Shorter Summer Associate Programs Ramp Up the Pressure
Summer will be a time of increased pressure for law students hired on as summer associates at the many law firms that are reducing the lengths of their programs.
Matt DeGrushe, dean of career services at the University of Southern California’s law school, told the National Law Journal that students are aware of the need to quickly prove themselves. “With a shorter summer, there is less margin of error,” he said. “It’s a really short amount of time to prove yourself and recover from any mistakes.”
DeGrushe told the publication he is telling students to work hard, look for tasks that need to be done and be available for any assignment.
Among the law firms cutting their summer programs: Blank Rome, cutting its program from 10 to six weeks; Weil, Gotshal & Manges, cutting its program from 12 to 10 weeks; Alston & Bird, cutting its program from 11 to nine weeks; Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, cutting its program from 10 to seven weeks; and Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, cutting its program from 10 to seven weeks.
Frank Michael D’Amore, a legal recruiter and consultant with Attorney Career Catalysts who used to run the summer associate program at Saul Ewing, said law firms are also feeling the pressure. “Just as the student has to shine quicker, the law firm has to work harder and quicker to get to know them,” he told the NLJ.
He says usually summer associate programs don’t start humming until the middle. “When you cut out three or four weeks, it’s like trying to fit a two-act opera into one act,” he said.
