Round-Up: How to Be a Great Summer Associate
As the weather gets warmer, law students can be sure of two things: final exams and summertime. For some students, "summertime" means relaxing on a beach, but many 2Ls will find themselves making adult amounts of cash as summer associates.
If they say their prayers and eat their vegetables, they might just leave the firm in August with a job offer following graduation. Then again, this is a prime opportunity for a royal screw-up. Here's a roundup of some of our best advice for being a great summer associates.
Be Nice to Support Staff
Legal secretaries, the IT guy, and even the janitor -- these are all people who help you get your job done behind the scenes. (Remember: "When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all.") They work hard, and just because they're not lawyers doesn't mean they're not deserving of your respect. (And yes, some companies ask support staff how potential hires treated them.)
Navigating After-Work Events
Optional? Not really. You should attend some amount of after-work events so you can see and be seen. Basically, you want to show that you have a fun side as well as a serious side, and that you are a fit for the firm in more ways than just how pretty your memos are. You do, however, need to make sure you dress appropriately and comport yourself appropriately -- i.e., don't get drunk, do something stupid, and lose that job offer.
Surviving the Business Lunch
Lawyers love two things: talking and lunch. A business lunch combines both of those things, and as a summer associate, you'll probably be expected to attend some number of lunchtime events. Our handy guide can help you navigate the dress code, the food code, and the booze code.
Just Be a Great Worker
In our "BigLaw 101" guide, we address how to be a great associate, but the advice applies equally to summer associates. If you want that vaunted offer, basically work hard, be nice, and show them that you would make a great employee and add value to the firm. They've already hired you on a contingency basis, so they must seem something promising. The job offer is yours to lose.
What to Wear
Even though you're not technically an associate yet, come to work every day looking the part. You'll need to figure out what the dress code is at your firm, which will vary depending on several factors. For men, "suit and tie" is the often default, but women have a lot of other options.
Not to belabor the point, but a summer associate position is like an extended job interview. Give it your best every day and convince (without actively convincing -- that's annoying) the firm that you really do belong there.
Related Resources:
- We Know What You Did Last Summer (ABA Journal)
- End the Summer Associate Sideshow (and Start Treating Them Like the Almost-Lawyers They Are) (Bloomberg BNA)
- Everything You Need to Know About Being a Summer Associate (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
- Summer Associates -- 5 Tips to Turn Your Internship Into an Offer (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)