Law Firm Summer Associate: How to Keep Your Foot in the Door

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As you conclude your summer program, you’ll be among the thousands of other Summer Fellows keeping everything to ensure they get a full-time job offer.

This anticipation is a big deal. according to At Law360 Pulse 2023 Summer Associate Survey36% of law students said their biggest concern was not getting an offer at the end of their summer programs. This represents an increase of 12 percentage points from 2022.

However, it is not all just expectation, it is very hard work to get an offer. Law360 Pulse found that students underwent an average of about 6 interviews during the early interview week.

Want to be one of the successful ones? You’re ready to get down to business, just like you’ve been all summer. now Here are some final tips to ensure you make a lasting impression and turn your summer position into a full-time offering.

Show them what you’ve achieved

You will have a lot of social work to do. If you follow our advice on our site Former Summer Fellow BloggerYou will have kept a diary of your activity.

Now is the time to group your accomplishments together in an organized way, so that you can present and present them if someone asks you to. Or better yet, offer to introduce them to the partners you’ve been working with. Show how your unique skill set and experience will translate into a successful career as a lawyer.

Admittedly, you will be on your best behavior all the way through. But you shouldn’t take a job offer for granted.

As mentioned earlier, many students may feel anxious about their job prospects or about how they will be perceived by their law firm. But it’s easier said than done. Try to avoid worrying about factors outside of your control.

What you can control is doing an excellent job and having a great attitude. Nor is there a typical template that companies look for in applicants. jYou may be able to bring a valuable new perspective that others may not have, so be yourself and show how you can add to the culture at the company.

Simple ways to stay on top of legal trends A great way to stand out and bring in new perspectives is to stay abreast of ever-changing legal trends. Read the blog post

Make sure you really want an offer

This may be an unexpected development, but you need to feel 100% confident that the company you spent the summer at is the best for you and your career.

At Law360 Pulse 2023 Summer Associate SurveyIf they had their choice of firms, the Kirkland law firm was the top choice for students, closely followed by Latham & Sedley.

But not everyone wants to work in those companies. And students reported that most law students should spread their network widely, according to the 2022 Summer Associate survey. It applies to an average of 17 companies In their campaign to secure affiliation.

Prestige should never be the only factor in deciding where you want to work, however. Much more important is the ability to learn, do work that you find rewarding, and build your career for the long term, whether you stay with the firm or eventually move into a different type of legal work.

Here are some questions to keep in mind:

Does the company practice in areas of interest to you?

This has been Top of mind for 82% of the studentsThe most popular areas of practice are corporate and intellectual property law and public litigation, according to the Law360 Pulse 2023 Summer Associate Survey.

What is the company’s approach to professional development?

Who will guide you? What does career progression look like? What training will be available? It is important to know how to gain skills and experience within the company, however long you stay. Here are some topics about development That will help guide your thinking.

Does the culture suit you and your needs?

This is something only you can decide. For example, diversity is an important consideration, as is a company Do I tell you about diversity and related programs, or just ask you a lot of behavioral questions? Remote work is another. in Law360 Pulse Summer Survey 2023, Only 22% of students encountered companies that would do this Allow them to run by default From a different location than where the association was headquartered. This is a decrease of 15% from 2022, indicating that companies are moving away from virtual relationships.

Prepare for the interview – and a big step in your career

Whatever company you’re looking at, be sure to use the interview as an opportunity to showcase your soft skills, unique characteristics, and insights that will set you apart from other applicants.

Show your passion for the profession too, and take this golden opportunity to learn and ask meaningful questions – for example, where is the company headed? How do customer needs evolve? What are the company’s growth plans over the next 5-10 years?

Asking questions like these will help set you apart as a confident, engaged, and informed candidate. Just the kind of people good companies like to hire.

So, well done summer and we wish you the best of luck in landing this full-time position.

From New Year’s resolutions to becoming partners, we’ve got you covered. Explore our site Blog about business development topics.