Bracewell

• “The work I received as a summer was substantive. The firm does not make up tasks to keep summers busy. Everything I did was to further our work on client matters. We also had extensive training through CLEs and additional programming aimed at building entry-level core competencies.”
• “Work assignments weren't ‘make work’ assignments, but it didn't feel like they were using summers to cover for staffing shortages either. I thought it was a good balance—lots of longer-form assignments that allowed you to focus on getting to know people and didn't keep you at the office all night.”
• “Bracewell offers a variety of different training programs throughout the summer, including presentations on the various practice groups, the assignment of a partner and associate mentor during each rotation, and the opportunity to rotate through three different practice areas. From a work perspective, the assignments you get are exactly like those you would get as a first-year associate (although Bracewell tries to ensure that there is no work a summer associate is required to do outside of normal working hours). As one of our partners likes to say, she doesn't have time to make up work for summer associates, so the work distributed is genuine work.”

• “The summer program is a ton of fun, and you grow to really love your class. There is a lot of buy-in among the attorneys at all levels, and you don't ever feel like they're being forced to attend events. By the end of the summer, we had a group text with all the summer associates and we were spending time together outside of planned Bracewell events. The recruiting team does a great job building a cohesive class, and the social events they plan really help you to get to know everyone in ways that don't feel forced or uncomfortable.”
• “We have at least one formal event each week and usually multiple more casual events each week, as well as daily lunches out with attorneys. Summer associates normally form a pretty close bond and get to interact daily with associates and partners.”
• “Camaraderie among the summers was great. It was a small class and we all became good friends.”

• “The work-life balance is as advertised but still a bit of a pleasant surprise once you experience it for yourself as an associate. I never expected work to be this manageable.”
• “It really hasn't [differed from my expectations]. I joined the practice group I told the firm I wanted to join and have done the work I was promised (in fact, I would argue that I've done more substantive work than I was told I would). The level of responsibility naturally goes up as an attorney from that of a summer associate, but everything else has been as promised.”
• “The billables were not realistic. I was told it would be so easy to get my billables, that there were few late nights, that it was all easy to do. I was also told that you could really work in any group if you wanted to, work in litigation, etc. None of that was true.”

• “Kesha concert in a suite with a private bar and glitter face painter. There was glitter in the office for weeks.”
• “Retreat and diversity museum tour.”
• “It's been several years at this point, but I remember loving going to the Astros game!”
• “Going to dinners with various attorneys at the firm.”

Bracewell is the ideal place to launch your legal career. Our open and collaborative culture ensures that you have the opportunity to work on significant matters and have meaningful connections with lawyers from the moment you join. Summer associates attend hearings, depositions, trials, negotiations and client meetings. They hone their writing skills by helping research and draft agreements, briefs, memos, articles and blog posts. When not working, summer associates have the opportunity to explore their local communities and get to know our lawyers through social events and our two-day offsite summer associate retreat in Austin, Texas.