Summer Associate Class of 2017 Forum

[PvblivsScipio]

I'm trying to balance getting a ton of free lunches and not being the creepy desperate associate. It's hard.

[Anonymous User]

[like to stay anon]

Got feedback on an email research assignment (short, "tell me what this word means in 9th Cir" email). Didn't cite the case right because I am unfamiliar with this state's cite format... Atty told me to make sure to have my citations correct.. Instant panic of no-offer (srs).

Seems like a small critique that is easily fixed, but still nervous. Anyone else gotten feedback of where they need to improve?

Being told once on something like this (where you not knowing the state's cite format could be ignorance and not carelessness), is not a big deal. Repeating a mistake you were told specifically to fix, that would be different.

During my summer, I turned in a assignment where I copy/paste some boilerplate language from a similar document. Didn't notice that one document was in 12 point font, and the other one was randomly in 12.5 point font (WTF). Partner gave me feedback along the lines of, "Having the text be different sizes looks unprofessional, you should be catching stuff like this when you proofread. Print it out if you have to next time when you look it over to make sure the text looks right." Freaked out, panicked about no-offer. Was crazy careful about anything I sent the partner the rest of the summer. Got the offer, decided to work for the firm part-time during my 3L year (I go to school in the same city). I now OCD check font sizes on any document I work on (even if it's not for work).

That partner is now one of my favorite partners to do work for. I think that most partners (the good ones anyways) understand if you don't get it right the first time. What they want is for you to take their feedback seriously and care enough to put effort into improving your work product.

[PeanutsNJam]

I'm trying to balance getting a ton of free lunches and not being the creepy desperate associate. It's hard.

I do this by generally requesting cheaper lunch places and throttling the requests for sit-down or fancier restaurants. Most times we go buy it and eat it at the firm in a conference room. Food is still good, and a free lunch is a free lunch.

I've paid for like 4 lunches in ~2.5 weeks so I think I'm doing ok, but maybe I could be more aggressive.

[Big Red]

It would be the coolest job ever but for the fact that I can see through the looking glass at how much the actual associates work and that I would be lucky if I spend 4-5 years in that life

Re: the gunner thing, I can understand having to work late one night to get something in or getting like a two-hour thing to do over a weekend but I wonder if people doing all nighters might be in the wrong place? By virtue of your ignorance the work makers are literally just breaking off the smallest and simplest of pieces to see that you color in the lines.

[Anonymous User]

Got some grades from spring semester today.. not good.. lol

[Anonymous User]

Got some grades from spring semester today.. not good.. lol

+1 median pwned in a couple of classes. oof.

[Anonymous User]

We have casual Fridays, we can wear jeans and polos. Out of 8 summers I'm the only one the last two fridays to take advantage of it...should I stop? Not many of the attorneys go along with it either.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Attorneys may not be taking advantage of it because they have to go to court/meet with clients on those days. But you're never going to hurt yourself by going along with the crowd fashion-wise, either.

[Vincent Adultman]

We have casual Fridays, we can wear jeans and polos. Out of 8 summers I'm the only one the last two fridays to take advantage of it...should I stop? Not many of the attorneys go along with it either.

Absolutely not. Take advantage. I would look fondly on the person who actually fit in, rather than the people who were too buttoned up to wear jeans.

[Anonymous User]

We have casual Fridays, we can wear jeans and polos. Out of 8 summers I'm the only one the last two fridays to take advantage of it...should I stop? Not many of the attorneys go along with it either.

Do whatever makes you most comfortable, but do it based on the attorneys and not the summers. At my firm, just about everyone who isn't in court or client meetings is in casual Friday attire. One of our summers was in a three piece suit today. Don't be that guy.

[buckiguy_sucks]

We have casual Fridays, we can wear jeans and polos. Out of 8 summers I'm the only one the last two fridays to take advantage of it...should I stop? Not many of the attorneys go along with it either.

Do whatever makes you most comfortable, but do it based on the attorneys and not the summers. At my firm, just about everyone who isn't in court or client meetings is in casual Friday attire. One of our summers was in a three piece suit today. Don't be that guy.

