Summer Associate Class of 2016 Forum

[Londonbear]

Dude where's all the fun/happy stuff about being an SA?! Aren't we super happy about the pay raise that we've done absolutely nothing to earn?

[El Pollito]

Summers, if an associate gives you work, don't turn it in early with the caveat that it is still "very much a draft". Give a finished product by the deadline given. Christ.

twist: they thought it was final work product

[Glasseyes]

Summers, if an associate gives you work, don't turn it in early with the caveat that it is still "very much a draft". Give a finished product by the deadline given. Christ.

twist: they thought it was final work product

tbh I've been to panels where attorneys tell us to say everything we ever submit is a "first draft"

[Bluem_11]

Summers, if an associate gives you work, don't turn it in early with the caveat that it is still "very much a draft". Give a finished product by the deadline given. Christ.

Ehh I'm fine if a summer is given like a Friday deadline on Monday, if they send something Wednesday if it's along lines of "Is this what you wanted in terms of the research and analysis/am I on the right path here" kind of deal. I agree though if they just send you something to say "Hey look at what I've done so far!!" with 50 spelling errors then no thanks.

[lavarman84]

i think it's kind of pointless to try and make favorable arguments when most/all your caselaw cuts the other way. what happens when you go to court making a strained argument and your opponent (or worse yet your judge) just buries you in a mountain of case law that you yourself had already researched? Maybe part of being a lawyer is to know when to hold them and when to fold them? Sometimes your client is just fucked. don't fight the hypo.

That's the job. You find a way to make an argument for your client or you find a new theory that allows you to get around the unfavorable law or you find a way to mitigate the damage. If your client is fucked, the best move you can make is to settle, but that's not always an option.

Frankly, it's why you have to be able to accept the L as a lawyer. Especially on the defense side. The law won't always be on your side. Sometimes, you will lose. But you still have to go down fighting. Otherwise, what is the client paying you for?

This seems like a goofy argument for the SA thread, but nah, that's not the entirety of the job. If you're absolutely going to lose because the law is clear, you advise the client accordingly and suggest the best path forward (e.g., settlement). If the client wants to fight anyway, fool that he is, sure, cook up some cute arguments to elicit a chuckle from the judge. But real life is not like a law school exam where you sling bullshit no matter the odds of success, hence the lawyer's role as "trusted counsel." You won't always be in "zealous advocate" mode. For SA purposes, I wouldn't offer losing arguments unless you're asked to.

You literally echoed my words. And it actually makes sense for some clients to fight, even when they have a losing case. In that situation, you have to make arguments.

[Slytherpuff]

Dude where's all the fun/happy stuff about being an SA?! Aren't we super happy about the pay raise that we've done absolutely nothing to earn?

I'm still waiting on my firm to make the switch to 180, no happiness over here.

But on the plus side, the free lunches and booze are making up for it!

[BizBro]

Dude where's all the fun/happy stuff about being an SA?! Aren't we super happy about the pay raise that we've done absolutely nothing to earn?

I'm still waiting on my firm to make the switch to 180, no happiness over here.

But on the plus side, the free lunches and booze are making up for it!

I've literally taken a break from drinking/ my personal life this weekend to recuperate for the coming work week.

[Slytherpuff]

I've only been hungover for work one day so far, I'm proud of my restraint here.

[Londonbear]

Dude where's all the fun/happy stuff about being an SA?! Aren't we super happy about the pay raise that we've done absolutely nothing to earn?

I'm still waiting on my firm to make the switch to 180, no happiness over here.

But on the plus side, the free lunches and booze are making up for it!

I've literally taken a break from drinking/ my personal life this weekend to recuperate for the coming work party week.

[SplitMyPants]

I've only been hungover for work one day so far, I'm proud of my restraint here.

options to help avoid hangovers: (1) drink most days to build tolerance (or perhaps familiarity/indifference) towards hangovers; (2) finish night at halal cart / pizza joint; or (3) preferably both

[BizBro]

I've only been hungover for work one day so far, I'm proud of my restraint here.

options to help avoid hangovers: (1) drink most days to build tolerance (or perhaps familiarity/indifference) towards hangovers; (2) finish night at halal cart / pizza joint; or (3) preferably both

Yep all credited. Also, drink a glass of water per every drink you get. The only time I was hungover this week was one night where I failed this formula that involved multiple shots.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

Be careful. I gained 10-15 pounds during my summer from all the eating and drinking.

