Summer Associate Class of 2016 Forum

[lavarman84]

It kind of sucks being the one SA from a low-ranked school. At every SA event partners ask us which law school we're from, and after I tell them they immediately pass on from me to ooh-ahh or bond over the Ivy League/T-14 credentials of my fellow SAs. I know it doesn't matter in the long run, but eh.

Really? T-14 student here, my officemate is from a very low ranked local school and she intimidates the shit out of me. She's fucking brilliant and in the top 1% of her class, law review, crazy work ex and she's fucking nice, pretty and fun to boot. She is perfection =)

Yeah, seriously, people from lower tier schools who made it to biglaw shouldn't be worried about inadequacy at all. Getting in despite where you go to school is pretty huge. It's not like school brand or some shit like that is going to matter when it comes to offers at the end of the summer.

Some people just can't shake the chip on their shoulder.

Having a chip on your shoulder can be a good thing if you have social skills.

[Rahviveh]

I tend to have more respect for the TTT's in the summer class. any dummy at a T14 can get biglaw. A TTT who gets biglaw is like a gladiator who defeated all his classmates and marches into the firm victorious and bloodied

[lavarman84]

I tend to have more respect for the TTT's in the summer class. any dummy at a T14 can get biglaw. A TTT who gets biglaw is like a gladiator who defeated all his classmates and marches into the firm victorious and bloodied

I don't really know why biglaw is seen as some great honor. But your point is true to a degree. That all said, people like that tend to be hyper-competitive which isn't always good for the SA atmosphere.

[cron1834]

Jesus I'm sick of people talking about how much they "bill." Both ITT and at my firm. Like, no one is actually charging clients any kind of going rate for the stupid shit we do, right? I feel like I'm going to get an offer so long as I do a few hours a day of actual work and act like a friendly human otherwise. Why do people feel the need to gun at this stage? Are you at no-offer firms?

Edit - maybe you got assigned something urgent, but at least stop bragging about it. Literally no one else cares. This feels like 1L all over again.

[smaug]

Jesus I'm sick of people talking about how much they "bill." Both ITT and at my firm. Like, no one is actually charging clients any kind of going rate for the stupid shit we do, right? I feel like I'm going to get an offer so long as I do a few hours a day of actual work and act like a friendly human otherwise. Why do people feel the need to gun at this stage? Are you at no-offer firms?

Edit - maybe you got assigned something urgent, but at least stop bragging about it. Literally no one else cares. This feels like 1L all over again.

This never ends. I'm sorry.

[Slytherpuff]

Jesus I'm sick of people talking about how much they "bill." Both ITT and at my firm. Like, no one is actually charging clients any kind of going rate for the stupid shit we do, right? I feel like I'm going to get an offer so long as I do a few hours a day of actual work and act like a friendly human otherwise. Why do people feel the need to gun at this stage? Are you at no-offer firms?

Edit - maybe you got assigned something urgent, but at least stop bragging about it. Literally no one else cares. This feels like 1L all over again.

I haven't felt like anyone's been bragging about billing a lot in here. If people talk about billing, I always assume they're wondering "am I doing this right? How is this taking me so long? Did I pick the wrong firm if everyone else is off drinking?" and just looking for a place to vent. But if your fellow SAs are bragging about billing at the firm, that really sucks.

[cron1834]

The majority of my ppl are chill, but a few rub me the wrong way.

[retaking23]

For those good with taxes, how much can we expect to take home after 10 weeks if summering at NYC biglaw paying market but withholding taxes (is this standard, btw?) and we are single, have no child support to pay, or anything else that might have tax implications. Sorry since this must have been asked and beaten 1000 times. tyia

[El Pollito]

The majority of my ppl are chill, but a few rub me the wrong way.

There's always a few, and they will ruin everything for everyone when you're actually working

[barkschool]

The majority of my ppl are chill, but a few rub me the wrong way.

There's always a few, and they will ruin everything for everyone when you're actually working

Splain

[cannibal ox]

The majority of my ppl are chill, but a few rub me the wrong way.

