2024 DIVERSITY DATABASE UNDERWRITER Clifford Chance US LLP

• “I was given a satisfying range of assignments, which helped me discern what areas of practice I wanted to focus on. I was able to contribute work products that were actually helpful for the deals I was on (as opposed to just busywork!) and received personalized feedback and training.”
• “We were provided with a range of substantive trainings and work assignments throughout the summer. I was able to get experience in the practice groups that I was interested in and client interaction. Senior associates and partners were very amenable in that respect and encouraged questions and experiential learning. CC sent us abroad to work out of the London office for two weeks and experience the cross-border work firsthand. That was definitely the highlight of my summer and a unique experience that I believe speaks to the investment the firm has in their incoming classes and professional development.”
• “The firm provided a wonderful variety of trainings that covered a lot of material we were never taught in law school. There was a team dedicated to delegating assignments that made sure summer associates were able to get exposure to different practice areas that we were interested in, and the associates (and occasionally even partners) working with us were very helpful.”
• “I worked on hands-on substantive matters that helped me understand what type of matters I would be working on later as an associate. The work accurately reflected what other associates handled. There were many opportunities to explore practice groups and attend training regarding practice groups and other non-substantive issues. You also get a lot of pro bono opportunities as this is part of the summer program.”

• “Our summer program was so robust and thoughtful. There was a range of networking events and activities—from a full-day outing at a country club to everyday lunches and coffees and traveling abroad. The camaraderie among summer associates was so genuine and effortless. We all became great friends, and that holds true as we are now 1st years.”
• “The firm had a great variety of summer events, which were appropriately spaced out over the summer, including a week-long trip to our London headquarters. Interactions with firm attorneys were delightful, and our summer class bonded over the activities and adventures we had.”
• “It was a very social program with many events. And in addition, our [business] trip to our firm’s foreign offices also helped cement social relationships as we all spent more than a week together. …”
• “Many associates and partners attend the social events. They range from intimate lunches with small groups to office-wide events and outings. There were opportunities to talk to almost everyone throughout the whole summer program. There were also opportunities for summers-only gatherings, and you built a small community within the firm that lasts after the summer program.”

• “The firm was pretty transparent about what life at CC looked like. I think biggest difference is in the summer you are more likely to be fed work you explicitly asked for, whereas while working in the transactional pool, there is an element that you must take the work that is available to you. Though specifically requested work is still attempted to be fed to you.”
• “The work is more challenging than I originally expected it to be. There is a lot of jargon and concepts that I was not introduced to as a summer, so the learning curve has been steep. In terms of what I was hoping for in relation to internationally focused work, things have lived up to my hopes.”
• “Expectations were not different. Though I wasn't expected to work late as a summer, I could look at the associates at the time to see what I would be doing later when I joined. Sometimes they worked late, and that's true right now too. A pleasant surprise was the fact that the team was much more ‘chill’ and fun than I expected. The more I work with my colleagues, the better it gets.”
• “I think the impression I was given was pretty accurate: You'll be busy, but everyone is generally nice and communicates well, and you will be able to both take assignments from the pool and to seek out what you want if you have other interests or connections. I'm pleasantly surprised that almost everyone I have worked with has been genuinely kind and patient and also that the work I've been able to do as a first year is quite involved. Of course, there have been some clashes in working style but nothing egregious, and I find that if someone is rude I consider it to be an anomaly, not a feature of the culture.”

We believe in giving our lawyers a high level of exposure and responsibility from the very beginning and this starts during the summer program. Our summer law clerks are encouraged to work on a wide variety of assignments, gaining exposure to the full range of our practice areas. In addition to real work experience, our summer law clerks participate in formal training programs focused on legal writing and practice area presentations, as well as a variety of outside speakers presenting on everything from how to Discover and Define Your Professional Persona to topical social issues and events that impact our global communities.  In order to provide exposure to our global network, we provide all of our 2L law clerks the opportunity to spend time working in our London office. Clifford Chance lawyers share a common bond—they enjoy working together, they never stop learning, and they are committed to providing our clients with the best possible service.