Careers
Lack of Work for Summer Associates?
Posted May 13, 2008, 12:01 pm CST
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10 (and is also staggering the start dates for incoming first-year associates) and Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, which rescinded offers last month to two summer associates (and two first-years) in its Charlotte office.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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