There's always a few, and they will ruin everything for everyone when you're actually working

Splain

Dickbag summers turn into dickbag first years turn into dickbag midlevels turn into dickbag partners.

Being an obnoxious summer associate likely leads to being an obnoxious person to work with when you're a real lawyer.

[Johann]

The majority of my ppl are chill, but a few rub me the wrong way.

There's always a few, and they will ruin everything for everyone when you're actually working

Splain

Dickbag summers turn into dickbag first years turn into dickbag midlevels turn into dickbag partners.

Being an obnoxious summer associate likely leads to being an obnoxious person to work with when you're a real lawyer.

nah the real problem is chill summers/1st years turn into dickbag midlevels and even dickbaggier partners.

[lavarman84]

Jesus I'm sick of people talking about how much they "bill." Both ITT and at my firm. Like, no one is actually charging clients any kind of going rate for the stupid shit we do, right? I feel like I'm going to get an offer so long as I do a few hours a day of actual work and act like a friendly human otherwise. Why do people feel the need to gun at this stage? Are you at no-offer firms?

Edit - maybe you got assigned something urgent, but at least stop bragging about it. Literally no one else cares. This feels like 1L all over again.

I haven't felt like anyone's been bragging about billing a lot in here. If people talk about billing, I always assume they're wondering "am I doing this right? How is this taking me so long? Did I pick the wrong firm if everyone else is off drinking?" and just looking for a place to vent. But if your fellow SAs are bragging about billing at the firm, that really sucks.

Yea. The only billing talk I've had with other summers was to laugh at how much longer it took me than the recommended time and worry about all the projects I have due at the end of next week.

But our class is small and the people are really cool so it's nice. I like all the other summers at my firm. My firm also is really good at hiring attractive women.

[cron1834]

The majority of my ppl are chill, but a few rub me the wrong way.

There's always a few, and they will ruin everything for everyone when you're actually working

Boo-urns.

[Londonbear]

Any crazy drunk stories?

[Anonymous User]

Any crazy drunk stories?

Heard about a Skadden summer slapping an associate

[Slytherpuff]

Any crazy drunk stories?

Heard about a Skadden summer slapping an associate

Yikes. I don't think there's any way someone could come back from this and still get an offer.

[kellyfrost]

Any crazy drunk stories?

Any crazy hook up stories?

Although I heard this story second hand it did come from an a associate with personal knowledge:
Dude A is a summer at a firm. There are two hot chicks also in his summer class. He starts hooking up with one of them. Then he starts hooking up with the other one. He is hooking up with both of them at the same time and is somehow playing it off really well because no one in the office knows about the second chick.
Comes time for offers. Dude A gets an offer. First chick does not get an offer. Second chick gets an offer. About one day later, First Chick finds out about Second and supposedly flys off the handle and goes CRAZY. Never really heard what all happened there but I know the police were called at one point. Here is what I have heard though, first chick went on a cyber rampage. She was able to access Dude A's gmail, saved g chats, Facebook, and a online dating profile. She started taking screen shots of "questionable" things, and started emailing them to partners at the firm where he was offered and she was not. Apparently, some of the stuff that was sent wasn't anything you'd want your boss or co-workers to read or see...if you catch my drift.
Fast forward years later:
Dude A is still at the firm.
No one has heard from First Chick. She didn't pass the bar first try and supposedly didn't take it again.
Second Chick ended up backing out of her offer and accepted another offer in a different state.

[lavarman84]

Any crazy drunk stories?

Heard about a Skadden summer slapping an associate

Yikes. I don't think there's any way someone could come back from this and still get an offer.

The summer just slapped an associate. If it were a partner, it would be a problem.

[registering]

For those good with taxes, how much can we expect to take home after 10 weeks if summering at NYC biglaw paying market but withholding taxes (is this standard, btw?) and we are single, have no child support to pay, or anything else that might have tax implications. Sorry since this must have been asked and beaten 1000 times. tyia

I think you're able to get back most of your federal taxes except for payroll. Not sure about state, since some people get that out of state exemption.

[SplitMyPants]

Any crazy drunk stories?

Any crazy hook up stories?

