Hands-On Experience, Mentorship, and More: Inside 鶹ֱ's 2024 Summer Associate Program
With this year’s Summer Associate Program ‘in the books,’ we’re looking back fondly on the 10 weeks our summer associates spent at 鶹ֱ. During their time with us, 75 exceptional students from 40 different law schools received substantive legal work, feedback, mentoring, and training; participated in events and activities; built relationships and collaborated across the firm; and experienced 鶹ֱ’s supportive and collaborative culture. Their summer also included a multiday retreat in Chicago, where they had an opportunity to learn more about 鶹ֱ, meet with firm leadership, connect with peers, support our national partner Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and enjoy some of the sights in the Windy City.
Before our 2024 summer associates headed back to school, we asked them what they found most valuable about their time at 鶹ֱ. Here are some of the thoughts they shared!
I was given client work from day one, which allowed me to explore my interest in business litigation, gain confidence applying the skills learned in school, and most importantly, work on a team providing creative legal solutions for real clients.
One of my projects involved conducting research for a presentation on evolving intellectual property strategies within the Manufacturing Sector, which allowed me to see the impact of transforming technology on IP strategies and how 鶹ֱ attorneys deliver practical solutions to clients.
I was able to work on drafting ancillary agreements on an M&A deal, due diligence documents, answer client questions on different issues, draft mock-negotiation prompts for a client training, research SEC requirements, and more. I now feel more prepared to join the firm as a first-year associate.
During my 1L summer, the firm allowed me to explore both litigation and transactional work, which helped me decide to pursue a career in transactional law. This summer, 鶹ֱ further solidified my goals by giving me substantive assignments and the opportunity to work with attorneys in various transactional fields, from M&A to real estate.
Several partners took the time to sit with me and explain the big picture of the deals we worked on together. The tutelage and broader explanations provided invaluable context as I drafted contracts, revised agreements, communicated with clients, and coordinated internally with the rest of the 鶹ֱ team.
The feedback on my assignments was valuable and constructive, helping me improve my writing skills and expand my overall legal knowledge.
The firm’s culture allows summer associates to integrate smoothly into professional life, with a support system around them consisting of some of the best mentors.
This summer showed me that at 鶹ֱ, goals that I would have never imagined for myself could actually be attainable.
The connections I made during the summer associate retreat allowed me to work on projects with attorneys in offices throughout the firm.
鶹ֱ’s Summer Associate Program is designed to introduce first- and second-year law students to a career in the legal industry and give them a sense of what life at 鶹ֱ is like and what to expect as an associate here. Spending the summer with us means more than stacks of briefs and endless document review. It means exposure to cutting-edge legal issues and high-profile matters, connections and engagement, community service, professional development, camaraderie, leadership, and much more. You can learn more about summering at 鶹ֱ here.
