Summer Associate Program

My time with Jennings Strouss during the summer associate program was great. Although I am staying on through the fall, the summer gave me the opportunity to get to know everybody both in and outside of the office. The work events were great for establishing those connections and getting to know a bit more about the other employees outside of the usual workplace environment. The work events also provided a glimpse into Jennings Strouss’ success in recruiting candidates that fit very well into the culture that is curated here. Both in and out of the workplace, everybody was great to interact with and were always quick to help and offer advice on any topic that they could.

I’m not sure I can point to one specific piece of advice as the best, but there were a lot of helpful words of advice offered by multiple attorneys and support staff. A lot of the helpful advice had to deal with things that many people don’t necessarily consider when first starting the practice of law, such as the importance of networking (both in and out of the office), marketing and client development, how to handle certain issues that you may run into when completing a project, and to not hesitate when you have questions or need assistance.

The most challenging work assignment I received during the summer associate program was completing a memo in regard to leasing some machinery to an organization formed under the Navajo Tribe. The Navajo have their own set of codes and regulations that are distinct from what you normally see in a leasing transaction, so it was a substantial amount of work making all the necessary distinctions and figuring out what other potential obstacles may lie ahead of a lessor when dealing with the Navajo Tribe.

Although the memo in regard to the Navajo tribe was the most challenging, it was also the most rewarding. I received great feedback on the memo, and it certainly helped me feel like I can take on those challenging tasks with the confidence that I can put together a great work product. Also, it was really interesting to get a glimpse into an area of law that not many people have experience with. I can’t imagine many places outside of Jennings would provide opportunities to take on such unique and diverse projects.

I would say the main thing I learned about Jennings Strouss was how tight of a community it actually feels like within the Firm, despite the substantial number of attorneys and other employees that work here. It’s easy for a firm (or any company) to sell a particular culture that they are attempting to instill at the workplace, but it’s not often that they successfully achieve that culture. Jennings provides the exact culture that they claim to, and it has been a fantastic opportunity to get to be a part of it.

After discussing with one of my mentors, he pointed out that my direct lines of communication with the attorneys were very similar to what a first-year associate would deal with on the job. Not only did this give me a great example of what I can expect to see in real-world practice, but it helped develop certain knowledge and skills in terms of learning how to communicate with the attorneys and resolve any issues that may arise. I don’t think my experience was far off what a first-year associate would realistically be going through, and that was extremely valuable for me to get exposure to.

Jennings Strouss offers a vast array of practice areas, which allows you to get experience in multiple different fields while simultaneously gaining a better understanding of what you actually like to practice.

Practice is much different than what you do in law school, so while a subject may seem great in law school, the actual practice of that subject can really change your thoughts about it. At Jennings Strouss, I’ve been dealing with a new topic almost every project, and it’s given me a lot of insight about various areas of practice that have not only been beneficial to get some experience in for the sake of knowledge on the subject, but also for getting a better understanding of areas that I might like to specialize in moving forward.

One piece of advice I would give is to try and find a place like Jennings Strouss that not only offers a wide array of practice areas, but that is also willing to let you get experience in a variety of areas. I think that was an extremely beneficial part of my summer associate program. Another piece of advice is simply to take advantage of getting to talk to and know the attorneys that you are working alongside with (and even those you aren’t). Making those connections and building those relationships can go a long way, and it certainly never hurts to have a knowledgeable attorney in your corner.

The entire experience was really enjoyable for me. The different areas of work that I was introduced to, the people that I got to know and got to work alongside, the helpful mini-courses and CLEs, the work events — it was all a blast. Ultimately, I’m just thrilled that I received the opportunity to work at Jennings Strouss and to have experienced the summer program in general. It was an extremely positive experience to say the least.

One of the attorneys provided some really candid and helpful advice when I was completing a memo that I thought was sort of “getting away” from me. He helped me understand how to be more concise in my legal writing, which I really appreciated.

The most difficult assignment I received was most likely the research memo related to equitable title and eminent domain. It was an area of law which I was very unfamiliar with, and there was a bit of a learning curve understanding the terminology. It was also difficult to find relevant case law.

I think my most enjoyable experience was participating in/shadowing family law mediations. Getting to travel between rooms and watching the negotiation process in action was fascinating and exciting.

I was able to participate in several family law experiences, ranging from a client intake to an adoption hearing. I also was able to attend a deposition, two mediations, and two days of a jury trial.

I didn’t know how supportive the support staff really was when I first started. It was something that became really apparent to me within my first week. Every person on the support team introduced themselves to us and even held presentations to let us know how to best work together with them. In fact, everyone, attorneys included, is incredibly friendly and supportive.

I feel significantly more confident in my abilities than my first day at the Firm. I remember being terrified to hand in my first official memo, but with the feedback and guidance I received from the attorneys, and the overall increased skills from just simply “doing it,” I feel much more confident in my abilities. I know that I still have so much to learn, but I am not nearly as apprehensive as I was before this experience.

I knew that I was somewhat interested in family law before this experience, but JSS ensured that I got to receive as much exposure as possible to the practice area. I am definitely much more interested in it now having those experiences. I was, however, happy to receive an array of research assignments, and I am still very open to other areas of practice because of it. I never thought I would enjoy research for medical malpractice, but I was happily proven wrong.

