Summer Associates 2014: Thoughts, Anxieties, Experiences... Forum

[2014]

I will take one for the collective team and say that I did absolutely nothing this summer that a 1st year couldn't have done in half the time, I stayed later than 6:30 pm a total of 5 times (3 of which were completely by choice), and my attendance rate at summer events both formal and informal was damn near 100%.

Pretty pleased with myself overall, a lot of you did it wrong.

[Druid]

I got a sentence in an agreement over my summer. I drafted it. It went out to the client. So, I don't think it's fair to say we do NOTHING.

But otherwise it was just a lot of lawyers telling me how important my work was as they shuffled it into the blackhole abyss of summer work product and made sure that I "billed" my time. But I guess I don't have the superior legal mind that others possess.

I also ran a lot of blacklines. I'm pretty sure that was real work. But maybe not the same level of excellent and totally billable work that others achieve.

Leave the real work to the all-stars. They're the true leaders and best.

[5ky]

This thread has grown so rich in content. Love it.

[Anonymous User]

I will take one for the collective team and say that I did absolutely nothing this summer that a 1st year couldn't have done in half the time, I stayed later than 6:30 pm a total of 5 times (3 of which were completely by choice), and my attendance rate at summer events both formal and informal was damn near 100%.

Pretty pleased with myself overall, a lot of you did it wrong.

I worked late or came in early maybe a total of seven times and each time was either due to my laziness, deciding to go to lunch, or some outside circumstance making it so that I couldn't have an assignment done during normal hours. There was otherwise no reason to stay until 6:00 pm other than a desire for other people on my floor to know I was in the office. I got lunch almost every afternoon and obviously I went to every after-work event. Doing otherwise would have been dumb on my part and the idea that so many posters went in to the summer acknowledging that they wouldn't do real substantive work but left feeling like they really contributed just shows how much they drank the Kool-Aid. Were there a few assignments that may have been real first through third year work? Absolutely. Could a first through third year have done them in a few hours instead of a week? Absolutely. I was free access to West Law or Lexis and I recognize that.

[5ky]

I will take one for the collective team and say that I did absolutely nothing this summer that a 1st year couldn't have done in half the time, I stayed later than 6:30 pm a total of 5 times (3 of which were completely by choice), and my attendance rate at summer events both formal and informal was damn near 100%.

Pretty pleased with myself overall, a lot of you did it wrong.

I worked late or came in early maybe a total of seven times and each time was either due to my laziness, deciding to go to lunch, or some outside circumstance making it so that I couldn't have an assignment done during normal hours. There was otherwise no reason to stay until 6:00 pm other than a desire for other people on my floor to know I was in the office. I got lunch almost every afternoon and obviously I went to every after-work event. Doing otherwise would have been dumb on my part and the idea that so many posters went in to the summer acknowledging that they wouldn't do real substantive work but left feeling like they really contributed just shows how much they drank the Kool-Aid. Were there a few assignments that may have been real first through third year work? Absolutely. Could a first through third year have done them in a few hours instead of a week? Absolutely. I was free access to West Law or Lexis and I recognize that.

What kind of firm takes you to lunch every day but makes you use your own Westlaw? That makes no sense, and is not particularly ethical (unless you were just using that as a saying)

[Anonymous User]

I will take one for the collective team and say that I did absolutely nothing this summer that a 1st year couldn't have done in half the time, I stayed later than 6:30 pm a total of 5 times (3 of which were completely by choice), and my attendance rate at summer events both formal and informal was damn near 100%.

Pretty pleased with myself overall, a lot of you did it wrong.

I worked late or came in early maybe a total of seven times and each time was either due to my laziness, deciding to go to lunch, or some outside circumstance making it so that I couldn't have an assignment done during normal hours. There was otherwise no reason to stay until 6:00 pm other than a desire for other people on my floor to know I was in the office. I got lunch almost every afternoon and obviously I went to every after-work event. Doing otherwise would have been dumb on my part and the idea that so many posters went in to the summer acknowledging that they wouldn't do real substantive work but left feeling like they really contributed just shows how much they drank the Kool-Aid. Were there a few assignments that may have been real first through third year work? Absolutely. Could a first through third year have done them in a few hours instead of a week? Absolutely. I was free access to West Law or Lexis and I recognize that.

What kind of firm takes you to lunch every day but makes you use your own Westlaw? That makes no sense, and is not particularly ethical (unless you were just using that as a saying)

They don't "make" you do anything but, at least in my experience, there were a bevy of litigation assignments where persons were asked to summarize arguments and pull relevant cases. Conveniently, that ended for most once the free summer trial concluded. I'm not sure how that's unethical.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Because it's usually against Westlaw/Lexis rules to use student accounts for for-profit employment.

[nsideirish]

Because it's usually against Westlaw/Lexis rules to use student accounts for for-profit employment.

I don't think it is against Lexis rules.

[Anonymous User]

Well, the person posting about the "alternate" offer is the same person who posted earlier as two separate people being no-offered, so I don't know how much stock to put in it.

While this dude was flame, I'm at a v50-ish firm, and there was one summer that people were on the fence about, and when the conversation turned toward no-offering the summer, someone influential (but young) in the room said something like "can't we just tell the summer what our problems with her/him are, pay her/him less money, and give her/him a year to either turn it around (and be made a regular second year) or find something else?" I'm sure the summer is pissed right now, but if it weren't for this one person piping up, s/he was a goner.

