The Office(mates)

It is week nine after the July 4th holiday. Normally, I would not be so excited to wake up early after a relaxing weekend, but I was up before my alarm on Monday ready to come to the office. After a sweaty, humid subway ride and a rainy walk to the building, I stepped out of the elevator onto my floor and ran right into the reasons why I could not wait to come to work: my officemates.

The summer program at Weil provides every summer associate with an office space, treating us as equal members of the team despite our limited experiences. Many of us share our space with at least one other summer. The lucky few get to share their space with three other summers. I am one of those lucky ones who gets to share an office with (officially, at least) three other summers. And, quite honestly, they have made my summer. In the beginning, they were the people who went with me to firm events and helped me overcome the initial nerves and awkwardness of getting to meet people and exploring the firm. They were the ones who panicked with me when I had technical difficulties. They were the ones who went with me to get help. Often, they were the ones who fixed the problem for me. They were the ones who encouraged me to be brave and send that email to turn in my first assignment. They were the ones willing to explain their own assignments from practice groups I did not get a chance to explore, giving me an opportunity to gain further professional exposure at Weil. They were the ones who introduced me to other partners and associates that I had not met. They were the first ones I went to when I ran into problems with my research assignments. They were my soundboard as I considered which practice group I wanted to join.

Through them, I have learned more about the nature of the work done at Weil than I would have alone. They have given me a taste of the collaborative and welcoming environment at Weil that sets this firm apart. My experience has been vastly enhanced because of these wonderful people.

And today, they are the ones who greeted me with big smiles as I rushed off the elevator in the morning. They are the ones who I could not wait to see and talk to about my July 4th vacation over coffee and yogurt before diving back into emails and projects. And I would have had it no other way.