Beyond the Offer: Evaluating Firm Culture as a Summer Associate
Congrats on getting a summer associate position (or two)! You're probably focused on how to maximize your chance of getting a job offer at the end of the summer and have likely been told to treat the summer as an extended interview to convince the firm to hire you. That's good advice, of course, but remember that interviews go both ways - you should be evaluating the firm as well. Your summer associate position provides a unique opportunity to assess whether a firm would be a good fit for you after graduation. By being intentional in your observations over the summer, you can identify a firm that best fits your goals and personality. Finding a good fit can be about more than just prestige and pay, although those characteristics may be most important to some. Instead, taking the time to assess other factors, such as workplace culture or communication styles, will allow you to start your career in a place that meets your personal needs and allows you to grow and thrive long term. Here are some tips to help you be intentional in your evaluation of a firm:
1. Know what your ideal workplace looks like
Before the summer begins, take some time to reflect about what you want in a firm. Each firm will have its own unique culture, with different approaches to work-life balance, communication style, inclusivity, and ethical values.
Are you looking for a fast-paced environment with a variety of practice areas? Do you value a firm with a lot of social and networking events? Do you want flexible working arrangements? Would you like to do pro bono work? What is your ideal billable hour requirement? Are you looking to maximize money and prestige?
Obviously, no firm will have everything that you want, so try to rank which office characteristics are most important to you. Since no firm has everything, there will be tradeoffs, but knowing how you personally value different cultural factors will make deciding whether to accept an offer easier.
2. During your clerkship, ask questions about the work you're doing and the firm itself
The benefits of work-related questions are twofold. First, you'll be able to produce your best work and will also appear interested and competent, ultimately helping you get a job offer. Second, you'll see what it's really like to work on a project with a variety of people, each with different personalities and management and communication styles. As you do your assignments, try to simulate the process that an associate goes through so that you can test out the working environment. When you first get an assignment, make sure to ask the relevant basics, like when the person giving the assignment expects it to be completed and what kind of work product they're looking for. As the project moves forward, check in periodically with any questions that crop up, such as clarifying the scope of the project. If the assignment involves a larger team or support staff, work with them or ask how they usually fit into the team on similar projects.
You should also ask questions to learn more about the firm itself. You can ask general questions about the benefits and policies in the firm, the available career paths for a new attorney within the firm, and how the firm supports associate development and mentorship. You should also get to know attorneys and staff on a more personal level. Find out why they started at the firm (or perhaps more importantly, why they have stayed), whether their career followed the expected path or had twists and turns, and what their impression is of the firm culture.
3. Observe the day-to-day workings of the firm
After you ask questions, check to see if what you're observing in the office aligns with the discussions you've been having. Sometimes a firm may talk the talk, but fail to walk the walk in a way that matters to you. Think back to the characteristics of a firm that you value, and then be intentional in observing whether the firm seems to meet your expectations.
For example, the firm may have a flexible work policy or allow unlimited vacation days. If those are important to you, try to see if people are utilizing that flexibility or how others in the firm react when someone takes leave. If you are most concerned with career development and you notice that a firm has a mentorship and associate development training program, look for ways in which that program is implemented and watch how senior partners interact with more junior attorneys. If you value having access to a variety of work projects and practice areas, look for how work gets divided between associates and whether employees in different practice areas regularly collaborate
4. Seek out different mentors for different purposes
As the summer progresses, you'll probably find yourself drawn to a few people. Maybe there's a partner who works in the practice area you hope to work in, an associate who's navigating the first few years of their career, or a paralegal who's been with the firm for decades and has a wealth of institutional knowledge. Great! Use those people. They can all teach you different things. Talk to the partner about their practice area and tell them you want to practice in that area. The partner can give guidance on how to navigate your career so that you end up in their position. Talk to the associate about how they are navigating the early stages of their career, what their work life balance looks like, and how empowered they feel within the firm. You might even be able to ask an associate - or your associate mentor if you have one - more specific questions about day-to-day life working at the firm, questions that you might not feel comfortable bringing up with a partner. You can also ask questions of the paralegals and other support staff. For example, these employees will know the differences in expectations, work product preferences, and communication styles of the various partners or associates you may be working with. Once you start work at a firm you will form a close working relationship with paralegals and other support staff. As a summer clerk, asking paralegals or support staff questions related to the firm's values and culture may give you an important and unique perspective.
5. Be honest and follow your gut
If you have questions or concerns, don't be afraid to voice them. Even if the answer isn't exactly what you want to hear, you can learn a lot by how the firm responds. If you're asking about something, it's likely important to you, and so how the firm reacts to a question will tell you something about how it treats its employees.
Toward the end of the summer, you should also consider how you feel each day going to work. Are you excited and energized? Do you feel like you fit in or are you uncomfortable? If you sense any hesitation at the prospect of working at the firm, consider why and think about whether there is someone you can talk to about it.
Ultimately, you want to work for a firm that makes you excited to work with them, respects their employees, and exhibits the characteristics and values that are most important to you. As a summer associate, you have a unique vantage point from which to evaluate a firm's culture, work environment, and long-term career potential to see if the firm would be a good fit. So, be intentional in your evaluation of a firm, and hopefully you will find a place to begin a long-lasting career.