Day in the Life of an Associate Attorney: Springfield, MO
Day in the Life of an Associate Attorney
By Laura Nicholson
Associate Attorney:
2006-present
A Husch Blackwell Sanders Associate's day is primarily her own. Husch Blackwell Sanders, unlike many large firms, does not have a centralized assignment coordinator, so Associates work directly with Partners and can actively seek assignments from any Partner. Associates have the freedom to structure their own day and prioritize projects, which reinforces time-management and organizational skills. Husch Blackwell Sanders strongly encourages a balance of work, home life, community involvement, and professional development. We may come to work from early morning civic meetings or the gym. Some of us will stay in the office all day while others will head out for a continuing education course or for a community volunteer day. Husch Blackwell Sanders simply does not have a "typical" day for an Associate, which makes working here interesting and stimulating.
To start the day off, my "To Do" list is drafted, prioritized, and tossed out the window when a client calls with an urgent problem. I had almost immediate client contact at the Firm and am often encouraged to take responsibility for projects straight away. Of course, a Partner or Senior Associate is always ready to answer my questions and provide assistance. Husch Blackwell Sanders has an open door policy with all of the attorneys, which creates a collegial atmosphere and is particularly conducive to strengthening new Associates' legal skills. Even the newest Associate is an integral part of the Husch Blackwell Sanders team.
My morning may include a hearing at court, a meeting with a Partner about a new project, or conference calls with clients and a lender to close a loan. I, a few other Associates, and sometimes a Partner or two, will head out for lunch and may chat about the newest loft developments downtown or a potential client meeting scheduled for that afternoon. One of the Associates may rush away from lunch to get to court for an afternoon hearing while the rest of us head back to the office.
Associates may spend afternoons in meetings, on the phone, or researching. We might meet alone with clients or with Partners. Associates are encouraged to work on bringing new clients to the Firm, so we might invite a potential client to a Springfield Cardinals game in the Firm's Luxury Suite. The afternoon could be spent researching a new issue and drafting a memorandum for the client's review. It could also be spent drafting a Petition and then starting on discovery documents for a current litigation client. Another Associate will spend the afternoon preparing due diligence documents for her client's upcoming multi-million dollar deal.
I usually wrap up my day by entering my time, preparing for the next day and maybe printing off an interesting article sent around by a Partner to read that evening. Yes, there are days that I have to work late, but those are made easier by the input and support from the rest of the Husch Blackwell Sanders team. Associates come to work at Husch Blackwell Sanders because of its reputation for legal excellence and camaraderie. Associates stay at Husch Blackwell Sanders because the reputation is reality.