2024 DIVERSITY DATABASE UNDERWRITER Latham & Watkins

• “I expressed my interest in the firm's white collar criminal defense and investigations practice, and I was given many opportunities to get involved in this type of work. I was staffed on very interesting white collar matters from the start.”
• “I had the opportunity to work across numerous practice areas including private equity, finance, capital markets, bankruptcy litigation, emerging companies, and data and technology transactions. I also worked on pro bono matters involving Afghan re-parole and refugees. The firm allows associates to express preferences for work assignments, which is a nice approach for giving them exposure to various practice areas.”
• “The firm provided ample training, and the associates on my work assignments took the time to explain the context and background of each matter and assignment so I felt oriented and felt like I could at least take a first stab at an assignment, even in groups I was unfamiliar with.”
• “Training was excellent, and summer associates get experience on meaningful projects from the very beginning. I learned a lot during my summer and really got to explore different practice groups and what a day in that practice might look like.”

• “The summer associate class was very friendly. I appreciated that there was diversity in terms of the law schools that members of my class attended. It led to a community in which everyone felt accepted (i.e., no one bragged about going to a top law school/everyone was humble and approachable).”
• “I routinely met with attorneys for lunch, coffee, and firm events. Beyond Summer Academy at Huntington Beach, which brought together all summer associates, the firm planned numerous events for the Boston office including mini golf, a 5K run, and a farewell event at the Prudential Tower, among many others. I had multiple mentors (partner, associate, and Emerging Companies Scholar mentor) during the summer associate program.”
• “My summer program was one of the most fun two-and-a-half-month periods of my life. We all became really good friends and still are to this day.”
• “The camaraderie among summer associates is high, and the smaller class size allows you to become close friends with your class. The summer events are fun and engaging around San Diego with high participation from office attorneys including sunset catamaran cruises, Padres games, and Catalina Island.”

• “I think the associate experience was painted quite accurately for us by attorneys in the summer program—it was freely shared that our workloads, etc., would look very different once we started full-time, but the culture of the firm remained consistent.”
• “If anything, it improved. As a summer associate, you are at the firm for such a short time that it is hard to ramp up and get up to speed on all the facts. As a full-time associate, you have that time and opportunity to really dive in, and the team aspects of this job and this firm are what make it stand out.”
• “I've only been pleasantly surprised by my experiences so far. While I thought that perhaps some aspects of working for Latham would be less appealing once I was out of the summer program, I've found the mentorship, ability to find work, and collegiality with senior lawyers to be no different as a new full-time associate.”
• “I don't think there have been any negatives—if anything, practice groups have been more flexible than I thought they were as a summer associate. I have been fortunate to do the work I wanted during my first year and to have had kind mentors across the board. I have never received undue pressure to narrow my practice, nor have my supervisors ever been ignorant to the needs of other groups with which I work.”
• also explained to me before starting. If anything, I like the job better now than as a summer.”

Our summer program offers a genuine glimpse into the life of a junior associate at Latham & Watkins.

As a summer associate, you will actively contribute through our Unassigned Program, which empowers you to explore our market-leading practices and award-winning industry groups that drive the global economy, as well as participate in pro bono work. We encourage you to pursue your interests and gain valuable experience by collaborating with leading lawyers across disciplines.

Assigned mentors will be available to answer questions and guide you throughout the summer. You will engage in substantive matters and receive real-time feedback, just like a firm associate.

At Summer Academy—a highlight of our summer program—you will join summer associates from across the firm and immerse yourself in Latham culture through training seminars and social events.