Although I heard this story second hand it did come from an a associate with personal knowledge:
Dude A is a summer at a firm. There are two hot chicks also in his summer class. He starts hooking up with one of them. Then he starts hooking up with the other one. He is hooking up with both of them at the same time and is somehow playing it off really well because no one in the office knows about the second chick.
Comes time for offers. Dude A gets an offer. First chick does not get an offer. Second chick gets an offer. About one day later, First Chick finds out about Second and supposedly flys off the handle and goes CRAZY. Never really heard what all happened there but I know the police were called at one point. Here is what I have heard though, first chick went on a cyber rampage. She was able to access Dude A's gmail, saved g chats, Facebook, and a online dating profile. She started taking screen shots of "questionable" things, and started emailing them to partners at the firm where he was offered and she was not. Apparently, some of the stuff that was sent wasn't anything you'd want your boss or co-workers to read or see...if you catch my drift.
Fast forward years later:
Dude A is still at the firm.
No one has heard from First Chick. She didn't pass the bar first try and supposedly didn't take it again.
Second Chick ended up backing out of her offer and accepted another offer in a different state.

who the hell gives a summer fling their social media passwords? / who the hell has a password so easy someone who's known you 10 weeks could guess it?

[Anonymous User]

Any crazy drunk stories?

Any crazy hook up stories?

Although I heard this story second hand it did come from an a associate with personal knowledge:
Dude A is a summer at a firm. There are two hot chicks also in his summer class. He starts hooking up with one of them. Then he starts hooking up with the other one. He is hooking up with both of them at the same time and is somehow playing it off really well because no one in the office knows about the second chick.
Comes time for offers. Dude A gets an offer. First chick does not get an offer. Second chick gets an offer. About one day later, First Chick finds out about Second and supposedly flys off the handle and goes CRAZY. Never really heard what all happened there but I know the police were called at one point. Here is what I have heard though, first chick went on a cyber rampage. She was able to access Dude A's gmail, saved g chats, Facebook, and a online dating profile. She started taking screen shots of "questionable" things, and started emailing them to partners at the firm where he was offered and she was not. Apparently, some of the stuff that was sent wasn't anything you'd want your boss or co-workers to read or see...if you catch my drift.
Fast forward years later:
Dude A is still at the firm.
No one has heard from First Chick. She didn't pass the bar first try and supposedly didn't take it again.
Second Chick ended up backing out of her offer and accepted another offer in a different state.

who the hell gives a summer fling their social media passwords? / who the hell has a password so easy someone who's known you 10 weeks could guess it?

No idea why the password was given or how it became accessible. Moral or the story: your.gmail password shouldn't be the same as Facebook and they shouldn't be the same as plenty of fish and adult friend finder.

[Avian]

For those good with taxes, how much can we expect to take home after 10 weeks if summering at NYC biglaw paying market but withholding taxes (is this standard, btw?) and we are single, have no child support to pay, or anything else that might have tax implications. Sorry since this must have been asked and beaten 1000 times. tyia

You know someone is a K-JD when...

Yes withholding taxes is standard based on the information you filled out on the W-2. Assuming you didn't take a ton of allowances to minimize your withholding, you'll probably be paid about $23k give or take. You'll get quite a bit back as a tax refund because $30k is not that much money if this is your only income for the year. Your take-home pay after taxes will probably be around $27k. There are tax calculators you can find online if you would like more specific numbers.

[Anonymous User]

What do you do at a law firm as SA? I just started working at a mid-sized law firm and all I do is legal research, evidence finding and doc review... I don't even write a legal memo, since this law firm does not do a legal memo. I was wondering if biglaw summer associates also do this type of low-skilled stuff. I am turned off by the type of work I do here.

[El Pollito]

What do you do at a law firm as SA? I just started working at a mid-sized law firm and all I do is legal research, evidence finding and doc review... I don't even write a legal memo, since this law firm does not do a legal memo. I was wondering if biglaw summer associates also do this type of low-skilled stuff. I am turned off by the type of work I do here.

We're generally not supposed to give the summers work that will turn them off.