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To put everyone on notice, the firm's managing partner or recruiting committee usually sends a memorandum around the office reminding everyone to be on their best behavior when the honored guests have arrived. Such a memorandum typically covers the summer guidelines and words of advice for impressing summer associates. Some excerpts are reprinted below.
- “Upon encountering a summer associate, even for the second or third time in the same day, always volunteer, ‘This firm isn't a sweatshop. We care only about the quality of your work, not the quantity.’ (Slight variations of these words are acceptable but please try to keep to the script.)”
- “Any interesting, easy and fun projects involving travel to resort locations should be assigned to summer associates. Those projects involving the usual drudgery should continue to be assigned to junior associates.”
- “Never criticize a summer associate’s work product – no matter how bad it is and even if you’ll have to redo the whole thing yourself. Instead, say ‘Great work. How about lunch? The firm’s paying and you pick the place.’”
- “Refrain from asking summer associates out on dates (this privilege is reserved for senior partners).”
- “Tell summer associates believable stories to explain why most of the lawyers they interviewed with just a few months before are no longer with the firm. One always-effective explanation is to say that the missing lawyer is now working in one of the firm's foreign offices (even though we don’t have any). Another good one: ‘She’s now with the Clinton Administration.’”
- “Refrain from using the profane language commonly used in and around the firm to describe other lawyers.”
- “If a summer associate threatens to report you or the firm to the state bar, threaten back that you'll have all the information on the summer associate's resume verified.”
- “Give the impression that the firm is a friendly place to work and that everyone likes each other. If you spot a colleague in the presence of a summer associate, say something like ‘Hey, great barbecue last weekend, how about a drink after work?’ or ‘You left your tennis racket at my place.’ Warning: To avoid confusion, be sure the person you are addressing is in fact a lawyer or staff person and not another summer associate.”
- “Steer summer associates away from those lawyers who are best kept hidden. (You probably know who these people are but the office manager has a list available for review.) If unable to do so, tell the summer associate that the lawyer is co-counsel visiting from another firm or that he’s the guy from Xerox sent out to fix the copying machine.”
When September finally rolls around and the last summer associate returns to law school, lawyers at the firm breathe a collective sigh of relief. The summer charade is over and it's time to get back to usual way of law firm life.
- See 38 Tips of Advice for Summer Associates and Summer Law Clerks That No One Ever Gives You: How to Be a Good Summer Associate and Not Get in Trouble for more information.
- See Top 10 Reasons Why Getting a Summer Associate Job with a Large Law Firm is Crucial to Your Legal Career for more information.