Yes. During our legal writing seminar, we learned the importance of trying to write more “simply” and that it is a lot more difficult than we might expect it to be. I kept this goal at the forefront of all of my writing assignments. It definitely helped me break up long sentences, rephrase passive voice, and condense in general. It was very good advice.

I would encourage them to go outside of their comfort zone. I thought I knew what I wanted entering into law school, but I took this opportunity because the Firm felt so down to earth and personable. I wasn’t sure that I would “belong” so to speak, but I have had an incredible time getting to know the people here at Jennings Strouss. It’s okay to not know if you’re making the exact right choice, because there hardly ever is one. I would tell him them not to pass up great opportunities.

From day one, everyone at the firm was welcoming. Attorney’s want to get to know you and want to help bring you aboard on projects. The Firm really is a place where you can ask anyone questions. Everyone always has their doors open and wants to be around to help you.

I received a lot of advice while at JSS. I would say the best advice I got was to get to know the staff, associates, and partners. I was encouraged to just spend 15 minutes a day meeting someone new. JSS has an amazing team and I always had memorable conversations.

The most challenging assignment I received was related to attorney’s fee awards. This assignment was difficult because I had no prior exposure to fee related projects. This also ended up being my most rewarding assignment because I know have a better understanding of good billing practices.

My favorite shadowing opportunity I attended was two trial preparation sessions for our client. This involved watching the attorneys explain to our client what trial would be like and mock cross examination. The preparation leading up to trial is key, and so being able to watch the two attorneys who ultimately tried the case was very valuable.

The summer program involves drafting writing assignments, working with short deadlines, and billing your time. These are all aspects of being an associate in private practice I will deal with every day. Having the opportunity to learn these skills in a lower stress environment as a summer associate will prepare me well for starting after graduation.

Find your fit, don’t try to be who you think the Firm is looking for! The best law firm for you is the one in which you are comfortable being who you are and are surrounded by people you enjoy being around. For that is exactly why Jennings Strouss was the ideal place for me to summer!

One of my favorite parts about JSS is the ways in which we give back to the community. My first week we had the annual corn hole tournament where we raised money for children at a local school. We had fun all while raising money for a good cause. I also volunteered with attorneys at the Ronald McDonald House where we made meals for fifty people in under 2 hours. It was great way to get to know attorney’s, including their specific practice areas and JSS memories all while helping serve the community!

The firm clearly went out of its way to make me feel at home this summer. Happy hours, events, and daily lunches gave us the opportunity to meet a vast majority of the firm’s employees. All of the lawyers and staff were incredibly helpful whenever I brought them a question or concern. I also worked on projects with a wide variety of attorneys, giving me the chance to meet many of the firm’s lawyers. The firm definitely has a collaborative culture, and a collegial atmosphere.

On my first day, I was told that one of the most important things a summer associate can do is ask questions. I think it would be very easy to feel intimidated and not ask an assigning attorney a question that might otherwise seem silly. However, in following this advice, I asked many, many questions to all of my assigning attorneys. They consistently either told me it was not a bad question or that it raised interesting sub-parts that I should explore in my memo. By asking any question that came to mind, I definitely turned in better final work products.

One bankruptcy assignment I received was the most challenging assignment because the subject was entirely new to me. I have not taken bankruptcy yet in law school. Everything about the subject confused me – including the vocabulary. However, the assigning attorneys were very accessible, and I managed to get all of my questions answered. They went even further and allowed me to attend a CLE on my memo’s topic so that I could overcome this challenge.

One project was particularly rewarding because the assigning attorneys made me feel like I was a critical part of the team. It was by far the most time consuming project I worked on, and the final work product was almost twenty pages long. However, it felt like the work I was doing was actually important to our potential legal arguments. Beyond that, the assigning attorneys frequently updated me on various things happening in the case.

The firm provided me with many practical training opportunities. I was able to attend a deposition and a settlement conference, an arbitration hearing, an “inoculation meeting”, a deposition, and a client call. I also attended several CLE’s, including two with SRP and one about a bankruptcy rule change.

Attending the hearing was a highlight of my summer. I really enjoyed seeing a real life arbitration hearing. Furthermore, I appreciate that the attorney went out of their way to send over the parties’ briefs and some background information so that I could fully understand what was going on.

The deposition I attended was also an outstanding opportunity to see real life lawyering in action. I appreciated the lawyers letting me ask questions afterwards to better understand the dispute and eminent domain.

I received a tremendous amount of real-world writing experience this summer. By the end of this summer, I will have written six memos and several other long writings. This was a lot of practice, and I think my writing has improved from writing these memos. Each project I worked on had real-world implications, and I believe that helped me better understand how to do legal writing in a professional setting.

I think the best thing to focus on during interviews is whether you feel comfortable when talking to the attorneys at the firms. It is easy to feel like the onus is on you to impress the lawyers to get them to hire you. While this is surely important, it is also important that an applicant tries to get a feel for whether the attorneys seem like nice people. If the firm’s culture is a good fit, the law student will get more out of the program. Of all of my interviews, I felt the most comfortable during my interview with Jennings Strouss. That experience translated into a work environment that made me feel very excited to come to work every day.

Above all else, I enjoyed getting to know the people at the firm. Every person I met was incredibly kind and engaging. My assigning attorneys were always excited to work with me, and they made me feel like I was welcome. My projects were also consistently complex and engaging. The projects provided me with the opportunity to utilize some legal creativity in coming up with solutions.