Training
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Weil-dly Prepared
By Gillian BurkeJuly 1, 2019I remember feeling wildly unprepared prior to starting as a summer associate at Weil. I began law school immediately after undergrad, and with little to no work experience under my belt, I wondered how I could prove my value at any job. I quickly came to realize, however, that worrying was a waste of my time. During our first few days at Weil, all summer associates took part in an informative and helpful orientation program, which included computer training, library training, Lexis and Westlaw training, and more. And while this was extremely helpful, what I did not expect was the on-the-job training I have received. I have yet to work…
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Bonding and Learning: Regional Program Day
By Yurui ChenJuly 1, 2019Weil is an international firm with offices across three continents. The fact that cooperation between offices is tight and well-organized is not only manifested in the day-to-day work that we are involved in, but also in the regional program event that takes place every summer, during which summers in other U.S. offices come to the New York office to spend the day together. We had our regional program this Monday, and a series of activities including receptions, presentations and dinner were arranged. I was not surprised to find out that Weil’s collegial culture is consistent among all offices, as I was able to bond with colleagues from other regions almost…
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Observing a Weil Oiled Machine
By Avi TennenbergJune 7, 2019The summer associate program has exceeded my expectations, from the numerous lunches and events to the inviting environment amongst the associates. Everyone told me to enjoy the summer associate experience and also get a “feel” for what type of law I want to practice in the future. The balancing act between these two interests has been achieved with both substantive assignments and observational opportunities. Each new project I am staffed on comes with helpful instructions from the associates on the deal. The little things gleaned through the assignments are obviously helpful in becoming a better lawyer, but the greatest experience has been the observational opportunities. Sitting in on meetings with…
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Rewarding Summer
By Tanya SmithJuly 2, 2018I picked Weil looking for a firm with great people and a sterling reputation. Looking back, I’m thrilled I made the decision I did. Weil places a premium on training. Associates consistently set aside time to provide detailed feedback on assignments. Within two months, I was running redlines, assisting with drafting agreements, and participating in calls with outside counsel. Partners are also highly invested in training junior associates. After one call, a partner created a virtual classroom. He drew a chart on the whiteboard and asked us questions about stock ownership percentage. I can’t imagine my friends at other firms having this type of hands-on experience. Weil also provides summer associates…
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Weil and Its Inclusion
By MJ KooJune 18, 2018When I looked back at my past six weeks at Weil, I was amazed to see how each week has been incredibly dynamic on its own and full of meaningful interactions. Indeed, it has been a busy summer for me. I have finished my rotation in the firm’s Business Finance & Restructuring group, where I contributed to the Bankruptcy Blog. There have also been frequent coffee meetups, lunches, and work events that I got to attend to meet fellow summers, associates, and partners. Yet amid the adrenaline rush, I saw a clear common thread that connected all my experiences here at Weil: inclusion.
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Rotating through BFR – Robust Experience & Real Matters
By Candice EllisJune 11, 2018I am a summer associate based in the New York office. My summer at Weil consists of a four-week rotation through BFR, a two-week foreign rotation through the Weil Paris Office, and a six-week rotation through the litigation department. As I write this post, I sit in the Weil Paris Office where I will spend the next two weeks shadowing French practitioners; and observing deals, negotiations, and tribunals. I am especially excited to learn more about the nature of restructuring and insolvency work in Paris, as compared to the States. When I was interviewing at firms, I often heard a similar mantra: “at XYZ firm you will have a robust…
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Strikes and Spares and Structured Finance
By Noah SchwartzJune 11, 2018One of the best features of Weil’s summer program is the ability to try out different practice group areas. Even for someone like myself who is inclined towards litigation. As part of the summer program we are required to rotate through at least two different departments. Summer associates are exposed to a wide range of matters, not only through formal work assignments but also social events throughout the summer. Social events and informal gatherings can be just as good of an opportunity to learn about different practice groups. This past Monday, Weil’s corporate department invited all summer associates rotating through the corporate department for an evening of food, drink and…
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Classroom Teacher to Weil Summer Associate
By Josh Van KirkJune 3, 2017NEW YORK – I came to Weil after spending 15 years working in various roles in education, including as a classroom teacher in both Baltimore and New York City. In that work, one of my primary responsibilities was to build capacity and confidence in my students so they could approach novel concepts critically. In optimal scenarios, my role would be to facilitate and guide independent learning as opposed to conveying a prescribed knowledge set.
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Tax – Not Just Observational
By Mikaela (Zhiying) FengMay 23, 2017NEW YORK – My Weil summer started in the Tax Department. Having taken several tax classes in law school, I came into the rotation with passion and curiosity for the subject. My first assignment was to give a presentation (with a partner and an associate) to the entire Tax Department. Imagine how nervous I was to present something that I did not know anything about to all the experienced partners and associates. The support and training provided by my colleagues (inside and outside the department) really helped me through the process. The research training helped me understand the codes, regulations, revenue rulings and court cases on point; the feedback from…
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Summer Associates at Weil Are Given Real Work
By Kaela DahanAugust 4, 2016NEW YORK – Anticipating my experience as a summer associate at Weil, I often wondered what types of assignments I’d get to work on. I thought, given my little experience, that I would only be assigned small, discrete research assignments that would be of little significance to the case. Well, as the summer draws to a close, I can affirmatively state that I thought wrong. Summer associates at Weil are given real work, tasks that are typically assigned to junior associates, so that they can truly experience what it is like to be a first-year associate at the firm.
