What are the top 5 tips you would give an incoming SA? Forum

[Julio_El_Chavo]

I'll be honest, I'm nervous as shit about researching. I'm admittedly inefficient and slow. I think that will be my biggest weakness this summer.

After doing it for six hours straight during your first day of biglaw work, you should get a lot faster at it. It's not rocket science.

You can always call up the free Westlaw attorney helpline to help you become more efficient. I took liberal advantage of this.

[traehekat]

Glad to hear others are in the same boat! And great post, TooOld. I will definitely keep that stuff in mind!

+1, thanks TooOld.

[Anonymous User]

1. Don't be weird.
2. Drink when lawyers are drinking, but never get belligerent. Don't not drink - see No. 1.

I don't drink. People who have been there, is this really going to be a problem? I will get something to hold so that I have a glass.

[kaiser]

1. Don't be weird.
2. Drink when lawyers are drinking, but never get belligerent. Don't not drink - see No. 1.

I don't drink. People who have been there, is this really going to be a problem? I will get something to hold so that I have a glass.

I'm pretty sure this was discussed at length earlier in the thread. Moral of the story was that most people likely won't care, as long as you aren't all self-righteous about it, or use it to drive a social wedge between yourself and everyone else.

[Ludo!]

1. Don't be weird.
2. Drink when lawyers are drinking, but never get belligerent. Don't not drink - see No. 1.

I don't drink. People who have been there, is this really going to be a problem? I will get something to hold so that I have a glass.

This is what the first 3-4 pages of this thread devolved into debating. Some people argued that some people will be uncomfortable around you, most argued no one will care. But if you're holding a glass it will probably help you not get questioned about it. And if you do get questioned, don't be a self-righteous douche.

[imchuckbass58]

1. Don't be weird.
2. Drink when lawyers are drinking, but never get belligerent. Don't not drink - see No. 1.

I don't drink. People who have been there, is this really going to be a problem? I will get something to hold so that I have a glass.

I (temporarily) couldn't drink last summer during my SA. At least at my firm, it was a complete non-issue (don't think I was even asked about it). Just make sure you are comfortable socializing with people who are drinking.

[Anonymous User]

People will notice if you're a girl and not drinking.

(people assume you're pregnant)

[Anonymous User]

I as a Mormon apologize for the preachy-weirdness of the poster who was lecturing everyone about drinking.

I also think it was really disgusting that some of our more fratty bros threw down on people who abstain for religious reasons from alcohol. I guess mods will only moderate when shots are taken against more popular religious groups/ races (What if someone said "Hey orthodox Jew, why not learn to not wear your Yamaka at work, or go work for some Jewish law firm in Brooklyn instead).

Anyway, to respond to anyone still worrying about the drinking issue, I went to a top-10 undergraduate b-school. They taught us if we didn't drink to never make some point about it in public as a challenge to others, or announce it-- you'll just look self-righteous and contemptuous. Instead, the best way to handle it is to order soda, and if someone asks, just let them know straight up in a non-awkward/creeper way.

Any sane biglaw partner/firm will understand and support that people have religious or other beliefs that may conflict with some aspect of work (vegans, Sabbath-observers, Hijab-wearers, religious holidays, recovering-alcoholics, etc).

People who don't drink for religious reasons are usually pretty chill bros. A lot easier to respect a decision like that. Think of it this way - if some guy was all like "I don't eat cheeseburgers" at the firm barbecue most of us would be like "that's kinda weird" but if you were all like "oh, I'm a Jew, can't eat pork, not even with a fork" people would be like, cool dood.

[09042014]

1. Don't be weird.
2. Drink when lawyers are drinking, but never get belligerent. Don't not drink - see No. 1.

I don't drink. People who have been there, is this really going to be a problem? I will get something to hold so that I have a glass.

Protip : People can't tell whether a jack and coke is just coke or vice versa.

[angrybird]

STOP SHITTING UP THIS THREAD, TEETOTALERS

[09042014]

STOP SHITTING UP THIS THREAD, TEETOTALERS

I learned that tip in reverse.

[wildhaggis]

STOP SHITTING UP THIS THREAD, TEETOTALERS

Yes. Jesus. Can people please read the other zillion posts about this and stop asking the same goddamn question.

[Anonymous User]

People will notice if you're a girl and not drinking.

(people assume you're pregnant)

What if you are

[Anonymous User]

People will notice if you're a girl and not drinking.

(people assume you're pregnant)

What if you are

Probably want to make sure you deliver on the weekend so that you can be back billing on Monday.

[Anonymous User]

People will notice if you're a girl and not drinking.

(people assume you're pregnant)

What if you are

Probably want to make sure you deliver on the weekend so that you can be back billing on Monday.

lol @ summers "billing." Recording hours for the firm to write off?

