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CAREER COUNSELOR’S CORNER
Words of Wisdom for Summer Associates: Summertime! [As told to Dimitra Kessenides] How to stay on your feet as an estival associate.
Ronald Nye is a partner at Chicago’s Winston
3 Show Up
Your willingness shows you understand that we have to allocate resources appropri-
& Strawn, the chair of his office’s Summer Associate Committee, and a member of the
It may seem obvious, but we expect you
ately within the firm. The benefit to you is
firm-wide hiring committee. Here, he offers
to be here during normal business hours.
that working in a new (to you) area makes
a few pointers for making the most of your
Don’t assume you can come in later or leave
you a better lawyer. It gives you the ability
summer stint.
earlier than expected, even if it seems like
to be reactive to the markets, so when, for
there’s nothing to do. The work schedule for
example, lending’s down, you can step in and
summers isn’t strenuous -- it could be 9 to
do securities because you once jumped into
5 in Chicago, or 10 to 6 in New York. When
that area when you were needed.
1 Be Yourself [For the Most Part] We want to see how you conduct yourself and
you’re trying to get a job, you don’t cut out
how you fit into the firm, whether it’s the way
early. Sure, some of our lawyers will leave
you behave at social events or how you treat
early on a Friday afternoon to play a round of
your secretary. Are you a team player? Are
golf or go to a Cubs game. But they’re also
Aim to produce several pieces of written
you considerate? Yes, you are an individual,
here a lot of evenings and sometimes on
work by summer’s end -- ideally, a nice mix
and we want you to feel comfortable -- but
weekends. Don’t take your cue from them.
of research papers and memos of varying
remember, your goal is to get a job offer.
Why? Because they have jobs and you don’t.
length. Oral projects don’t leave me with any-
There’s a happy medium between letting
(Yet.)
thing tangible to pass around as evidence of
your hair down and conducting yourself in
5 Build a Portfolio
your skill. Don’t be shy about asking for the
a manner that says, “I want an offer.” Just
It doesn’t hurt to take on extra projects. Part
chance to work on a project that requires you
because we have a casual dress code doesn’t
of what we’re trying to gauge is how you’ll
to write if you’re not offered the opportunity.
mean you can come to work wearing shorts
handle the challenges of being a full-time
Be proactive. Go to your assigning attorney,
and sandals. And if we serve alcohol at a
associate, when you’ll be juggling long-term
say you enjoy what you’re doing, and men-
firm function, be mindful of how much you’re
and short-term projects. Ask your assigning
tion that you’d gladly take on an assignment
drinking. It’s not a party with your friends.
attorney, “Can I pick up some short-term
that requires you to write a five- to 10-page
You’re socializing with partners.
projects to fill the gaps during my long-term
memo.
project?” You don’t want to be working on the
2 Party When You’re Told
same thing for weeks on end -- that doesn’t
In a summer program, you’re not going to
comes up on a Friday that entails weekend
get to work with as many people as you’d like to -- or as we’d like you to. That’s why we make a great effort to put together social
show us what you can handle. If a project work -- especially if it’s in a practice area you’re interested in -- volunteer. This shows initiative.
programs, training, and other events that our lawyers are a part of. Take advantage. You’ll
6 Check Your Work Take pride in your work, regardless of its length and complexity and whom you’re working for. Just because you’re handing an assignment in to a junior associate doesn’t mean you can be less careful with it. The
4 Be Flexible
have a chance to ask lawyers questions about
golden rule: Assume that everything will be used in a case or a transaction. Write as if
what they do and their experiences with the
Maybe you want to do nothing but environ-
it’s going straight to a partner. We look at
firm. Attending these events shows enthusi-
mental work all summer. That’s fine, but
your work, and it’ll stand or fall on its own.
asm. Nothing tells me you’re disinterested
if an emergency comes up in, for example,
Proofread. Spell check.
more than your failure to participate.
bankruptcy, and we know you’re free to handle it, we’ll probably ask you to help.
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7 Ask Questions continued on back
CAREER COUNSELOR’S CORNER
Whenever you’re unsure about any aspect of your summer position -- a social dilemma that arose at a work event, an office issue you haven’t encountered before -- find the appropriate person and ask for help. If you’re in danger of missing a deadline, check in with the lawyer you’re working with and ask, “Is the deadline at all flexible?” (That said, only ask if you think you’re not going to make the deadline.) I’ve been doing this long enough to know asking is better than presuming. We’ll never fault a summer associate for asking a question.
8 Oh, Behave Treat everyone professionally, from administrative staff to managing partners. We’ll know if you’re rude to your secretary or to junior associates. How do we know? We ask them. All these people support your practice and they’re all pros, so exercise common courtesy. That includes, by the way, your fellow summer associates. You’re not competing with them. We expect to extend offers to everyone in our summer class every year. Form a bond with them; it’ll enhance your experience over the summer, and you’ll build a set of friends that you’ll work with if you return after law school.
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