Apr 21, 2026
Marcie Borgal Shunk is the founder and president of The Tilt Institute and creator of Leadership Foundations, a high-impact virtual program designed to give law firms essential leadership skills and practical solutions. For nearly three decades, she has worked with more than 3,000 law firm leaders on talent, culture, and leadership, helping dozens of AmLaw firms anticipate and prepare for the future of law. A Harvard graduate, Marcie holds two fellowships, four certifications in culture and coaching, and several board advisory positions. She is a frequent contributor to the American Lawyer, Thomson Reuters, and Bloomberg Law.
Sona Spencer is the Chief Legal Talent Officer at Troutman Pepper Locke, where she leads the firm's legal recruiting, professional development, inclusion, and career coaching functions. Drawing from more than 15 years of experience in AmLaw 50 firms, she collaborates closely with firm stakeholders to implement training, compensation frameworks, and inclusion and retention strategies that ensure the firm can attract and retain talent at all levels to exceed client service goals.
WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT THE DEATH OF APPRENTICESHIP IN LAW FIRMS
The apprenticeship model built generations of lawyers, and for a long time it worked. Junior associates learned by proximity, absorbing how to think and practice by working alongside more experienced attorneys over the course of years. Hybrid work, lateral mobility, and generational shifts in how people learn have quietly dismantled that model, and many firms are still operating as though it's intact.
Addressing the problem requires more than plugging holes. Firms need to rethink how they signal investment in their people, build structured pathways that make expectations explicit, and develop the human and leadership skills that AI cannot replicate. The firms getting this right have moved beyond standalone training programs and created systems where talent can see the path, understand what's expected, and take an active role in their own development.
In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman talks with Marcie Borgal Shunk of The Tilt Institute and Sona Spencer of Troutman Pepper Locke about why the apprenticeship model is failing, what the most forward-thinking firms are doing differently, how AI is reshaping the skills lawyers need to develop, and where firm leaders should start if they want to make a real change.
2:38 - The origin of "The Death of Apprenticeship" article
4:08 - Why hybrid work and generational differences are breaking down the model
7:08 - Why what made senior lawyers successful may not work for the next generation
8:07 - Lateral mobility and compensation wars as added pressure on retention
10:45 - Making the business case for talent development
13:27 - Breaking down the true cost of replacing an associate
15:13 - AI and the risk of outsourcing junior associate learning
19:08 - The human skills firms need to be building deliberately
22:13 - Executive presence and how lawyers show up on camera and in rooms
27:07 - Why leaders have to model what they teach
29:34 - How Troutman Pepper Locke's YOUniversity achieved 75% participation in year one
32:02 - Benchmarks, Learning Management System (LMS) integration, and self-directed development paths
34:48 - Takeaways for smaller firms without large Learning & Development resources
38:44 - Starting small with pilots and building intentionally
41:26 - Don’t assume your path is everyone's path
43:36 - Clear communication and moments of kindness
Mentioned In The Death of Apprenticeship: What it Means for Lawyers and Law Firms
Marcie Borgal Shunk on LinkedIn | The Tilt Institute
Sona Spencer on LinkedIn | Troutman Pepper Locke
The Death of Apprenticeship: Reimagining Law Firm Talent Strategy for a New Era
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