Want to Rock Your Big Law Summer? Sweat the Small Stuff

Starting your first legal job as a summer associate at a Big Law firm can feel daunting. After soaking up doctrine during a year or two of school, it can be challenging to move from the theoretical to actual practice. A few basic tips will smooth the transition from new hire to summer associate pro. Entering a Big Law environment can be intimidating, but remember, every attorney there was once in your shoes.

Get to know the humans beyond the hustle. A huge part of figuring out whether a firm is a good fit is whether you like the people, so embrace the social aspect of your summer. While many lunches with attorneys were spent talking about navigating the job, many were also focused on dissecting the NBA finals, spoiling the new season of “Love Island,” and laughing about what Olympic event we thought we could qualify for if we trained for a year straight.

If getting to know busy attorneys feels overwhelming, start with your fellow summer associates. You’ll likely turn to your peers for help before approaching a supervising attorney, so appreciate that you’re all on the same team and navigate the process together.

Some of my favorite moments were when office neighbors knocked on my door just to say hello. These interactions frequently created valuable bonding opportunities for us to share what we were working on and to learn from one another.

Find a great coach. There are many different avenues to mentorship, but rarely does a mentor just fall into your lap. Search for people willing to invest in you—there’s no reason to navigate this new setting alone.

One morning, I said a quick hello to my partner mentor when I noticed her office door was open. Unfortunately for her, she was dealing with some IT issues, but it was my lucky day because that meant she had time for a coffee run. Our initial conversation was light. We talked about our coffee orders, my upcoming class schedule, and our watches’ fitness trackers. It wasn’t until we returned to the office that I remembered the million questions I had for her.

I blurted out that I thought we had wasted time chatting about random topics. Instead of telling me, “next time,” she invited me to continue the conversation in her office, even though her tech issues had been resolved. Our conversation was full of her advice about being a woman in Big Law and finding the right practice group. Her office transformed into a safe space that I returned to often throughout my summer at Simpson Thacher.

This connection was only possible because I overcame my anxieties, entered her office, and said good morning. I might have never been comfortable enough to ask the tough questions if we hadn’t had our coffee talk first. I learned that day that no conversation is wasted, even if it’s small talk.

Play the long game. I’m not suggesting that you should walk into your Big Law firm and announce that you’re on partner track. However, everyone starts somewhere. Your first legal job is the beginning of your career in a profession that you’ve studied years to join. Get excited! Take pride in your work and seize every opportunity for new exposure. It can be easy to write off your summer job by thinking, “I’m not even done with law school, what do I know?” but this time can lay the foundation for your future far more than any law school exam can.

Every assignment is a moment to showcase to your firm your willingness to learn and prove that you are capable of absorbing new information and improving. Many law school students spend their summers worried about their return offer, but the focus should be even more future-oriented. This is your chance to put your best foot forward, learn how to work with the people who one day may be your supervisors, and understand how best to operate in a firm environment. If you focus on those long-term goals, the return offer most likely will develop.

It was exciting when I saw a client email come through, and I knew where to find the answer in the data room. I felt like a member of the deal team, ensuring that the client got a quick response. Embrace the little wins—they matter too.

Join the team. It’s a privilege to work a Big Law job and learn from people who have spent years honing their craft. While being surrounded with so much expertise can be intense, it can be a window to envisioning yourself in their position and becoming a proactive contributor.

Read every email you receive, even if it isn’t addressed directly to you, and imagine what you would do as a first-year associate. The summer is a unique time where you can focus on being a learner, sometimes without the pressure of several competing deal obligations. It may feel like earning this job is a culmination of years of hard work—and it is—but it’s also just the beginning.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg Industry Group, Inc., the publisher of Bloomberg Law and Bloomberg Tax, or its owners.

Author Information

Isabella Robakowski is a 3L at the USC Gould School of Law. After working as a summer associate at Simpson Thacher and Bartlett, she plans on pursuing a future in transactional law.

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