Those 1Ls and 2Ls who were lucky enough to receive a summer associate position this year may not be as pleased as their predecessors in terms of the free entertainment and perks that go along with these oftentimes grueling jobs. According to a recent article in the Philadelphia Inquirer that chronicles the decline in the number of summer associate positions at area firms, “trips abroad and lavish entertaining” are “a thing of the past.” In fact, it seems that the larger firms like Drinker Biddle & Reath L.L.P. and Blank Rome are the ones that have slimmed down their summer associate programs the most. Along with cutting back on the number of full-time and summer hires, firms such as Reed Smith have cancelled entertainment, decreased pay and shortened the program length. In any event, there are still many firms around the country that are doing their best to impress those aspiring lawyeres who will most likely become their new full-time hires.
A July 8th post on Above the Law gave a rundown of the best summer associate events.
- Quinn Emanuel: Firm-sponsored hiking trip up Mount St. Helens.
- Paul Hastings: Dinner at a partner’s house in a posh neighborhood, with different street food trucks parked in the driveway, dispensing delicacies and blasting music.
- Schulte Roth & Zabel: DJ School, where they teach you to mix and be a DJ.
- Irell & Manella: Firm-sponsored weekend trip to Catalina Island off the southern California coast, including hotel rooms, food, drink, kayaking, biking, glass-bottom boat tours, zip-lining, mini golf, arcade tokens.
- Davis Polk & Wardwell: Trapeze School and rock climbing.
To vote for the firm that you think offers the most exciting 2010 summer event, click here.