[lavarman84]

Be careful. I gained 10-15 pounds during my summer from all the eating and drinking.

I've got a good jump on that now. Hardest thing is convincing myself to go workout when I finally get home each night. Gotta get myself in the routine.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

Be careful. I gained 10-15 pounds during my summer from all the eating and drinking.

I've got a good jump on that now. Hardest thing is convincing myself to go workout when I finally get home each night. Gotta get myself in the routine.

The problem for me was there was no routine. There were a ton of both planned and unplanned events (happy hour). I lived within walking distance of the office so I always went. After getting back home at 9 or later with several drinks on me working out was not on my mind.

[buddhabelly]

Any tips for how to get work in an informal assignment office? I feel like every few days I'm walking around begging the same people to hit me up with something, it feels odd. My officemate keeps getting repeat work from the same partner who has taken a shine to him, so I feel really behind in terms of work input/output. I always make it a point to email the Hiring partners when I have a free day so they know im not just sitting around complacent, but I can't help but feel like this reflects poorly on me.

2/5 workdays for me generally have barely any work (typically Mondays and Fridays), with 5-7 hours of something or the other on the other days. I haven't been put on any big projects or anything like that that I can work on when I'm free. Often the office manager takes pity on me and sets me up with someone doing a closing so I can waste a couple hours.

[acijku2]

If you hand in an assignment at 4 and radio silence afterwards, how late are you staying until you feel comfortable leaving if you have nothing else going on?

[IsThisForReal]

If you hand in an assignment at 4 and radio silence afterwards, how late are you staying until you feel comfortable leaving if you have nothing else going on?

You should leave.

I've been sitting here for 3 days with nothing to do cus my supervisor is too busy to give me feedback. I feel like its pointless to even come in. But uggh.

[Glasseyes]

If you hand in an assignment at 4 and radio silence afterwards, how late are you staying until you feel comfortable leaving if you have nothing else going on?

6pm? If I somehow wound up with no work, I'd probably dig up some practice area-specific knowledge management files and do some reading. Granted, (1) I'mm not gonna run out of work this summer, and (2) I'm poasting on TLS during work, so take everything I say with requisite grains of salt.

[Slytherpuff]

Be careful. I gained 10-15 pounds during my summer from all the eating and drinking.

I've got a good jump on that now. Hardest thing is convincing myself to go workout when I finally get home each night. Gotta get myself in the routine.

I'm about to go work out now. I think I had like six mini desserts today and don't want today to be the start of my SA 10!

[PennBull]

Work out in the mornings folks

Nobody gives a shit if you're in the office before noon anyways

[lavarman84]

Work out in the mornings folks

Nobody gives a shit if you're in the office before noon anyways

My firm does. I generally work 8-6 (or about that) and I have an hour commute in the morning. So I am already getting up around 6 AM every day. And I'm not a morning person. So working out in the morning isn't going to happen.

[lavarman84]

If you hand in an assignment at 4 and radio silence afterwards, how late are you staying until you feel comfortable leaving if you have nothing else going on?

You should leave.

I've been sitting here for 3 days with nothing to do cus my supervisor is too busy to give me feedback. I feel like its pointless to even come in. But uggh.

Are you not allowed to get more work until you receive feedback?

[Serett]

If you hand in an assignment at 4 and radio silence afterwards, how late are you staying until you feel comfortable leaving if you have nothing else going on?

Well, what time do I normally leave?

[IsThisForReal]

If you hand in an assignment at 4 and radio silence afterwards, how late are you staying until you feel comfortable leaving if you have nothing else going on?

You should leave.

I've been sitting here for 3 days with nothing to do cus my supervisor is too busy to give me feedback. I feel like its pointless to even come in. But uggh.

Are you not allowed to get more work until you receive feedback?

I'm assigned a supervisor I get all my work from. So it's up to her. But if she's too busy to get back to me its unlikely she'll have time to get me another project.

[lavarman84]

If you hand in an assignment at 4 and radio silence afterwards, how late are you staying until you feel comfortable leaving if you have nothing else going on?

You should leave.

I've been sitting here for 3 days with nothing to do cus my supervisor is too busy to give me feedback. I feel like its pointless to even come in. But uggh.

Are you not allowed to get more work until you receive feedback?

I'm assigned a supervisor I get all my work from. So it's up to her. But if she's too busy to get back to me its unlikely she'll have time to get me another project.

Ah. I guess that's good and bad.