What is a Summer Associate?
These are usually large law firms and corporations. The lawyer at a small or medium law firm will probably not be interested in a summer associate legal job, since summer associate legal jobs are typically reserved for those who are seeking permanent employment with one of these firms after graduation.
The initial goal of a summer associate legal job is to give you a job that will allow you to look at the possibilities for specialization that exist with the firm. In addition to having the chance to sample various practice areas, you will have the chance to interview the partners, associates, and other lawyers to learn more about the firm in general. You will also learn if there are any development opportunities available which are suited to your specialty of interest. The goal of your summer associate legal job will be to do good work, of course, and as a result receive an offer from your firm. This does not mean that you cannot explore other opportunities while you are working at this firm . To do so, you will need to be professional and manage your time well, as well as be forthright with your firm. Your summer associate legal job will include drafting, research, and even opportunities to interact with clients of the firm. It is very important to remember that you need to do excellent work while on assignment with this position. This will only make you more valuable to your firm and help you secure an offer for a permanent position. Your summer associate legal job will involve heavy research and writing assignments. These may include providing memos, briefs, confidentiality agreements, motions, or documents that suggest a course of action for clients or the firm. You will also be expected to draft and revise correspondence, including emails, to your clients. This is the kind of work you will be performing as an attorney when you graduate, so it is important they feel confident about your work.
How to Find a Good Summer Associate Program
After narrowing down potential summer associate positions, it is critical to research the remaining firms of interest and assess how they fit with your personal career needs. When looking at a firm, you should ask yourself the following:
- Does the firm’s policy seem to support the success of its summer associates? For example, does the firm have a formal program for summer associates with clear benchmarks for success?
- Does the firm give summer associates a meaningful amount of substantive work?
- Is the firm a good cultural fit? (i.e. is there a high turnover rate at the firm, or is the firm known for its "winner-takes-all" culture?)
- Is the firm involved in social causes, and what is its general reputation as a good corporate citizen?
- What is the firm’s retention and full-time hiring rate for summer associates?
- Do you feel that the firm is genuinely interested in helping you learn the firm’s unique protocols and procedures, and provide substantive feedback on your performance?
While a firm’s prestige may provide a general indication that it is reasonably corporate-friendly, it is important to remember that "prestige" is often shorthand for selective hiring and high salaries. This is not always synonymous with being a good experience for summer associates, and this is particularly true for governmental agencies with more bureaucratic processes in place. Government agencies are often rated by organizational ranking systems that measure the agency’s size, mission and influence.
The following data may help you to gauge the summer associate programs that are available to you:
Prospective summer associates should consider the following factors when determining the program that fits them best:
- Does the firm hire 100% of its summer associates?
- Is the summer associate program long enough to be worthwhile?
- Is the firm’s starting salary for associates on par with industry standards?
- Does the firm’s work culture support a healthy work-life balance? What is the firm’s policy for exceptions to this practice?
- Are summer associates guaranteed large amounts of substantive work after they arrive or is it difficult to get assignments?
- Are summer associates paired with lawyers who will provide them with thorough training regarding all substantive and administrative processes of the firm?
- Is the firm’s mentorship system comparably good to other firms?
- Does the firm provide interlocutory feedback about its expectations for the summer associates?
- Is the summer program properly sized to allow the firm to make an adequate retention decision?
- Is there room to grow at the firm in the future?
Summer Associate Interview Questions and How to Prepare for Them
The summer associate interview process can be a nerve-racking experience, especially for those who have never been through it. You’ve studied torts, personal injury law, and civil rights, but when it comes to interviewing with actual attorneys and getting your first job as a summer associate, you may feel like none of it has really prepared you for the big day. Although firms can vary widely in their interviewing styles, there are plenty of commonalities that you can anticipate. By preparing yourself with information about the firm as well as the shape of most interviews, you can increase the chances that you will be offered a summer associate position.
Most firms will want to meet with you for two interviews: an informal "meet and greet" with a senior partner or partner and an associate, then a formal interview with the same partner. The final interview may include multiple partners as well. You should plan to be interviewed both individually and as part of a group, and if you have to wait for your interview, nod politely if you overhear conversations about summer associate candidates and their credentials. These are informal ways that you can make yourself stand out to the hiring team, and the best way to snag a summer associate position is by being memorable.
Many of the most common questions that summer associate candidates are asked are generally difficult to answer – even when you have a firm grasp of the details of the bar exam. Law firms simply ask these questions as part of a standard interview template, which means that you should be prepared for them and have answers ready when asked. Some of the more likely questions fall along the lines of: There are several other types of questions that you may want to prepare for as well. When interviewing for a summer associate position with a boutique firm, you may be asked a fair amount of detail about the makeup of its clientele. You may also be asked about how many lawyers and support staff are employed by the firm, what areas of practice are the most profitable, and what your salary needs would be if offered a position. The firm may ask these questions of a few different candidates to evaluate you against others, or it may do so to gauge your interest level in joining its ranks full-time.
