2nd year associate - what to do with SA on resume? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm a second year associate looking to lateral. I haven't fixed my resume in awhile. What should I do with my summer associate position on my resume? I summered at the firm I'm currently at. Thanks in advance.

[rpupkin]

It doesn't really matter.

Based on the resumes I've seen, junior associates tend to keep their SAs on their resumes, even if the SA firm is the same as the current firm. But if you want to remove it because you need space for something else, that's fine.

[DeseoQueSea]

Not sure if I'm correctly understanding your question, but you could just write "Summer 2013, Fall 2014 to Present" next to the firm name, and then stuff you've done at the firm below that in bullet points or whatever. People in law will understand what the dates mean.

[unlicensedpotato]

I've seen Summer Associate positions on resumes/bios of Counsel and Senior Associates where it was a different firm. I would leave it on this point, even though it's the same firm, to show you were hired through the SA program.

[BigZuck]

It doesn't really matter.

Based on the resumes I've seen, junior associates tend to keep their SAs on their resumes, even if the SA firm is the same as the current firm. But if you want to remove it because you need space for something else, that's fine.

I guess I know your answer to this based on your response to the OP, but:

If the SA firm isn't on there do you wonder at all about a person getting offered or no offered as a SA?

Or does not getting an offer as a 2L SA even matter at all for someone who is applying as a second year lateral candidate?

(probably silly questions but sometimes people say a low GPA can come back to bite lateral candidates and wondered if a SA no offer could as well)

[rpupkin]

It doesn't really matter.

Based on the resumes I've seen, junior associates tend to keep their SAs on their resumes, even if the SA firm is the same as the current firm. But if you want to remove it because you need space for something else, that's fine.

I guess I know your answer to this based on your response to the OP, but:

If the SA firm isn't on there do you wonder at all about a person getting offered or no offered as a SA?

Or does not getting an offer as a 2L SA even matter at all for someone who is applying as a second year lateral candidate?

(probably silly questions but sometimes people say a low GPA can come back to bite lateral candidates and wondered if a SA no offer could as well)

Just speaking for myself, my answers are "No" and "Doesn't Matter."

Let me walk that back. If I knew someone was no offered after their 2L summer, and if they were looking to leave their firm after just one year, I may start to wonder if the applicant has a personality problem. But when looking at lateral candidates, I don't even think to look for a summer SA spot on the resume. If it's not there, I guess I just assume that the applicant summered at the firm they're looking to lateral from.