Summer Associates Program in New York
At Kaye Scholer, we understand that a summer associate position is an introduction to your legal career. Kaye Scholer offers a unique summer program that provides a specially-designed combination of training, independent challenges, experienced guidance and flexibility. Our approach not only encourages our summer associates to try our many practice group areas, but focuses on other aspects of professional and personal development. The program was developed upon our belief that, to be successful, lawyers need not only substantive training and mentoring but also business savvy and a well-rounded life.
At Kaye Scholer, summer associates:
- Will experience real work assignments in our many practice areas
- Are given front-line, “action” assignments on cutting-edge litigations and transactions
- Become part of a ninety-year history of collegiality, community service and entrepreneurial spirit
- Form meaningful and lasting mentor/advisor relationships with partners and associates
- Are respected for their individuality and unique talents
- Have a balanced work/life experience
The Summer Experience
Getting to Know You
At Kaye Scholer, we are committed to providing you with a well-rounded summer. We believe it is important for our summer associates to get to know one another, to get to know our attorneys and to become familiar with the city in which they are located. The recruiting department organizes a wide variety of social events which typically include informal department receptions, summer associate lunches, cocktail receptions, Broadway shows, concerts, wine tasting dinners and our first-of-its-kind Wii tournament, which was conceived, planned and carried out by associates. The Wii tournament was a big hit with our summer associates and attorneys throughout the firm, and was written up in the Wall Street Journal Law Blog.
“Choose Your Own Adventure”
Because we understand that many law students are uncertain as to the practice area in which they would like to focus, we encourage summer associates to work on projects from as many of our departments as possible to best help them achieve their individual goals. Our program is designed to provide each summer associate with a customized experience. We do not have a “rotation” system; rather, summer associates can take on assignments from a wide variety of our diverse practice groups. One partner has the dual responsibilities of assigning work from all departments to the summer associates and ensuring that those assignments meet each summer associate’s departmental preferences. If a summer associate’s preferences change over the course of the summer, he or she may communicate that to the assigning partner, and the assigning partner will alter the mix of work assigned to that summer associate going forward creating a customized experience.
The Work
At Kaye Scholer, summer associates are given front-line responsibilities on a variety of projects, including legal research, drafting of memoranda, motions, briefs and transaction documents. Our summer associates receive work assignments that are equal in responsibility to the work assigned to first and second year associates.
In addition, summer associates may also participate in “action assignments” such as negotiations, closings, client conferences and court proceedings. We believe it is important that the summer associate see as many real-life legal situations as possible. When action assignments arise, we will invite summer associates to attend and observe, thereby extending their experiences and knowledge.
Pro Bono
Kaye Scholer strongly encourages summer associates to participate in pro bono assignments. We are very proud of our long and distinguished history in providing free legal services to the less-privileged. Summer Associates are able to participate in pro bono work via the typical assignment process by working on pro bono matters that are being directed by other Kaye Scholer attorneys and through a variety of special outreach projects designed specifically for them. Summer Associate pro bono assignments include representation of individuals on death row, obtaining orders of protection for battered women; representing pro bono clients in obtaining uncontested divorces; and assisting in briefing and arguing criminal appeals referred by the Legal Aid Society.
Mentoring
Each summer associate is assigned a partner/counsel “mentor” and an associate “advisor”, who are responsible for guiding them through firm life. At Kaye Scholer, mentors and advisors are available to address summer associate concerns and questions. It is not unusual for our summer associates to have a professional friendship with a mentor or advisor that continues for many years beyond the summer program.
Training
We offer our summer associates a training program that is a preview of first year associate training. Thus, summer associates receive a comprehensive orientation, and legal research and writing training, and are invited to various practice group seminars. Summer associates are also provided the opportunity to participate in abridged versions of our in-house “hands-on” training programs. For example, our litigation examination skills workshop series offers hands-on training on how to handle depositions, direct testimony and cross examination. At the half-day negotiation seminar, each summer associate participates in a mock negotiation of a corporate deal.
Evaluation Process
We know that an important part of the summer associate’s learning experience is receiving feedback on assignments performed during the summer. Each assignment is evaluated by the supervising attorney(s), both by a written evaluation to the Recruiting Committee and by informal review with the summer associate. At Kaye Scholer we have an “open door” policy and encourage summer associates to also request informal feedback. Each summer associate will receive a mid-summer “review” and an end-of-summer “debriefing”, at which a member of the Recruiting Committee discusses with the summer associate each of his or her assignments and the written evaluations provided by the supervising attorneys.
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