Summer Associates Report Substantive Work, More Offers and Lots of Karoake
Summer associates are an easygoing bunch. They gave top grades to their law firms in a new survey, reporting there was lots of good work to go around and time for fun too.
Many firms hired fewer summers this year, but there was an upside in the numbers, the American Lawyer reports. Since there were fewer people, there was more work to do, including brief writing, depositions and deal work. And firms apparently were making more job offers. This year, almost three-quarters of the summer associates said they had gotten an offer or expected to get one, up from about half who got or expected offers the year before.
Pepper Hamilton was top ranked in the American Lawyer survey with a rating of 4.953 on a five-point scale, squeezing out Bingham McCutchen, which had a rating of 4.952, according to an American Lawyer chart. Pepper Hamilton earned perfect or near perfect marks in key categories, including training, guidance and number of interesting assignments.
“Summer associates have traditionally been fairly easy graders, and this year was no exception,” the story says. “Even the lowest-ranking firm—Minneapolis’ Faegre & Benson—earned a respectable 4.20.”
When they weren’t working, summer associates were treated to outings that included white-water rafting, a Lady Gaga concert, skeet-shooting, jet skiing, fishing trips “and plenty of karaoke,” the article says. Some also reported “dining opportunities reminiscent of pre-recession days.”
The five top-ranked law firms in the summer associate survey are:
1) Pepper Hamilton
2) Bingham McCutchen
3) Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
4) Cozen O’Connor and Schulte Roth & Zabel (a tie)
