Week Four Reflection

NEW YORK – They say time flies when you are having fun, but I can hardly believe that it has already been almost four weeks since I started working at Weil. It has truly been a whirlwind – the Weil summer program strikes a balance of substantive work, where you get a grasp of the expectations for your work at a firm, and social events, where the informal setting allows you to get a sense of how people interact with each other.

What I find most remarkable about my experience thus far is the feeling of inclusion, even as a summer associate. Before the summer started, I was concerned that the work I would be doing would either be over my head, or that I would be given assignments for the sake of being given an assignment, but I was never more happy to be wrong. I believe that the work I have been given has been substantive and useful to those that I am providing it for, and furthermore, the partners and associates took the time to explain the dynamics of the case to me so I didn’t feel as though I was working in a vacuum.

This sense of inclusion is not only present on the assignment level. On a personal level, you are provided with plenty of guidance through both formal and informal mentoring. The formal mentoring that summers receive include one-on-one relationships with your summer sibling, in a larger group with some members of the Summer Program Committee, and lunches throughout the summer with partners and associates set up by the various practice groups. Informally, various happy hours, presentations and outings give you a chance to ask questions about various aspects of legal practice. The various affinity groups and Women@Weil have also planned events. There are additional opportunities to get to know attorneys through getting involved in pro-bono teams. All of these elements add up to provide a sense of the fun, vibrant culture that is distinctly Weil.

I have been continuously impressed with the level of interest in training the summer associates, and am reassured that I will continue to have opportunities to grow and learn throughout my time here. The summer program is a wonderful opportunity to get a well-rounded perspective on the firm.