct the same mistakes in Trevor's writing. I used to call him and walk through why I made certain redlines, now I leave comments saying, things like "we have discussed this, bla bla bla." The firm offers training on writing and even has writing seminars that Ive encouraged Trevor to attend. I have see very little change in 6 months.
Other things he does well, but these repeated errors are starting to irritate me.
When I raise the issue up the chain I'm hit with the: He's a young associate, you need to train him.
Ive tried everything from hands-on trainjng to socratic method (what do you think this issue with this is? How do you think you should address it?). Ive had calls with him about how we want him here but he cant keep doing this if he wants to stay.
I dont know what to do with him. I cant get his buy-in and I cant get anything to change. Any suggestions for getting him to take more ownership over his work (and billing)?
Or, suggestions on how to ferret out the Trevor's of the world early on?