Can I email my SA mentor about work hours/social events to expect? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Going to a small firm and couldn't find a 3L to talk to about this, my mentor is a 4th year associate who was also an SA.

I'm curious about work hours expectations, weekend work and the amount and nature of social events during the summer. However I don't want to come off as lazy. Should I ask him via email? How can I word it so I don't sound terrible?

[LarrySanders]

Going to a small firm and couldn't find a 3L to talk to about this, my mentor is a 4th year associate who was also an SA.

I'm curious about work hours expectations, weekend work and the amount and nature of social events during the summer. However I don't want to come off as lazy. Should I ask him via email? How can I word it so I don't sound terrible?

Terrible idea.

4th year is extremely busy and doesn't care about you yet and probably won't ever. Best advice is to try and hide your anxiety and other dumb questions until you have an offer. All the stuff you are asking is first day / first week stuff. You will find out later, just relax for now.

[rpupkin]

Going to a small firm and couldn't find a 3L to talk to about this, my mentor is a 4th year associate who was also an SA.

I'm curious about work hours expectations, weekend work and the amount and nature of social events during the summer. However I don't want to come off as lazy. Should I ask him via email? How can I word it so I don't sound terrible?

Is there a specific reason—beyond just general anxiety—that you need answers to these questions right now? Are you expecting to have a baby during your summer or something? If it's something serious like that, then you should have a talk with your firm about your schedule. But if you're dying to know about social events and work hours just because, then I strongly advise you to chill out until your summer starts.

[DeseoQueSea]

Going to a small firm and couldn't find a 3L to talk to about this, my mentor is a 4th year associate who was also an SA.

I'm curious about work hours expectations, weekend work and the amount and nature of social events during the summer. However I don't want to come off as lazy. Should I ask him via email? How can I word it so I don't sound terrible?

Is there a specific reason—beyond just general anxiety—that you need answers to these questions right now? Are you expecting to have a baby during your summer or something? If it's something serious like that, then you should have a talk with your firm about your schedule. But if you're dying to know about social events and work hours just because, then I strongly advise you to chill out until your summer starts.

I second this. It's very likely that you'll be welcomed to leave work at 5:30 to attend social events, and unlikely that you'll be SO busy with a case that you'll be unable to go. I was an associate at a big firm, and there, the general gist was that we wanted SAs to get a taste of what associate life was like, but also to have a great summer (and also, the firm has already paid for you to have a great summer and it would be crappy for all involved if you missed events). I'd sit tight for now unless, as rpupkin said, you have a reason you need to plan around (doctors appointments, babies, etc.). If you're just generally curious, expect that you'll have a 9:30-5:30 on most days with some outliers here and there. And, of course, if you ask or express interest in getting even more work, you will probably get it!