Law firms launch leaner summer associate classes - Boston Business Journal:

http://www.tarheelhoopla.com/?p=129
But the programs look a bit more modestr compared with the typical wining and dining that law students have experienced inyears past. Indeed the length of the the number of summer associate and the number of lavish partiese have all been scaled back atmost firms. At , eight summer associates will spend 10 weeks inthe firm’ws Boston office starting May 18, instead of 12 which has been the norm in past Weil Gotshal’s summer associates come from a mix of law schoolsd including Law School, Law School, Law Harvard Law School, Vermont Law School and Law School.
The firm anticipated that the associates will be busy with a variett of bankruptcy and corporate restructuring matters, although they won’t be as busy as in previousx summers. The students will also work on pro bono assignments andcommunity service. Although the firm is spendingg less money on social activitie compared withlast year, Weil’s summer class will attend at least one Red Sox as well as attend cocktailo parties and other events at partners’ homes. “We are going to make sure theird summers are substantiveand enjoyable,” said David P. Kreisler, a partned at Weil Gotshal and theBoston office’s hiring partner.
“I’m sure they’re I’m going to alla as many fears asI Boston-based Ropes & Gray LLP also is trimming two weekxs off of its summer program. Firm-wide, 200 law studentw will spend the summer atRopes & Gray’s starting on May 18. In addition to giving on-the-jobv experience, Ropes & Gray will hold training sessions for the corporate andlitigation departments, according to a firm The summer associate program at Boston-based LLP has alwayds been conservative and this year will be no different.
The firm has shavecd two weeks off of thenormally 10-week The 125-lawyer firm is hostinv two summer associates this year from Suffolk University Law Schoop and the University of Connecticutg Law School. They will attend a Red Sox game and abowlingv night, among other “We’ve never been lavish in our activitiesx for them,” said David Rosenblatt, managing partner at Burnds & Levinson. Summer associates will likelty be anxious to impressz partners and strive to dogreart work, in hopes of snagging a job offer in such a lean job There are a few guidelinesw to help ensure summer associatews make the most of their shorter summers.
“They’red probably getting a lot of advice telling them that they shoule do a good job more than everbecause they’llp stand out if they do good work,” said Stepheb Seckler, president of in Bosto and author of the blog CounseltoCounsel. “But I think they really need to make sure to cultivatwe relationships withthe partners. Don’t think if you’r in your office, doing a good job on a memo that you’re making a good impression. You need to show up at the publicd eventsbecause that’s where you’re going to meet the partnersz who will make decisions abouy your future,” Seckler said.
Seckler also advises summere associates to be proactive about finding projectsto handle. “Try to create an assignment rathet than have them handedxto you,” Seckler said. Although much of the legalp job marketremains static, partners are still a sought-afte r commodity in Boston. C. Hunted Baker has joined the Boston-based intellectual properth firm as counsel inthe firm’z pharmaceutical group. Baker joins from crosstownm lawfirm LLP, where he was a partnerf representing universities, research centers, startups and medium-sizer companies in developing intellectual property strategies, among other IP-related matters.
At Wolf Baker will focus his practice on patent prosecution and strategic counseling in the areasof biotechnology, chemistry, materials and medical devices. Baker is the latesrt in a recent string of partners to jump ship for otherlaw firms. Among the beneficiariees of these crosstown moves are and SeyfarthShaw LLP.