Perkins Coie LLP (Legacy Profile)

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Perkins Coie LLP (Legacy Profile) Mentors

• “I received projects from a variety of practice areas and attorneys and was encouraged to seek out opportunities that interested me. I took part in substantive research and writing and received feedback from my supervisors that allowed me to improve my work product and general skills.”
• “The firm emphasized building good relationships with attorneys at all levels, and I received significant training and feedback from the partners and associates I worked for. I got to do a range of assignments, including pro bono work.”
• “The summer associate program provided really great substantive work training. I was given real assignments with real weight in the cases that I was working on. Some of my work product ended up in final client-/court-facing work products. Doing that substantive work also set up a workflow pipeline for me to continue working on those matters as a first-year associate. The attorneys were also incredibly helpful and provided a lot of support, especially whenever I had questions or was confused.”
• “The work assignments I received as a summer associate were substantive and meaningful. I received the opportunity to do work in a variety of practice areas.”

• “The firm really puts an emphasis on building community and had weekly or biweekly social events inside and outside of the office. Some highlights from my last summer were rock climbing and a concert at the Botanical Gardens. Attorneys were always eager to engage with the summers and be present at these events. Summers spent a lot of time together in training, so we quickly formed bonds and were able to relate to each other as we navigated this experience.”
• “The social events [during] our summer associate [program] were great. We have a strong camaraderie among associates and partners at our office. Some of the best summer associate events have been live music shows, baseball games, and Top Golf.”
• “There was always at least one event a week (usually two or sometimes three), and it was a great mix of activities that let us get to know the attorneys, events that let us get to know other summers, and events that were fun or unique experiences.”
• “Perkins planned some great summer activities, which were effective in creating interactions with attorneys. I wish that there had been more summer-associate-only events (or, better yet, more unplanned time for those to occur organically) so that the summer associates could have built more authentic camaraderie among ourselves without having to be ‘on.’”

• “I have enjoyed the flexibility to pursue the practice areas that I am interested in. It is not guaranteed, but the opportunity is there if you are persistent and demonstrate a genuine interest.”
• “The level of flexibility and positivity among coworkers has really surprised me. While there is a lot of work, the collaboration and support among attorneys makes such a difference in my mental health and successfully navigating long hours. I also really appreciate the firm's willingness to allow me to explore a new practice area. ...”
• “Practicing has been way less stressful than being a summer because I don't feel like my head is constantly on the chopping block. Finding work can be a slightly chaotic experience for new associates due to the lack of central staffing. Sometimes I'm overwhelmed with deadlines, and other times I am left searching for work with little guidance or oversight. This differs from the structured system used to staff summer projects (though, in fairness, I did receive warning of this as a summer associate).”

• “The summer associate program aligned quite well with the experience of being a first-year attorney. I find myself procuring work now the same exact way as I did as a summer. Because Perkins hires directly into practice areas, it was much easier to integrate into the workflow and culture of the practice groups.”

Perkins Coie's summer associate program provides varied work and training opportunities as well as social events designed to promote interaction among summer associates, attorneys, and business professionals. Our summer associate program is our primary source of junior associate hires. Summer associates work on a wide range of challenging legal assignments similar to those given to new associates, which typically include legal research, analysis, and drafting. Summer associates are commonly invited to attend depositions, mediations, deal closings, client meetings, trials, and other professional activities and events. They are welcome and encouraged to work on pro bono projects.