SA-ing.....starting tomorrow Forum

jkay · Post by **jkay** » Tue May 24, 2011 9:38 pm

My summer firm just got WestlawNext a few weeks ago.

Firm claims I have unlimited use of WestlawNext as long as I don't go outside the plan (clearly marked). They said they have a flat rate plan and the number of searches and case retrievals is unlimited.

This is contrary to what I have always heard/been told to expect during school and I am not sure if I should believe the firm. It seems too good to be true.

Renzo · Post by **Renzo** » Tue May 24, 2011 9:59 pm

jkay wrote:My summer firm just got WestlawNext a few weeks ago.

Firm claims I have unlimited use of WestlawNext as long as I don't go outside the plan (clearly marked). They said they have a flat rate plan and the number of searches and case retrievals is unlimited.

This is contrary to what I have always heard/been told to expect during school and I am not sure if I should believe the firm. It seems too good to be true.

That's good, but don't use it as a reason to be inefficient. It's better to waste just your time than your time and the client's money; better still is to not waste either.

snowpeach06 · Post by **snowpeach06** » Tue May 24, 2011 10:03 pm

f7u12 wrote: Transparent rationalizations, apparently.

You folks crack me up. I'm not hating on your SA spots. Congrats on making shit tons of money.

IzziesGal · Post by **IzziesGal** » Tue May 24, 2011 10:43 pm

I am absolutely terrified of racking up a huge WL bill. I just hope I'm not that guy.

D-hops · Post by **D-hops** » Tue May 24, 2011 11:52 pm

IzziesGal wrote:I am absolutely terrified of racking up a huge WL bill. I just hope I'm not that guy.

Just secretly use your school account until you find what you are looking for.

Renzo · Post by **Renzo** » Tue May 24, 2011 11:54 pm

D-hops wrote:
IzziesGal wrote:I am absolutely terrified of racking up a huge WL bill. I just hope I'm not that guy.
Just secretly use your school account until you find what you are looking for.

I actually think this is defensible. You'd be using your school account for learning Westlaw-it's intended use-and still making sure the client gets billed for the searches/documents that are relevant.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Wed May 25, 2011 7:53 am

I was invited to an all expense paid cocktail party at the firms headquarters in a different city. My firm urges us to go. I have never been to one.

Can I just order a beer and nurse it throughout the night? If so, what kind of beer do I order (i'm a novice)

If beer is not appropriate, what's a good drink to order? (Is gin & tonic appropriate?)

Sorry, I am just lost when it comes to this.

Stanford4Me · Post by **Stanford4Me** » Wed May 25, 2011 10:21 am

Anonymous User wrote:I was invited to an all expense paid cocktail party at the firms headquarters in a different city. My firm urges us to go. I have never been to one.

Can I just order a beer and nurse it throughout the night? If so, what kind of beer do I order (i'm a novice)

If beer is not appropriate, what's a good drink to order? (Is gin & tonic appropriate?)

Sorry, I am just lost when it comes to this.

I've ordered beers at these events before. You're talking to so many different people that no one is able to keep tabs (not that they would if they were able to) on how much you're drinking. If you're a gin & tonic person (which I am) I'd recommend something like a Tanqueray and tonic.

swc65 · Post by **swc65** » Wed May 25, 2011 8:21 pm

Are loafers professional enough to wear to work? They're pretty nice bust they don't have any tassels or anything.

swc65 · Post by **swc65** » Wed May 25, 2011 8:23 pm

Anonymous User wrote:I was invited to an all expense paid cocktail party at the firms headquarters in a different city. My firm urges us to go. I have never been to one.

Can I just order a beer and nurse it throughout the night? If so, what kind of beer do I order (i'm a novice)

If beer is not appropriate, what's a good drink to order? (Is gin & tonic appropriate?)

Sorry, I am just lost when it comes to this.

Getting one drink and nursing it all night is probably a great idea, especially if you don't need alcohol to be social/extroverted. That way, you can get all the dish on other people and be sober enough to keep your dirt to yourself.

Then you can blackmail

Renzo · Post by **Renzo** » Wed May 25, 2011 9:36 pm

Anonymous User wrote:I was invited to an all expense paid cocktail party at the firms headquarters in a different city. My firm urges us to go. I have never been to one.

Can I just order a beer and nurse it throughout the night? If so, what kind of beer do I order (i'm a novice)

If beer is not appropriate, what's a good drink to order? (Is gin & tonic appropriate?)

Sorry, I am just lost when it comes to this.

Cocktail party doesn't mean you have to drink at all. And if you do, you certainly don't have to drink cocktails; beer is fine. It just means "party where you shouldn't expect dinner."

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Wed May 25, 2011 10:04 pm

Renzo wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:I was invited to an all expense paid cocktail party at the firms headquarters in a different city. My firm urges us to go. I have never been to one.

