What Summers Wish They Had Known

We talked to dozens of former summer associates about what they wish someone had told them before their summer started. Here's what came up again and again.

"I Wish I'd Been Less Nervous About My Work Product"

Your first memo will not be perfect. That's fine. The attorneys reviewing your work expect to give edits — that's part of the process. What they care about is whether you understood the question, did thorough research, and organized your analysis logically. They don't expect law-review-quality prose from a 2L.

Turn in your best work, accept feedback gracefully, and improve as you go. That's the whole game.

"I Wish I'd Spent More Time With Associates"

Partners are impressive, and you should build those relationships. But associates are the ones who'll tell you what the firm is actually like — the real hours, the real culture, the stuff that doesn't make it into the brochure. Grab coffee with mid-levels. Ask junior associates what surprised them about the job.

"I Wish I'd Tried More Practice Areas"

If your firm lets you rotate or choose assignments from different groups, take advantage of it. Several people told us they locked into one practice area too early and regretted not exploring. You might discover that the group you came in wanting to join isn't right for you — and that's valuable information.

Use the firm directory before your summer starts to understand what practice groups are available and what each one actually does.

"I Wish I Hadn't Compared Myself to Other Summers"

Every summer class has someone who seems to know everyone, get the best assignments, and say the right thing at every dinner. Ignore them. The firm is evaluating you against a professional standard, not against other summers. Your path is your path.

"I Wish I'd Said No to a Few Things"

Saying yes to everything — every assignment, every event, every dinner — sounds like good advice, but it leads to burnout by week six. It's okay to skip an optional happy hour if you need to finish a memo. It's okay to say "I'm at capacity" if you genuinely are.

The key word is occasionally. Don't make it a habit, but don't run yourself into the ground either.

"I Wish I'd Paid More Attention to How They Treated Staff"

How partners and associates treat secretaries, paralegals, IT, and office services tells you everything about the culture. If the attorneys are dismissive or short with staff, that's how they'll eventually treat you. If they're respectful and appreciative, that's a green flag.

"I Wish I'd Asked Better Questions"

Not "What's your favorite thing about the firm?" — everyone asks that. Better questions:

• "What would you change about the associate experience here?"
• "How has the firm's approach to [specific practice area] evolved?"
• "What do people who leave typically go on to do?"

These show genuine curiosity and get you answers that actually help you decide whether to come back.

"I Wish I'd Treated It Like a Preview, Not a Performance"

The summer is a two-way evaluation. Yes, the firm is evaluating you. But you're also evaluating whether this is where you want to spend the next several years of your life. Pay attention. Take notes. Compare what you see to what you learned in our guide on evaluating firm culture.

The best advice might be the simplest: be yourself, do good work, and pay attention. The rest tends to work out.