Summer Programs: Springfield, MO
Day in the Life of a Summer Associate
By Brooke Robertson
Summer Associate:
2007 and 2008
The Summer Associate Program at Husch Blackwell Sanders' Springfield office offers the unique blend of individualized attention associated with a small firm work environment and access to large firm resources. As a Summer Associate, your days will be filled with opportunities to work one-on-one with attorneys, conduct stimulating legal research, and draft challenging legal documents. Although there is no such thing as an average day for a Summer Associate, the underlying focus of each day is the development of your professional skills and your integration into the Husch Blackwell Sanders firm culture.
My day as a Summer Associate would begin with friendly greetings from staff, Associates, and Partners. After checking my voicemail and email, I would update my list of assignments. I never had to worry about finding something to do as a Summer Associate, as I always had several assignments on my desk. This promoted my organizational and time management skills, and prioritizing the most pressing assignments was crucial. My assignments exposed me to a variety of legal disciplines, which aided me in deciding which area of law I wanted to focus. On this particular day, I had research assignments on deed restrictions, limits of discovery, statutes protecting computer data, and undue influence.
I began by finalizing my memo on deed restrictions. I had completed the research and the majority of the memo earlier in the week. As I was just about to leave my office to turn in the deed restriction memo, my phone rang. It was a Partner requesting that I begin drafting an affidavit for a witness that I had observed him interview the previous day. At Husch Blackwell Sanders, Summer Associates learn by doing and are encouraged to take on new and challenging projects. However, guidance is always available. The Summer Program Coordinators, Summer Associate Mentors, assigning attorneys, or the attorney in the office next to you all welcome any questions you might have and ensure that you always feel you have someone to approach for advice.
After creating the affidavit, I headed to lunch with my fellow Summer Associate and the Summer Program Coordinators. As a Summer Associate, you will be given the opportunity to get to know Associates, Partners, and other members of the Springfield legal community over lunch. The discussion for this lunch centered primarily on the mock trial that was quickly approaching. For the last several years the Springfield and Kansas City Summer Associates have engaged in a mock trial competition.
After lunch, I returned to the office and made a quick stop by my mentor's office to ask her to look over the affidavit I had drafted. She gave me some helpful tips, and I incorporated them into my assignment. Then, I dove into researching deeds involving undue influence. As a Summer Associate, I was given the opportunity to do the type of work that I would actually be doing as an Associate. This is what makes the Summer Program so exceptional and rewarding. At the end of the day, I wrapped up my research and checked my calendar, making sure I was on track to complete all outstanding assignments by their due dates.
The Summer Program also offers a variety of social events. For my summer, these included events such as Springfield Cardinals games in the firm's suite, wine tasting, after work social hours, and a firm retreat in St. Louis. On this night, the social event was the Artwalk in downtown Springfield. I headed downtown, met up with the group, and was introduced to the guests. Most firm events are open to friends and family. We spent the rest of the night perusing through local art galleries, which was the perfect ending to another exciting work day at Husch Blackwell Sanders.