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Weil’d about Hands-On Training
By Lauren ColeAugust 2, 2016NEW YORK – My summer at Weil has been an incredible experience with wonderful people. From the Beyoncé concert to the summer department events, socially there is never a dull moment. But even more remarkable at the firm are the training opportunities available to summers. In particular, I enjoyed participating in a deposition skills workshop.
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We1L Exposure
By John ChristiansonJuly 21, 2016DALLAS – As a 1L with no previous law firm experience, I had two goals for my summer at Weil: to gain exposure to as many practice areas as possible, and to learn what I value in a firm. That is, to discover what I want to do and where I want to do it. And in the past weeks, Weil has made the answers to these questions easy to obtain.
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Top Chefs
By Cliff SonkinJuly 13, 2016NEW YORK – To be completely honest, being a 1L summer associate at a big firm can be intimidating, even for those of us with significant prior work experience. Armed with a good grade in contracts, one may feel more confident participating in the market, negotiating a lease or trading promises for peppercorns. Yet your first few weeks in big law, you’re suddenly thrown into a world not of contracts and consideration, but of structured finance, bankruptcy and complex corporate transactions. You move from trading peppercorns to stuffing them into special purpose machines, exchanging spices with other restaurants to hedge against future shortages and seasoning the food of every patron…
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Joining the Call: Insight on Client Relationships
By Carlin O'DonnellJuly 8, 2016NEW YORK – Last summer, Weil was recommended to me as a firm that partners with its clients. As I prepared my bids for on-campus interviews, a previous employer noted that Weil never felt like outside counsel. Rather, Weil always positioned itself as a member of the organization and each particular matter’s team. And the work product, I was told, always reflected this team-oriented, collaborative approach. This summer, the opportunity to join partners and associates on client calls and in negotiations with counter-parties allowed me to confirm these points first-hand.
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Dedication to Nurture
By Julian (Boyuan) ZhongJuly 7, 2016NEW YORK – “We are here to help you learn. Truly feel free to ask us anything you don’t understand.” The partner and the associates were looking at me, eager to explain everything about the deal to the most junior person on the team. I asked my question and listened carefully to their answers, feeling like a small boat that was being guided by the lighthouse on its very first sail.
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Coming Together
By Thaddeus LopatkaJuly 1, 2016NEW YORK – “Coming together is a beginning; working together is progress; keeping together is success.” This famous line by Henry Ford perfectly describes how the summer program fosters the collaborative atmosphere that distinguishes Weil.
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Midpoint Reflections
By Anna HunanyanJune 29, 2016BOSTON – Over the past six weeks at Weil, the summer associates in the Boston office have had the opportunity to experience the collegial culture at Weil while getting substantive exposure to deal work. Although the attorneys ensure that we are thoroughly enjoying the summer experience by initiating frequent outings and lunches, they also keep us busy and involved in interesting and rewarding projects.
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Transparency
By Hancen YuJune 23, 2016NEW YORK – Every morning when I walk out of the elevator on the 30th floor of the iconic GM building, I see giant glass windows on each side of the corridor, through which I can get a nice view of the city and Central Park. The office, which has been newly renovated, is very spacious and bright. Most of the office furniture is in silver, white or gray. The corridor and the rooms are partitioned by frosted glass walls and doors. All of the design speaks of a central value of the firm: transparency.
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Meaningful Training
By Laura ChristyJune 22, 2016BOSTON – Over the past several weeks at Weil, we’ve had numerous training sessions on topics ranging from the basics of private equity to the ins and outs of purchase agreements. During each training, the associates and partners take the time to provide the big picture as well as practical insight into the role of a junior associate on each stage of a deal.
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On the Other Side
By Jonathan ConradJune 17, 2016DALLAS – I was excited about the opportunity to work at Weil this summer. After completing undergraduate degrees in Finance and Economics, I spent two years working in banking. During this time, I found that I was most interested in the legal issues that arose during financial deals, so I decided to follow that passion to law school. My experience as a Summer Associate has begun to teach me how to “think like a lawyer” in a way that cannot be taught in a classroom. Seeing Weil attorneys balance difficult negotiations and clients’ needs has given me a greater appreciation for what that actually means. It requires more than just…
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My Introduction to Weil
By Michael WyszkowskiJune 9, 2016NEW YORK – Within my first couple of weeks in Weil’s summer program, I have already had the opportunity to work on several assignments, meet numerous associates and partners, and develop a deep appreciation for firm culture. Starting at a major law firm can be challenging, yet Weil has made that transition more than manageable. Everyone I have worked with has been exceptionally accessible and helpful. If I struggle with part of an assignment or would like feedback or guidance, I always feel comfortable asking for help. Better yet, I have always received the help I asked for.
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Keep Calm and Rotate
By Elisabeth AllisonMay 27, 2016NEW YORK – In our legal education and the beginning of our careers, it can feel as though we need to know exactly what we want to do in our careers and make all of the perfect decisions to set us down the right path. But talk to any experienced attorney and you’ll be told careers take unexpected turns and you might end up in a place you never imagined. Weil recognizes this universal truth and has set up a department rotation system to help each summer associate make the most out of his or her summer. There are four departments to pick from: Business Finance & Restructuring, Corporate, Litigation,…