2022 DIVERSITY DATABASE UNDERWRITER Hogan Lovells

Training & Assignments

• “Assignments were both available from an assignment board and individually assigned. I was never concerned about not having work, nor did I feel pressure to network in order to find things to do. The assignments themselves were largely substantive, and I could see how they factored into the final work product.”
• “The training programs throughout the summer were informative and helpful. Work assignments were engaging, and it felt like I was making real contributions to the matters I worked on.”
• “I was assigned both meaningful work, and a nice variety of transactional and litigation tasks. It was a tremendous help to identify my professional legal interests upon graduation.”
• “The firm did a good job creating opportunities in many different areas for summers to get a broad experience. I received honest, helpful feedback on the work I did, and the opportunities I received have been similar to those I have completed as a first year.”

Social Opportunities

• “The summer events were very fun and well planned. Attorneys were great about making themselves available, and the strong bonds I formed over my summer have carried into my full-time return to the firm.”
• “The firm would typically have at least one social event hosted by the summer associate committee per week during the summer. However, other associates and partners were able to suggest and host events, which led to there being multiple lunches, dinners, and other social events that would occur during the week/weekend, in addition to the summer associate-sponsored event.”
• “There was a lot of enthusiastic participation from associates and partners at the events, which helped me to gain insight into the culture of the firm.”
• “The firm did a tremendous job handling COVID in 2021. We had numerous social events that were in-person, virtual, and hybrid. It seemed to work for everyone, and allowed us to meet a large number of attorneys, despite many not being in the office.”

Associate Experience vs. Summer Expectations

• “The summer experience laid out a very accurate representation of what normal practice would be like. The work I have been given as a junior associate aligns very closely with what my summer supervisors told me to expect, and prepared me for. I have worked with some partners less than I thought I might as a junior associate, but my mid-level and senior associates are very responsive and have been great mentors.”
• “My summer associate experience prepared me nicely for life as an associate. The firm was unusually busy during our summer, so the summer associates got to jump in right from the start, and contribute to client deliverables.”
• “I don't think I've been surprised in any way. The attorneys at Hogan were very forthcoming about the pros and cons of working in BigLaw, and I think their honesty has been reflected in my work now.”
• “I feel like I have been doing less substantive work as a full-time associate. As well, I feel like the mentorship from the partners has been worse, and I have not been working as closely with the partners.”

Favorite Summer Events

• “A summer kickoff office dinner party with all attorneys and their families during the first week, and end-of-summer office cooking class and dinner.”
• “Cooking class, regular happy hours (I think they were once a week), and informal get-togethers, which were the best way to get to know people.”
• “There were a lot of big ones, like the boat ride on the Potomac, the concert, and the group exercise class. Those were great. But my favorite was an event that the summer associates were allowed to lead. We got a variety of Oreo flavors, and invited the whole office to participate in a taste test sampling with us. So fun!”
• “Baseball game, hiking, drink mixology class, painting class.”

Hogan Lovells provides summer associates with an opportunity to experience and learn about all aspects of the firm. With guidance from lawyers, summer associates complete meaningful client and pro bono assignments. All US Summer Associates participate in an array of training programs designed to introduce them to our practices, our alumni, our clients, and develop and enhance legal and other professional skills. Firm leaders meet with summer associates to share insights about Hogan Lovells’ pre-eminent practices and strategic plans for the future, our vision and values, and commitment to diversity and inclusion. Through group learning pods, integration events, community service and wellbeing activities, and interactive learning opportunities, summer associates engage in a peer learning environment that encourages the sharing of knowledge, experiences, and insights, while getting to know their colleagues and making lifelong connections.