Three piece suits look pretty stupid in pretty much every occasion

Vests are for blackjack dealers and teens going to prom who don't have the self confidence to wear a cummerbund

[A. Nony Mouse]

I had a colleague who ROCKED the three piece suit. (Okay where I work is notoriously unfashionable. Shhh.)

[clshopeful]

We have casual Fridays, we can wear jeans and polos. Out of 8 summers I'm the only one the last two fridays to take advantage of it...should I stop? Not many of the attorneys go along with it either.

Do whatever makes you most comfortable, but do it based on the attorneys and not the summers. At my firm, just about everyone who isn't in court or client meetings is in casual Friday attire. One of our summers was in a three piece suit today. Don't be that guy.

Three piece suits look pretty stupid in pretty much every occasion

Vests are for blackjack dealers and teens going to prom who don't have the self confidence to wear a cummerbund

Lol.. 3 piece is especially cringe because this guy is a summer, not some partner

[TLSModBot]

Only time I saw a three piece suit in relation to law was at the bar exam. There was a larger mustachioed gentleman with three piece suit, hat, cane, and gold pocket watch that looked as though he'd just stepped off his steampunk dirigible. Do not ever be that guy.

[PvblivsScipio]

Only time I saw a three piece suit in relation to law was at the bar exam. There was a larger mustachioed gentleman with three piece suit, hat, cane, and gold pocket watch that looked as though he'd just stepped off his steampunk dirigible. Do not ever be that guy.

Didn't know the planters peanut sat for the bar.

[Anonymous User]

Got 3 As and 2 A-s this semester and I still missed cracking the top 33%... By .002

[Anonymous User]

Got 3 As and 2 A-s this semester and I still missed cracking the top 33%... By .002

WUSTL?

[Anonymous User]

Got 3 As and 2 A-s this semester and I still missed cracking the top 33%... By .002

WUSTL?

Doubtful, we don't have grades back let alone GPA cutoffs.

[Anonymous User]

Got some grades from spring semester today.. not good.. lol

+1 median pwned in a couple of classes. oof.

I know that feel.

[Anonymous User]

Got 3 As and 2 A-s this semester and I still missed cracking the top 33%... By .002

WUSTL?

Doubtful, we don't have grades back let alone GPA cutoffs.

Good old Maurer... *sigh*

[SeewhathappensLarry]

We have casual Fridays, we can wear jeans and polos. Out of 8 summers I'm the only one the last two fridays to take advantage of it...should I stop? Not many of the attorneys go along with it either.

Do whatever makes you most comfortable, but do it based on the attorneys and not the summers. At my firm, just about everyone who isn't in court or client meetings is in casual Friday attire. One of our summers was in a three piece suit today. Don't be that guy.

Three piece suits look pretty stupid in pretty much every occasion

Vests are for blackjack dealers and teens going to prom who don't have the self confidence to wear a cummerbund

Lol.. 3 piece is especially cringe because this guy is a summer, not some partner

I love 3 piece suits. Buuuut I will not wear one in a professional setting until I'm 40 or 50

[Anonymous User]

Who should I go to about paycheck questions? HR? My hours on my check only say 70 but I work 80. Not knowledgeable about anything tax related

[RaceJudicata]

Who should I go to about paycheck questions? HR? My hours on my check only say 70 but I work 80. Not knowledgeable about anything tax related

Are you being paid hourly or a flat weekly rate? If the latter, obviously doesn't matter. If you are being paid hourly, it sounds like they are putting in an unpaid 1-hour lunch (just a guess).

But yes, you ask HR about these things.

[Anonymous User]

anyone else feel exhausted at the end of the work week? I'm an introvert, though force myself to be social and outgoing when I'm at work. At the end of the week I am so tired that even on the weekend I sleep in, chill all day, and still am tired by 11pm. Anyone else like this?

[Johann]

Who should I go to about paycheck questions? HR? My hours on my check only say 70 but I work 80. Not knowledgeable about anything tax related

That is the correct number of hours lots of firms use for certain reasons. (Assuming you're salaried at a big firm it doesn't matter).