Law firms typically want to see: professionalism, good time management skills, an appetite to learn, and above all else, a willingness to pitch in whenever you are needed. This is exactly what law firms want to see from every summer associate candidate, and it is up to you to demonstrate that you are suited to fulfill their requirements. By preparing yourself for the intricacies of typical summer associate interviews, you will be able to present your skills in the best light and secure a summer associate position that meets your career and financial needs.
How to Make the Most of Being a Summer Associate
Your path to a future lawyer job as a summer associate is rarely smooth. More experienced lawyers tend to be oblivious or apathetic to your plight while the associates normally don’t know you well enough to help you out. So one of your primary responsibilities as a summer associate is to network like crazy.
Networking is especially important if you are going to a law firm where there are actually some lawyers that will be in a position to hire you. Find those lawyers and network with them so they remember who you are when it’s time for them to make a decision on employment.
If you are going to a legal non-profit or a governmental agency where no one has authority to hire you, you need to network like crazy so that you will have many contacts that can help you find a lawyer job in the future. I would suggest setting a goal of 10 people you want to reach out to as soon as you get home to thank them and see if they are willing to keep you apprised of new lawyer job openings (you can ask them if they are open to a LinkedIn connection to facilitate that). And then be sure to follow-up with them after you get hired to thank them again and keep them up-to-date on your work life. In other words, keep those relationships alive and at the top of your email InBox .
You also need to seek out mentoring relationships. They can help you in many ways. Hopefully there will be one person there that can be your mentor (like a professor or practitioner that you had in the past or an legacy associate), although you may be given a formal mentor. Whatever the case, once you are assigned a mentor or go out looking for one, you should schedule lunch or coffee with them. Make sure you go in with specific questions or set of topics for discussion. And then ask them if they know anyone in your area of practice of interest and if they would be willing to intercede on you behalf to get a meeting, etc.
Finally, internships like summer associate-ships are meant to add relevant experience to your resume. And they are a golden opportunity to do just that. Don’t be shy when you get a project. Ask if it is appropriate for you to draft a brief or motion and see if you can get credit for that. Don’t be afraid to ask for more projects if you have completed the first ones. Don’t be afraid to ask to shadow someone on one of his or her cases. Just make sure you don’t disrupt or interfere with the firm’s work flow.
So to recap the basics of maximizing your summer associate experience: 1) Network like crazy; 2) Find a few good mentors; and 3) Get relevant legal experience.
Common Hurdles and How to Manage Them
The summer associate experience can be thrilling, yet daunting at times when you’re thrust into a swarm of unfamiliar faces and tasks. Prioritizing your goals from the start will make a world of difference in how you perceive and tackle mistakes, challenges, and opportunities in your summer job. One of the biggest challenges associates see in the beginning of their careers is finding the right balance between doing what’s necessary, as outlined in the assignment, and making new connections within the firm that could impact your future. To help you cope with exceeding expectations, maintaining quality work, and shining among colleagues, we’ve addressed some challenges you might face and steps to overcome them: Don’t be afraid to reach out to partners or other summer associates for help with a project. Firms understand that there is a learning curve to becoming acclimated to a position but encouraging partners to keep an open dialogue with you about their expectations and how they think you can best serve them is key to your success. Meet with partners, hire associates, and other summer associates that are busy or in your practice area to express interest in assisting in any way you can. Associating yourself with a busy, reputable partner and serving them well is crucial to getting good reviews from them later. Creating an organizational system – whether it’s a paper planner or a tool like Asana – can help you track your tasks across multiple departments and keep everything orderly. Soliciting feedback is essential in helping you find ways to exceed expectations and improve upon previous work. Don’t take yourself too seriously, and ask if the situation can be resolved via email or a quick phone call before grabbing a jacket and running to a conference room. By taking a moment to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, you might discover they’re not nearly as upset with you as you think they may be. Whether you choose to play it cool and just move on from the situation, or address it head-on to understand the whys and hows, keep your chin up and take it as a lesson learned.
Turning Your Summer Associate Position into a Full-Time Job
The final step in this journey is for your hard work to pay off. A summer position is your opportunity to impress a firm and employers want to know that you are the real deal. There are important steps in transitioning from a summer associate position to a full-time employment role: – First and foremost, be the best summer associate you can be and leverage yourself into a full-time position. – Show your personality. Be someone people would want to work with on a professional, as well as personal, level. – Continue to build relationships and enjoy the experience. – Don’t overstay your welcome. If you know you are not going to fit in at a particular firm don’t try to make it happen. There is an employer out there for you, it’s just about finding the right fit. – Finally , learn the art of subtlety. If you want to be hired full-time without the awkwardness of asking, you can be—without being overt. Keep in mind that your work will definitely play a huge role in whether you are offered full-time employment. Make an Impact When it comes to impressing your employer, what is most important are the skills you bring, the work you do and the quality of your performance. Everything else is considered background noise. Subtle is the way to go if you are interested in turning your internship in-to a job. Ask your employers about the hiring process and if you can do anything to increase your chances. When they realize you are interested in something full-time they will most likely remember your name, help you find a full-time position and look out for you.