Summer Associate Program
Our Summer Associate Program is designed to provide career preparation that complements law school coursework. Combining professional development and substantive hands-on learning, this experience will help you continue building the skills you need to succeed in the workplace.
To apply for a summer associate position, click here.
Work Delegation Program
Our work delegation system is an interactive process that balances the interests of our summer associates with current firm projects and initiatives. This program will help you explore areas of law that are of particular interest to you, while also exposing you to a variety of the firm’s practice areas to provide you with a truly well-rounded, balanced learning experience. To this end, our summer associates complete between 10-15 assignments throughout the summer – usually with little or no repetition of assigning attorneys. From the feedback we have received, we believe Shipman stands out in providing balance, variety, and an exceptional experience for our summer associates.
Work Coordinators meet with the summer associates weekly to distribute work assignments and to follow up on current projects. Summer associates receive assignments from throughout the firm, but are encouraged to express preferences for areas of the law in which they would like to work. The weekly meeting measures the balance of the work, the variety of work, as well as overall summer associate satisfaction.
Performance feedback is given throughout the summer. Upon completion of each work assignment, the supervising attorney completes a written evaluation designed to help the summer associate polish his or her skills. At the end of the Program, the Summer Program Director and a Work Coordinator conduct a final evaluation conference with each summer associate, during which the written evaluations are reviewed and overall performance is discussed.
Mentoring
Shipman has an active mentoring program. Each summer associate is assigned a partner and an associate “sibling” to provide ongoing feedback and guidance. These individuals serve as a resource for questions or concerns on work assignments, life at the firm or professional issues. Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your own informal mentoring relationships as you work with different lawyers on a variety of assignments. In Hartford, summer associates rotate office space during the program. This furthers the opportunity to establish additional informal mentoring relationships.
Training
Formal training is a key part of the Shipman summer associate experience and is designed to familiarize you with the firm, its practice areas and its culture. Our formal summer associate training includes: Practice Group roundtable luncheons; mid-summer and final evaluation conferences; and writing training.
Professional and Social Activities
Professional and social events foster camaraderie among the summer class and offer the opportunity to meet lawyers outside of the office in a variety of settings. These activities typically include:
- Field trips to administrative hearings, bankruptcy court, court hearings, depositions, real estate and corporate closings, settlement negotiations, trials and sentencings, union negotiations and will executions;
- Service-oriented outings and pro bono opportunities;
- Social, cultural and sporting events, as well as firm-hosted dinners and receptions, including our traditional end-of-season sailing trip.
In many cases, the Summer Associate Program is the first step toward a career at Shipman. Historically, the vast majority of our summer associates have been asked to return after graduation for permanent employment.
To apply for a summer associate position, click here.
