2L Summer SA Computer Forum

[Anonymous User]

My laptop is dying and I can't afford to buy a new one at this point. Do firms provide laptops for the summer?

[foregetaboutdre]

Yes

[SmokeytheBear]

Not all, actually. Which firm?

[pancakes3]

don't you have 2 rounds of exams to go?

[malibustacy]

don't you have 2 rounds of exams to go?

This lol

Also, of all the things you should invest in while in school, it should be a laptop. A decent one with a solid state drive can be had for less than 600 dollars.

Firms generally provide computers, but you'll return them at the end of the summer.

[RaceJudicata]

Not all, actually. Which firm?

Probably easier to say which firms don't provide laptops. I don't know a single person who wasn't provided a laptop.

[albanach]

Not all, actually. Which firm?

Probably easier to say which firms don't provide laptops. I don't know a single person who wasn't provided a laptop.

It seems strange to me that any firm would have folk rely on their own computer. If those computers that are used in the evening to download torrents are plugged into the company network during the day, there's a whole host of security issues. And if client data is leaving at night on unencrypted laptops, that's just asking for trouble.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

Not all, actually. Which firm?

Probably easier to say which firms don't provide laptops. I don't know a single person who wasn't provided a laptop.

It seems strange to me that any firm would have folk rely on their own computer. If those computers that are used in the evening to download torrents are plugged into the company network during the day, there's a whole host of security issues. And if client data is leaving at night on unencrypted laptops, that's just asking for trouble.

lol, desktops exist

[albanach]

lol, desktops exist

Not sure what you're getting at. I understood the poster was asking if they're going to need to get a laptop for their SA gig. If the firm provides a desktop and expects no out of hours work from SAs then there's no issue.

Or was OP asking if they can get away with using a firm laptop as a replacement for their own for personal use during the summer?

[SmokeytheBear]

Not all, actually. Which firm?

Probably easier to say which firms don't provide laptops. I don't know a single person who wasn't provided a laptop.

It seems strange to me that any firm would have folk rely on their own computer. If those computers that are used in the evening to download torrents are plugged into the company network during the day, there's a whole host of security issues. And if client data is leaving at night on unencrypted laptops, that's just asking for trouble.

Do you even Citrix, bro?

[ur_hero]

Umm, why not ask this question to the recruiter or someone administrative?

. . . My assumption is that any big law firm would provide laptops. Small or mid-size, probably less likely. Obviously, it will vary firm to firm. So...The only way to know is to ASK.

Worst case scenario if you cannot any other way muster up funds, buy it on a credit card and pay it off after your first/second paycheck. Shouldn't be a problem if you're expecting a standard SA salary.

[albanach]

Not all, actually. Which firm?

Probably easier to say which firms don't provide laptops. I don't know a single person who wasn't provided a laptop.

It seems strange to me that any firm would have folk rely on their own computer. If those computers that are used in the evening to download torrents are plugged into the company network during the day, there's a whole host of security issues. And if client data is leaving at night on unencrypted laptops, that's just asking for trouble.

Do you even Citrix, bro?

I was managing VMs in the early 2000s.

The trouble is, it's an extra step. Folk end up working on their laptop and emailing documents to their work account. Given the supervising lawyer is likely to be responsible for the confidentiality, if it were me I'd prefer to issue a secured laptop.

[JustMe83]

At my firm this summer we had a 'desktop' which was a laptop hooked up to monitors and a keyboard. If you wanted to work remotely you could bring the laptop home and sign in or use citrix on your personal laptop. I don't think anyone brought their work laptop home for personal use, and I doubt there are any firms where attorneys bring in their personal laptops to use in the office.

FWIW I have no idea how this question could be relevant to any decision the OP might need to make.

[Anonymous User]

I worked at a big firm (V50) and didn't have a laptop. We had desktops and were told that there was no expectation that we'd ever need to work from home, so while the firm has laptops for associates we wouldn't get some.

I think it's a bit much to assume that OP will be handed one.

[foregetaboutdre]

I worked at a big firm (V50) and didn't have a laptop. We had desktops and were told that there was no expectation that we'd ever need to work from home, so while the firm has laptops for associates we wouldn't get some.

I think it's a bit much to assume that OP will be handed one.

Weird, I take my post back. Everybody I know though was assigned laptops (and even people externing places). No one really took them home though.

[Winter is Coming]

V5 no laptop, mainly because there's never a reason you would have to work from home. summers were given a laptop if they needed it for court or a conference for the day.

[Dr. Nefario]

I worked at a big firm (V50) and didn't have a laptop. We had desktops and were told that there was no expectation that we'd ever need to work from home, so while the firm has laptops for associates we wouldn't get some.

I think it's a bit much to assume that OP will be handed one.

Weird, I take my post back. Everybody I know though was assigned laptops (and even people externing places). No one really took them home though.

I think it might depend on the market too. My non-NYC market office didn't give us them, but the SAs in the NYC office of the firm had them.

[2014]

Unless they've changed the rules on this, i think most law schools will let you take out an extra 2 grand in loans once for this purpose. Loans are bad but not having a computer is worse, if you can't afford it do that.

[Anonymous User]

I worked at a big firm (V50) and didn't have a laptop. We had desktops and were told that there was no expectation that we'd ever need to work from home, so while the firm has laptops for associates we wouldn't get some.

I think it's a bit much to assume that OP will be handed one.

Ditto here (V100).

[foregetaboutdre]

Ironically my firm gave the SA's the newest laptops.