Summer Associate Question Forum

[Anonymous User]

Not always busy as a summer associate at a boutique litigation firm in NY (120ish atty). Have some days where I'm "billing" 7 hours, but most are around 3-5 per day or less. Is this a problem? Will I not get an offer for lack of work/available space or do you think that the attorneys don't want the extra commitment of dealing with a summer? Note that I also got good summer reviews on both fit and work product. Thanks for any help

[Anonymous User]

does your firm usually "no offer" summer associates? that data should be available on vault or nalp or somewhere.

[Anonymous User]

Some years it is 6/6, some years it is 5/6. Usually only one of the 6-8 per year or everyone gets an offer. Usually, it's everybody.

[Anonymous User]

Some years it is 6/6, some years it is 5/6. Usually only one of the 6-8 per year or everyone gets an offer. Usually, it's everybody.

So don't stress it. You'll very likely be fine. Though, if all of the other summers are consistently billing 7-8 hours a day, maybe ask your supervisors if there's more you can be doing.

[Anonymous User]

Almost certainly a non-issue. Maybe a bit different because it's a boutique but firms rarely expect much in terms of billables from summers. It all gets written off anyway. I have a tendency not to give work to summers when I'm busy it just results in more work for me in the end, not less. I wouldn't assume that just because you're not billing 8 hours a day that there isn't enough work to go around. I'd LOVE to have someone who knows what they're doing to help me on my matters right now, but that is not, and never will be, a summer.