Summer Associate Class of 2017 Forum

[LaLiLuLeLo]

Basically, when you are a lawyer - especially when you are appearing in court - you want to look the part. You do so by wearing a lawyer custume. Any client, lawyer, or lay person who sees you should immediately be able to guess you are a lawyer.

Usually I just rely on the look of sadness and despair.

That works too. However, if you are also sporting an oversized, polka dotted bowtie and/or a red rubber nose, you are sending mixed messages.
Remember, juries are easily confused.

Maybe litbros are too cool for this, but around these parts we have a Pagliacci outfit for first years who fuck up sig blocks.

[trramic]

How many allowances should I be looking at if my spouse works? Should I play it safe and just do 1?

[SmokeytheBear]

How many allowances should I be looking at if my spouse works? Should I play it safe and just do 1?

If you want to make an interest free loan to the government, just do 1. You'll get it back at tax time.

Otherwise just google "IRS withholding calculator." Make sure to do the one on the IRS website. It will ask you a series of questions and then spit you out a number.

[PeanutsNJam]

Didn't withhold last summer. Mistake. Definitely withhold.

We can withhold state income taxes too, right? I still haven't gotten my state income tax refund.

[Anonymous User]

Over/under of pages devoted to whether to wear a suit on the first day?

[Anonymous User]

Over/under of pages devoted to whether to wear a suit on the first day?

Laugh all you want, but I'll be wearing a suit every day.

It's important as the junior person in an office to convey that you take the position seriously, and that starts with dress.

[star fox]

Suit on first day is fine, so is non-suit if it's stated as business casual but you shouldn't keep wearing a suit if nobody else is, that just makes you look odd.

[candidlatke]

in general (at a non-working aka cravath/wlrk SA), how many nights should we expect free?
checking the events calendar, there doesn't seem to be nearly as much as people have made it seem to be, but i've also been told that a lot of the happy hours/lunches are impromptu and that lunches will be happening nigh everyday so i'm not sure how many nights i should expect free

[mt2165]

in general (at a non-working aka cravath/wlrk SA), how many nights should we expect free?
checking the events calendar, there doesn't seem to be nearly as much as people have made it seem to be, but i've also been told that a lot of the happy hours/lunches are impromptu and that lunches will be happening nigh everyday so i'm not sure how many nights i should expect free

Summer last year in NYC. I would say you'll have at least a couple of events every week and possibly another/couple of impromptu happy hour/drinking event(s) with associates or other summers. At least half, and probably more of my nights were free.

[Anonymous User]

Starting my summer clerkship at Hawkins Parnell in Austin, TX!

2L from a private school in TX with grades around median.

[snowball2]

Over/under of pages devoted to whether to wear a suit on the first day?

Laugh all you want, but I'll be wearing a suit every day.

It's important as the junior person in an office to convey that you take the position seriously, and that starts with dress.

Also pretty important to convey basic comprehension of office policy and practice. If office policy is business casual then it is not a secret test where they're challenging you to figure out that they really want you in a suit. They want you to respond like a normal human being.

[RaceJudicata]

Over/under of pages devoted to whether to wear a suit on the first day?

Laugh all you want, but I'll be wearing a suit every day.

It's important as the junior person in an office to convey that you take the position seriously, and that starts with dress.

Also pretty important to convey basic comprehension of office policy and practice. If office policy is business casual then it is not a secret test where they're challenging you to figure out that they really want you in a suit. They want you to respond like a normal human being.

If you wear a suit every day in a business casual office, you sir, are a fool. And yes, people will talk about you and discuss how weird your behavior is. And they will be right. Shit, in my SA office, the attorneys (associates and partners) ragged on a partner who wore a suit every day.

[tyrant_flycatcher]

in general (at a non-working aka cravath/wlrk SA), how many nights should we expect free?
checking the events calendar, there doesn't seem to be nearly as much as people have made it seem to be, but i've also been told that a lot of the happy hours/lunches are impromptu and that lunches will be happening nigh everyday so i'm not sure how many nights i should expect free

Summer last year in NYC. I would say you'll have at least a couple of events every week and possibly another/couple of impromptu happy hour/drinking event(s) with associates or other summers. At least half, and probably more of my nights were free.

Posting to add that I had every Friday night free, and I believe that's common among firms.

[Anonymous User]

looks like I'm doing lit for first half of summer. Excited to get started but also nervous for long memos.

[clshopeful]

how many suit-required events (court hearings/client meetings) did former SAs have? Is it like 3 times roughly for 10 weeks, or more like 10?

[SmokeytheBear]

how many suit-required events (court hearings/client meetings) did former SAs have? Is it like 3 times roughly for 10 weeks, or more like 10?

3 if you're lucky.

[Anonymous User]

If everyone I interviewed with at a CB had a standing desk, will they no-offer me for not requesting one as well? Should I be training for standing for long periods now in order to prepare myself for the summer?

[clshopeful]

If everyone I interviewed with at a CB had a standing desk, will they no-offer me for not requesting one as well? Should I be training for standing for long periods now in order to prepare myself for the summer?

standing desks typically are electric and go from seated-height to standing-height so you dont have to stand all day lol

[PeanutsNJam]

If everyone I interviewed with at a CB had a standing desk, will they no-offer me for not requesting one as well? Should I be training for standing for long periods now in order to prepare myself for the summer?

Request a treadmill desk so they know you mean business

[buckiguy_sucks]

damn i hope they offer me a standing desk that'd be awesome

[LoganCouture]

how many suit-required events (court hearings/client meetings) did former SAs have? Is it like 3 times roughly for 10 weeks, or more like 10?

0 last summer. not lit tho. keeping one in your office is probably the right call if you think there will be opportunities to go to suit-required events.

[Anonymous User]

If everyone I interviewed with at a CB had a standing desk, will they no-offer me for not requesting one as well? Should I be training for standing for long periods now in order to prepare myself for the summer?

standing desks typically are electric and go from seated-height to standing-height so you dont have to stand all day lol

That's crazy! Do you have to stop by a Tesla charging station on your way to work and charge the desk? Will I need to bring a generator? Does Allen Edmonds make generators?

[Roy McAvoy]

If everyone I interviewed with at a CB had a standing desk, will they no-offer me for not requesting one as well? Should I be training for standing for long periods now in order to prepare myself for the summer?

standing desks typically are electric and go from seated-height to standing-height so you dont have to stand all day lol

That's crazy! Do you have to stop by a Tesla charging station on your way to work and charge the desk? Will I need to bring a generator? Does Allen Edmonds make generators?

I almost spit up my breakfast laughing at this.

[RaceJudicata]

how many suit-required events (court hearings/client meetings) did former SAs have? Is it like 3 times roughly for 10 weeks, or more like 10?

0 last summer. not lit tho. keeping one in your office is probably the right call if you think there will be opportunities to go to suit-required events.

In lit...I had about three that we pre-planned (i.e. partner emailed me a few days before asking if I'd like to join). Also had one last minute court appearance that they asked me to join on - it was during first week or two and didn't have suit in office ready to go. Bad look, but thankfully it was just an associate who was cool about it... so definitely have one ready to go.

[Moneytrees]

For guys, why not just wear a suit without a tie to the office? If your office has a casual atmosphere you can always just take your jacket off once you get to work. You can stash a few ties at the office in case you need them and not have to worry about ever being under-dressed.

I don't really see why that wouldn't be the play. Are people just dying to wear khakis or what?