What to expect as mid-small firm SA Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am just wondering if anyone has any experience summering with a firm in a smaller market area that has around 20 lawyers. How often did you work? How did you find the quality of life? How did you perform and did you get an offer?

[Geist13]

How often did you work?

I think that since you're summering at a 20 person firm rather than a 500 person firm, you should expect to work no more than one day per week.

You should expect the attorneys to give you research and writing work and you should expect to actually do it. However, again, since it's a 20 person firm not biglaw, don't expect them to ask you to do a good job.

[Anonymous User]

I don't think that will be the case

[kalvano]

Ask me in July.

[traehekat]

How often did you work?

you should expect to work no more than one day per week.

huh? this can't really be normal practice, is it?

[romothesavior]

How often did you work?

you should expect to work no more than one day per week.

huh? this can't really be normal practice, is it?

I think he was attempting a lame joke. Or something.

[NoleinNY]

I SA'd for a 30-40 lawyer office. Got shuffled between a few practice groups. No one stayed past 6. Some R&W, wrote a motion, and got invited to accompany attorneys to trials. Also was invited to a local Bar Association mixer for SA's and mingled. I met an SA at a top firm from HLS..... Mildly shocked that s/he wasn't the brightest bulb. (Not sarcasm.)

[2LLLL]

I SA'd for a 30-40 lawyer office. Got shuffled between a few practice groups. No one stayed past 6. Some R&W, wrote a motion, and got invited to accompany attorneys to trials. Also was invited to a local Bar Association mixer for SA's and mingled. I met an SA at a top firm from HLS..... Mildly shocked that s/he wasn't the brightest bulb. (Not sarcasm.)

I SA'd at a firm with exactly 35 attorneys. My experience was similar to the quote above, but I'll add a few things. First, the work flow is a lot more haphazard than at bigger firms. There was no mentor or coordinator or anything, just people walking into your office and saying "can you do this?" It's key to have stones and tell people you can't do something immediately if you're really swamped. What works well if it's an associate is to say "well, if you want to talk to Mr./Ms. [Partner] and see if they'll push back their project....."

What I did find was that my projects weren't canned briefs or busy-work memos, but actual substantive projects that materially contributed to our cases. After talking to friends who worked at bigger firms, I'm convinced that my summer experience was more intellectually rewarding and taught me a lot more than theirs.

[NoleinNY]

I SA'd for a 30-40 lawyer office. Got shuffled between a few practice groups. No one stayed past 6. Some R&W, wrote a motion, and got invited to accompany attorneys to trials. Also was invited to a local Bar Association mixer for SA's and mingled. I met an SA at a top firm from HLS..... Mildly shocked that s/he wasn't the brightest bulb. (Not sarcasm.)

I SA'd at a firm with exactly 35 attorneys. My experience was similar to the quote above, but I'll add a few things. First, the work flow is a lot more haphazard than at bigger firms. There was no mentor or coordinator or anything, just people walking into your office and saying "can you do this?" It's key to have stones and tell people you can't do something immediately if you're really swamped. What works well if it's an associate is to say "well, if you want to talk to Mr./Ms. [Partner] and see if they'll push back their project....."

What I did find was that my projects weren't canned briefs or busy-work memos, but actual substantive projects that materially contributed to our cases. After talking to friends who worked at bigger firms, I'm convinced that my summer experience was more intellectually rewarding and taught me a lot more than theirs.

+1 regarding the workflow and intellectually stimulating comments.