Like regular associates, summer associates receive assignments from an assignment coordinator. One lawyer at the firm serves as the summer associate assignment coordinator and ensures that each of the summer associates has the opportunity to work on challenging assignments and is exposed to as many of the firm's practice areas as possible. Typically, in addition to receiving assignments in the firm's major practice areas, each summer associate is offered an opportunity to assume significant responsibility in a pro bono case. Such pro bono assignments have included social security appeals, landlord-tenant disputes, and employment discrimination cases. Similar to the training provided to junior associates, summer associates receive training from the firm's lawyers on taking and defending depositions, arguing motions, and examining witnesses.
Social events vary in formality from evenings at the theater to softball games.
The events are designed not only to provide an opportunity for the lawyers and summer associates to get to know one another, but also to give summer associates deeper insight into the firm's culture. Each summer associate is assigned an associate mentor. The mentor is there as a ready, informal source of information. When summer associates are presented with new assignments, they often turn to their mentors, who are available to discuss research strategies and to serve as a resource for writing samples.