Can I just order a beer and nurse it throughout the night? If so, what kind of beer do I order (i'm a novice)

If beer is not appropriate, what's a good drink to order? (Is gin & tonic appropriate?)

Sorry, I am just lost when it comes to this.
Cocktail party doesn't mean you have to drink at all. And if you do, you certainly don't have to drink cocktails; beer is fine. It just means "party where you shouldn't expect dinner."

It's funny, we have a dinner afterward.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Wed May 25, 2011 10:23 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Blindmelon wrote: I've never taken a transaction focused class or anything tax. A tax partner emailed to welcome me to the firm and said he has a research assignment for me when I get there. I don't even know how to fill out my own taxes.
I have taken a ton of transaction-oriented classes, just not one pertinent to a group I will be rotating through. Doh!

I work part-time in-house during the school year... transactional work would be great. But fuck if I can remember how to effectively research or write a memo or anything like that. Have avoided it with a passion since 1L legal writing. >.< First assignment is of course litigation-y, short deadline, for a hiring partner. Kill me now.

DoubleChecks · Post by **DoubleChecks** » Wed May 25, 2011 11:19 pm

btw for those who just started their SA (congrats!), um, did you feel like having a leather portfolio was enough for the first day? or do you need an actual briefcase/leather messenger bag type thing? and after the first day?

Big Shrimpin · Post by **Big Shrimpin** » Wed May 25, 2011 11:21 pm

DoubleChecks wrote:btw for those who just started their SA (congrats!), um, did you feel like having a leather portfolio was enough for the first day? or do you need an actual briefcase/leather messenger bag type thing? and after the first day?

This is highly relevant to my interests. ::starts on Tuesday::

dood · Post by **dood** » Wed May 25, 2011 11:29 pm

i brought nothing to work the entire first week. literally nothing except a pen in my pocket.

then week 2 i started carrying this only with pens in it:

then today i filled it up with a umbrella and a box of protein bars:
--ImageRemoved--

Sup Kid · Post by **Sup Kid** » Thu May 26, 2011 12:10 am

swc65 wrote:Are loafers professional enough to wear to work? They're pretty nice bust they don't have any tassels or anything.

Fine for business casual, maybe not if your firm is more formal.

Sup Kid · Post by **Sup Kid** » Thu May 26, 2011 12:14 am

Big Shrimpin wrote:
DoubleChecks wrote:btw for those who just started their SA (congrats!), um, did you feel like having a leather portfolio was enough for the first day? or do you need an actual briefcase/leather messenger bag type thing? and after the first day?
This is highly relevant to my interests. ::starts on Tuesday::

I brought that the first day, left it in my office, and haven't needed anything since. Check out Calvin Klein's cloth messenger bags if you need a bag since it's probably not worth spending hundreds of dollars on a briefcase/leather bag, unless you plan on getting a real nice one that you'll keep for a long time.

Stanford4Me · Post by **Stanford4Me** » Thu May 26, 2011 1:00 am

Our firm provided us with a nice laptop back, I haven't used it once. I think everything you'll need (note pad, pens, etc.) will be available at the firm (though I understand this might vary from firm to firm).

Stanford4Me · Post by **Stanford4Me** » Thu May 26, 2011 1:01 am

Also, today will likely go down as one of the most awkward, yet amazing, days of my life.

Big Shrimpin · Post by **Big Shrimpin** » Thu May 26, 2011 9:37 am

dood wrote:i brought nothing to work the entire first week. literally nothing except a pen in my pocket.

then week 2 i started carrying this only with pens in it:

tyft. Snacks, ftw.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Thu May 26, 2011 10:31 am

Wait, on the subject of messenger bags...do you not need to bring your computer with you to work? I'm working for a V50 firm in Chicago, and I don't think they said anything on the subject--should I bring my computer with me on the first day?

Stanford4Me · Post by **Stanford4Me** » Thu May 26, 2011 11:20 am

Anonymous User wrote:Wait, on the subject of messenger bags...do you not need to bring your computer with you to work? I'm working for a V50 firm in Chicago, and I don't think they said anything on the subject--should I bring my computer with me on the first day?

All of my friends who are working at a firm, including me, are provided a computer.

DoubleChecks · Post by **DoubleChecks** » Thu May 26, 2011 3:56 pm

wow thanks, you guys just saved me $$ on buying some leather bag or briefcase for my brief SA stint lol. seems like a leather padfolio (which i have) is more than enough (it matters because im 1 semester away from my free leather briefcase/bag from westlaw grrrr) lol

stayway · Post by **stayway** » Fri May 27, 2011 12:21 pm

So...flying to another country to start my SA gig on the 29th. Should be interesting.

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