Giving Back to the Next Generation

Recently, I was sitting in the office of a senior associate, chatting after a call I was observing had wrapped up.  It was the middle of my corporate department rotation and I was picking his brain about the role the Banking & Finance group played in a corporate acquisition.   All of the sudden, I glanced at my watch and realized I had taken up 30 minutes of his time.  He didn’t seem to mind, but I insisted we finish our conversation over lunch, a few days later.  As I was walking back to my office, it occurred to me how many conversations just like that I’ve had in the short time I’ve been at Weil.  Hours of time spent over coffees, lunches, or simply chatting after a call have been dedicated to me and my fellow summer associates to help us understand the vastly complex practice areas we are shadowing during our time here, in addition to, of course, getting to know our future colleagues.               

When I’ve expressed appreciation, or apologized for keeping an associate or partner from their very busy day, the response is often the same: someone took the time to help me when I started.  It’s a wonderful thing to be at a large firm, where attorneys juggle work, family, or other responsibilities, and to see your colleagues give back so much of their precious time in order to help the next generation of attorneys grow and learn. These conversations, and the people I’ve shared them with, are what I will remember most from my summer at Weil, and what assures me I made the right choice in coming here