[5ky]

I will take one for the collective team and say that I did absolutely nothing this summer that a 1st year couldn't have done in half the time, I stayed later than 6:30 pm a total of 5 times (3 of which were completely by choice), and my attendance rate at summer events both formal and informal was damn near 100%.

Pretty pleased with myself overall, a lot of you did it wrong.

I worked late or came in early maybe a total of seven times and each time was either due to my laziness, deciding to go to lunch, or some outside circumstance making it so that I couldn't have an assignment done during normal hours. There was otherwise no reason to stay until 6:00 pm other than a desire for other people on my floor to know I was in the office. I got lunch almost every afternoon and obviously I went to every after-work event. Doing otherwise would have been dumb on my part and the idea that so many posters went in to the summer acknowledging that they wouldn't do real substantive work but left feeling like they really contributed just shows how much they drank the Kool-Aid. Were there a few assignments that may have been real first through third year work? Absolutely. Could a first through third year have done them in a few hours instead of a week? Absolutely. I was free access to West Law or Lexis and I recognize that.

What kind of firm takes you to lunch every day but makes you use your own Westlaw? That makes no sense, and is not particularly ethical (unless you were just using that as a saying)

They don't "make" you do anything but, at least in my experience, there were a bevy of litigation assignments where persons were asked to summarize arguments and pull relevant cases. Conveniently, that ended for most once the free summer trial concluded. I'm not sure how that's unethical.

As others have noted, it's against Westlaw policy to use it over the summer in that manner, though I don't think it is for Lexis.

I find it really surprising a biglaw firm wouldn't just have westlaw/lexis usernames and passwords for their summers.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Because it's usually against Westlaw/Lexis rules to use student accounts for for-profit employment.

I don't think it is against Lexis rules.

It was when I was a student, but eh, they may have changed it since WestlawNext came along.

[20141023]

.

[Kikero]

As others have noted, it's against Westlaw policy to use it over the summer in that manner, though I don't think it is for Lexis.

I find it really surprising a biglaw firm wouldn't just have westlaw/lexis usernames and passwords for their summers.

The poaster was talking about the WestLaw free trial for summers, not the school account. I think you get something like 15 hours free to get adjusted to on the job research. It's intended to be used for work at a firm. Same with Lexis, only they provide you with a free "trial" for the entire duration of your summer.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Yeah, that's all definitely different from when I was in school. Anyway. Never mind.

[El Pollito]

Meph PMed me to clarify that he was also essential as a 1L SA.

Subject: Summer Associates 2014: Thoughts, Anxieties, Experiences...

cool, the just-not-shitty-enough-to-be-nooffered kr3w is here

Swamped is an understatement and we have coordinators. As a rising 2l I assumed things would be not that serious but im on all sorts of shit that matters.

I've been given somewhat critical positions on a couple of major matters actually. I've been working similar hours because I need to be there.

ok bro.

pretty sure those two posts were from my 1l sa and are not relevant to my current line of reasoning. but i stand by them

[Anonymous User]

Anyone else already looking to attempt fate and switch firms after the summer?

I'm having doubts about the firm I chose and hoping I might find something else.

I am. I'm in a smaller firm in a secondary market so I'm uncertain about the probability of a full-time offer after the second summer. I'm gonna try my luck on this one...

[Mal Reynolds]

Meph PMed me to clarify that he was also essential as a 1L SA.

Subject: Summer Associates 2014: Thoughts, Anxieties, Experiences...

cool, the just-not-shitty-enough-to-be-nooffered kr3w is here

Swamped is an understatement and we have coordinators. As a rising 2l I assumed things would be not that serious but im on all sorts of shit that matters.

I've been given somewhat critical positions on a couple of major matters actually. I've been working similar hours because I need to be there.

ok bro.

pretty sure those two posts were from my 1l sa and are not relevant to my current line of reasoning. but i stand by them

LOL

[fl0w]

I do wish summers saw how much of a shit-shield associates really are for them.
This is a major reason we say you don't do real work. Part of real work is getting shat upon and then having said shitter say "you're welcome" as if it were your life dream to be their toilet.

[SemperLegal]

re: Summers doing substantive work.

Weird, its almost like everyone here was at different firms in different markets, all of which were able to absorb the financial crisis wit varying degrees of success. In that crazy, crazy world some might think that different firms had identified different ways to treat the billing of summer's work and their expectations of work v. social events.

[jd20132013]

wait meph is a SA? i thought he was an associate

[Danger Zone]

wait meph is a SA? i thought he was an associate

Apparently only a 1L SA, so even worse

[Anonymous User]

re: Summers doing substantive work.

Weird, its almost like everyone here was at different firms in different markets, all of which were able to absorb the financial crisis wit varying degrees of success. In that crazy, crazy world some might think that different firms had identified different ways to treat the billing of summer's work and their expectations of work v. social events.

At my firm it was that where the two conflict, work takes priority, but they almost never conflicted. 90% of the work was making sure you seemed smart, concise, and professional. For instance, we produced some long writing samples, but this was more to show what we can do than of providing substantive use to the client. If there was a due date, you would normally have a one page e-mail with a "yo homes" writing style that can be read while on the toilet. Your Justice Holmesque memo could be submitted a month later.

[elterrible78]

wait meph is a SA? i thought he was an associate

Apparently only a 1L SA, so even worse

How is that worse?

[Druid]

wait meph is a SA? i thought he was an associate

Apparently only a 1L SA, so even worse

How is that worse?

Because a 1L SA knows even less shit than a 2L SA.

[Danger Zone]

Also doesn't have the pressure of worrying about a full time offer.