Tips for Summer Associates Forum

[christianllang]

Former NYU Law/DPW senior in NYC (M&A) and London (general corporate) here.

About six weeks ago, I posted about Blacklines & Billables https://blacklinesandbillables.com, a blog/forum I run on associate training/development/life at large law firms. In part as a result of some of the follow-up discussions with members of the TLS community, we've launched a new series on the blog on "Tips for Summer Associate" (and created a related Q&A forum), so I just wanted to make a quick follow-up post to let folks know. (And thanks those of you who have already found it and reached out.) We'd love to continue having your input on what sorts of content is most helpful/most needed, so please reach out and weigh in.

Great to see some of recent threads in this forum helping to shine some light (particularly from the junior perspective) where it has historically been tough get visibility. (I remember how opaque everything seemed as a 2L trying to get a job and decide where to go, and then as a summer trying to figure out what the heck I wanted to do.) Happy to chip in (here or on B&B) on questions from a more senior perspective, so let me know if you have them.

[kellyfrost]

Excellent blog. Thank you for sharing as I enjoyed reading
what I have been able to so far.

I was hoping you could weigh in on this question discussed in this thread. It might be an idea for your blog. If not, I would appreciate your thoughts on the subject.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... ss+tobacco

[christianllang]

Thanks so much.

And I had a flip through the thread. As a Georgian, I've definitely spent my fair share of time around smokeless tobacco (but I don't dip). Honestly, at least with respect to the firms environments where I've worked (i.e., NYC and London), right or wrong, I think enough people would have a strongly negative reaction to it for it to be an issue for you. Particularly in those places where dipping isn't at all common (hence the "disgusting" reactions). I say that as someone who has always been a slight envelope-pusher in terms decorum/convention in some respects around the margins. (For example, I used wear cowboy boots to the office--in both NYC and London, wouldn't shy away from being irreverent with partners, etc.) But--again, right or wrong--I think there could be reputational blow-back from enough quarters that you should find a way to avoid it. (I will say, however, that--as you get more senior--if you're a rock star, you can get away with a lot. I know a partner who, when a senior associate trying to close a crazy deal, would just chain-smoke at his desk (next door to the head of the group, no less)--no-smoking policy be damned. You better believe no one was going to stick their head in at hour 65 and tell him to put it out. But you'd have to be VERY comfortable with where you stand to pull that off, I think.) Hope that's helpful.

[kellyfrost]

Thanks so much.

And I had a flip through the thread. As a Georgian, I've definitely spent my fair share of time around smokeless tobacco (but I don't dip). Honestly, at least with respect to the firms environments where I've worked (i.e., NYC and London), right or wrong, I think enough people would have a strongly negative reaction to it for it to be an issue for you. Particularly in those places where dipping isn't at all common (hence the "disgusting" reactions). I say that as someone who has always been a slight envelope-pusher in terms decorum/convention in some respects around the margins. (For example, I used wear cowboy boots to the office--in both NYC and London, wouldn't shy away from being irreverent with partners, etc.) But--again, right or wrong--I think there could be reputational blow-back from enough quarters that you should find a way to avoid it. (I will say, however, that--as you get more senior--if you're a rock star, you can get away with a lot. I know a partner who, when a senior associate trying to close a crazy deal, would just chain-smoke at his desk (next door to the head of the group, no less)--no-smoking policy be damned. You better believe no one was going to stick their head in at hour 65 and tell him to put it out. But you'd have to be VERY comfortable with where you stand to pull that off, I think.) Hope that's helpful.

Try helpful. Thanks for that. I could tell you honestly put some effort into the answer and didn't quickly dismiss it like a lot of people would or already have.

[christianllang]

Sure thing. Best of luck!