[Anonymous User]

At my 1L summer firm, I thought my partner was just being a nice caring boss to write down a description of my work hour by hour. I am pretty sure now that he was billing my hours.

[Anonymous User]

STOP SHITTING UP THIS THREAD, TEETOTALERS

Just want to point out that the post quoted was 1+ year ago.

[Anonymous User]

I have a question. My 1L firm was super rigid and we worked 12+ hours a day was summers. You pretty much had to strive and not screw up to be noticed.

My new firm is supposed to have a more laid back culture. I was told that we needed to work 9 to 5, and not to worry about striving because the partners might think you are weird for being neurotically focused 2L summer. I like this advice, but it is weird having such a different experience 1L summer, and I don't want to look lazy. Also, my last firm had a lower offer rate than this firm, which has less SAs and a usual 100% rate. Thoughts?

[yngblkgifted]

tag

[traehekat]

Anyone have any suggestions on legal writing guides? I took a bunch of exam courses 2L and so the memo/brief writing exercises we did 1L seem like ages ago. Although not legal in nature, Elements of Style is definitely on my radar. Same with Academic Legal Writing by Volokh (although I am wondering if this is more useful for comments/seminar papers, rather than memo/brief writing).

EDIT: Nvm, after failing to find anything through a forum search, I did a quick Google search that turned up a bunch of threads with suggestions. Seems like these have been the ones that have been recommended over and over:

Elements of Style, Strunk and white
Elements of Legal Style, Garner
Legal Writing in Plain English, Garner
Academic Legal Writing, Volokh

Am I missing anything that is an absolute must read?

[daesonesb]

Anyone have any suggestions on legal writing guides? I took a bunch of exam courses 2L and so the memo/brief writing exercises we did 1L seem like ages ago. Although not legal in nature, Elements of Style is definitely on my radar. Same with Academic Legal Writing by Volokh (although I am wondering if this is more useful for comments/seminar papers, rather than memo/brief writing).

EDIT: Nvm, after failing to find anything through a forum search, I did a quick Google search that turned up a bunch of threads with suggestions. Seems like these have been the ones that have been recommended over and over:

Elements of Style, Strunk and white
Elements of Legal Style, Garner
Legal Writing in Plain English, Garner
Academic Legal Writing, Volokh

Am I missing anything that is an absolute must read?

Are you planning to read these to get ready for your SA?

[Anonymous User]

The level at which others are preparing for their SA is a little disconcerting. I was sort of planning on showing up, not acting like a moron / weirdo, using common sense, and calling it a summer. Then again, maybe some on here are going to firms that don't typically do high offer rates. In that case, the behavior seems completely rational.

[Old Gregg]

The level at which others are preparing for their SA is a little disconcerting. I was sort of planning on showing up, not acting like a moron / weirdo, using common sense, and calling it a summer. Then again, maybe some on here are going to firms that don't typically do high offer rates. In that case, the behavior seems completely rational.

This is totally fine. The rest of these folks are fucking idiots.

[traehekat]

Anyone have any suggestions on legal writing guides? I took a bunch of exam courses 2L and so the memo/brief writing exercises we did 1L seem like ages ago. Although not legal in nature, Elements of Style is definitely on my radar. Same with Academic Legal Writing by Volokh (although I am wondering if this is more useful for comments/seminar papers, rather than memo/brief writing).

EDIT: Nvm, after failing to find anything through a forum search, I did a quick Google search that turned up a bunch of threads with suggestions. Seems like these have been the ones that have been recommended over and over:

Elements of Style, Strunk and white
Elements of Legal Style, Garner
Legal Writing in Plain English, Garner
Academic Legal Writing, Volokh

Am I missing anything that is an absolute must read?

Are you planning to read these to get ready for your SA?

lol, some of these are like 200+ page books, and i just got done with 5 exams this semester, so no, i am not planning on reading these before i start my SA. i would just like to have them available for reference.

[starchinkilt]

Anyone have any suggestions on legal writing guides? I took a bunch of exam courses 2L and so the memo/brief writing exercises we did 1L seem like ages ago. Although not legal in nature, Elements of Style is definitely on my radar. Same with Academic Legal Writing by Volokh (although I am wondering if this is more useful for comments/seminar papers, rather than memo/brief writing).

EDIT: Nvm, after failing to find anything through a forum search, I did a quick Google search that turned up a bunch of threads with suggestions. Seems like these have been the ones that have been recommended over and over:

Elements of Style, Strunk and white
Elements of Legal Style, Garner
Legal Writing in Plain English, Garner
Academic Legal Writing, Volokh

Am I missing anything that is an absolute must read?

Are you planning to read these to get ready for your SA?

lol, some of these are like 200+ page books, and i just got done with 5 exams this semester, so no, i am not planning on reading these before i start my SA. i would just like to have them available for reference.

just get the redbook as a reference. it covers everything you'd get out of those 4 books.