I was eager to interview with Thelen Reid during OCI because a few of my friends were past summer associates. They had nothing but great things to say about the partners and associates, who were not only talented and accomplished, but genuinely friendly and unpretentious. They sounded like the type of people you'd actually want to spend time with outside the office. Another reason I chose to come to Thelen Reid was its strong commitment to promoting diversity throughout the firm and the legal profession. Even before I started my summer, the firm took a genuine interest in working with me and my colleagues among the minority student organizations at Boalt Hall, to help us advance the goal of greater diversity on our campus.
Most firms say they're committed to promoting diversity, but it is sometimes merely lip service.
That's just not the case with Thelen Reid, and it shows. Professionally, the interesting and challenging work, the firm's dynamic spirit and aggressive growth strategy, a supportive and fun group of summer program coordinators, the opportunity to do meaningful pro bono work, and the amenities and perks of working at a large national firm all made Thelen Reid an excellent fit for me. Partners, summer mentors and former summer associates Kerry Shea and Carissa Coze . An older law student, I decided to go to law school when I was 33. I had clear ideas about what I was looking for as far as a firm's size and lifestyle.