Careers
Lack of Work for Summer Associates?
Posted May 13, 2008, 01:01 pm CDT
By Martha Neil
Summer associate programs at BigLaw firms are famously a time for potential legal eagles to play as well as work. But work may occupy even less of their time this year because of a slowdown at a number of corporate law firm departments.
Some firms are cutting the duration of their summer programs by a few weeks, or even rescinding offers to summer associates, reports the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.). Among them: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, which has shrunk its summer program from 12 weeks to 10 (and is also staggering the start dates for incoming first-year associates) and Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, which rescinded offers last month to two summer associates (and two first-years) in its Charlotte office.
At other firms with reduced workloads, summer associates may find themselves on projects that ordinarily might not be a top priority, such as research or mock deals, reports the Wall Street Journal Law Blog.
“It’s an issue for lots of firms,” says Bill Perlstein, co-managing partner at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr. Especially in corporate departments, “If you don’t have a lot of deals, it’s hard to find work.”
He says WilmerHale may urge associates interested in corporate work to try a litigation matter or pick up a pro bono project.
Related coverage:
The Recorder: "Utilities Adding to Summer Programs"
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Comments
Posted by Houston Lawyer - 4 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 1 hour, 53 minutes ago
I don’t know what corporate law departments are experiencing a slowdown. I’m busier than ever at mine.
Posted by Not So Slow - 4 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 1 hour, 4 minutes ago
#2-We’re pretty busy in our corporate department, too.I hear tell of a deal slow down, but haven’t seen it yet.
Posted by appeal to reason - 4 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 42 minutes ago
wow, two law firms have cut their summer programs from 12 to 10 weeks. This is clearly some heavy evidence of a profession-wide mass slowdown. The ABA journal is staffed by moron writers. Just take a peak at all the weekly comments about the redundancy of (often factually inaccurate) stories about one lawyer being paid more than his neighbor. Does this headline-grabbing, no-truth checking required tactic work for this damn journal?? I have to go throw up now. The ABA sucks.
Posted by MD Lawyer - 4 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 9 minutes ago
I’ll be more impressed when firms hire associates out of the summer program based on need instead of rotely making offers to 99% of the class just because they summered there.
Posted by Greg Brady - 4 months, 4 weeks, 22 hours, 39 minutes ago
# 4, those moron ABA writers probably would have written “take a peEk”
Posted by Mid-Atlantic Grad - 4 months, 4 weeks, 22 hours, 26 minutes ago
Many of my friends who will summer in NY, Philadelphia and DC this summer are uncertain about hiring prospects. I myself am a graduating Tier 1 student, and I have nearly 400 rejection letters sitting in my room. A second-year colleague of mine on Law Review at a Top 25 faced similar prospects, but was able to net 1 offer (after 3 interviews and about 200 rejection letters). Corporate firms aren’t biting right now, and I imagine it will show in work assignments for summer associates.
Posted by Focus in on Your Job Search - 4 months, 4 weeks, 20 hours, 33 minutes ago
#5, “400 rejection letters”! I’m from a Tier 2 law school, it was Tier 3 when I graduated. But Tiers don’t matter. I made connections through the bar, focused on what I wanted, found a hand full of attorneys who were masters in that practice, and I pursued them until they hired me. Score: 20 applications, 2 offers.
Posted by jonathan edwards - 4 months, 3 weeks, 6 days, 17 hours, 56 minutes ago
The only resumes I gave to anyone were to the Dean of my law school, and to one professor, so they could write letters of recommendation to the bank for my SBA loan to start my own firm. I found a town with a dearth of attorneys, and am making my own niche. I live in a state with a 3% unemployment rate, growing businesses, low tax rate, and a certain level of panic that is absolutely unnecessary, but will drive a minimal level of bankruptcy work, as even in OUR economy, there are those who overstep their earnings. I haven’t even taken the bar yet, and am smiling about my future.