Law Blogger Laments Lack of Summer Associate Scandals
Where have all the summer scandals gone? So far this season, not one comes to mind, laments law blogger David Lat. Can it really be true that much of the summer has passed without a single stupendous alcohol-fueled summer associate-partner indiscretion or inadvertent use of the “reply all” function on a particularly private e-mail?
Alas, the answer to that question is yes, he concludes in a New York Observer column, citing Mark Weber, Harvard Law School’s assistant dean for career services.
When scandals hit the summer associate scene, “I’m aware of them, especially if they involve our students,” Weber tells Lat. “If something off-the-wall happens, typically a hiring partner will call a law school to say, ‘Here’s what’s going on, and you should know about it.’ Fortunately, and this is a good thing from my perspective, it has been a quieter year.”
Forced by the lack of scandalous gossip to focus in on more weighty concerns, Lat ponders the reasons for the sudden lack of summer associate shenanigans. His conclusion: summer associates are on their best behavior due to the struggling economy. Another factor that could be playing a role in the glut of good behavior, though, is increasing awareness of how easily career-destroying gossip can be spread via the Internet, he posits.
However, there may be hope for a “delicious” summer associate scandal out of Minneapolis, he tells readers of his Above the Law blog, withholding details until he can confirm them.
Commenters to the post suggest another possible reason for the shortage of good gossip: some summer associates are still behaving badly, but have learned from others’ mistakes to do so more discreetly.
