The Summer Associate's Guide to Firm Social Events

BigLaw summer programs are famous for their social events. Rooftop dinners, Broadway shows, wine tastings, sporting events, and a lot of open bars. These events are fun, but they are also part of your evaluation. Every summer, someone damages their reputation at a firm event. Do not be that person.

The drinking question

Let us address this directly. Alcohol is present at most firm events. You do not have to drink, and nobody worth worrying about will judge you for ordering a soda. If you do drink, here is the rule: two drinks maximum. Period.

No one has ever gotten a no-offer for drinking too little. Plenty of people have damaged their standing by drinking too much. The math is obvious.

If someone pressures you to drink more, they are testing your judgment, not your tolerance. Decline gracefully and move on.

Dinner etiquette

Firm dinners at expensive restaurants are a staple of the summer program. A few things to know:

• Order in the middle of the price range. Do not order the cheapest item (it looks performative) or the most expensive (it looks oblivious).
• If the partner orders wine for the table, accept a glass whether you drink it or not.
• Put your phone away completely. Not face down on the table. In your pocket or bag.
• Ask questions and show genuine interest in the attorneys you are seated with. This is a conversation, not a performance.
• Thank the host before you leave and send a brief thank-you email the next day.

Group outings

Firm outings like baseball games, escape rooms, or boat cruises are designed to let you relax and show your personality. That is good, but remember that partners and associates are forming impressions the entire time.

Be friendly. Be yourself. Engage with people outside your summer class, meaning associates and partners, not just the other summers. And again, watch the drinks.

The unwritten rules

• Never be the last person at the bar
• Do not gossip about other summers or attorneys at firm events
• Do not complain about the events, even if they are not your thing
• Show up to everything unless you have a genuine conflict
• Be kind to waitstaff and support staff (partners notice this)

If you make a mistake

Everyone makes small mistakes. If you say something awkward or stay out too late once, it is probably fine. Acknowledge it privately if needed, move on, and do not repeat it. The firms evaluating you know you are human.

The no-offer stories you hear about are almost always patterns, not isolated incidents. One bad night does not define you. Three bad nights might.

Enjoy the summer. The events are genuinely fun and a great way to get to know the people you might work with. Just keep your judgment intact. Browse the firm directory to learn more about firm cultures before your summer starts.