Life as a Summer Associate

A Summer to Remember

Summer Program Goal
The Summer Program is our principal source of hiring entry-level attorneys and is designed with the professional development of the summer associate as its primary goal. Since more than three quarters of our summer associates return to the firm as full-time lawyers, we maintain high standards in the selection process. We recognize that the program should give each summer associate a realistic impression of what the people and practice of Riker Danzig are all about. Individual attention is a priority.

Our Summer Program begins in late May, and lasts 8 weeks. The program includes second-year law students, as well as third-year law students who have accepted judicial clerkships. We are proud of the diversity of our summer associates. They represent a variety of law schools throughout the United States and various backgrounds. The 2010 Summer Program will consist of 6 summer associates from 4 different schools, including Seton Hall, Notre Dame, Stanford and Cardozo.

Assignments
Each summer associate receives assignments from attorneys in many of Riker Danzig's practice areas. If a student has a particular area of interest, extra effort is made to provide exposure to that practice group. We purposely do not assign or rotate summer associates to a particular department; rather, we coordinate work assignments so that each summer associate is exposed to numerous attorneys and practice areas. This exposure to various practice groups helps summer associates identify their desired area of work.

The quality of the work assigned is what makes our summer program truly exceptional. The assignments are real; each summer associate becomes a part of the team of attorneys working on a case or transaction. The efforts of our summer associates have served to help Riker Danzig achieve substantial success on behalf of our clients.

Two senior associates are responsible for assigning work and helping with any uncertainties summer associates may encounter. Careful attention is paid to the progress of each summer associate and every opportunity is given to help them achieve professional growth.

Each attorney assigning work to be performed by a summer associate is required to provide a substantive evaluation of that work, which is critical to the development of the lawyering skills of each summer associate. Without that feedback, training would be incomplete.

Training
In addition to their assignments, summer associates are also invited to observe activities such as trials, depositions, client conferences, court hearings and transaction closings that allow them to observe our attorneys in action. These observation assignments are invaluable, as they show law students how practicing attorneys represent and advocate for their clients interests in real life settings. Riker Danzig also provides summer associates more formal training through weekly seminars on a variety of legal topics.

Mentors
Each summer associate is assigned a partner mentor and an associate mentor. In addition to the program attorney liaisons, these mentors act as a valuable resource for our summer associates. Many mentors and summer associates build both professional and personal ties throughout the program while attending firm and private social events, as well as weekly lunches. The mentors help to guide summer associates through the program by offering assistance and advice, and facilitating feedback.

Social Events
A number of social activities are planned for our summer associates, such as athletic and cultural events, firm-wide parties, pro-bono events, and informal after-work gatherings to help acquaint our summer associates with both Riker Danzig and the Morristown area. Our social activities are designed to provide opportunities for casual interaction between our summer associates and our attorneys. The social calendar also serves to help our summer associates get to know each other better as they progress through the program.

Compensation and Benefits
Summer Associates for 2010 will be paid $2100 per week. The firm provides a membership to the health club in our office complex, underground parking, and assistance with summer housing.