2022 DIVERSITY DATABASE UNDERWRITER Weil

• “My summer was in the height of the pandemic so it was a bit of a different experience, as we were completely virtual and the program was shortened to eight weeks (four weeks of training/meeting the teams and four weeks of pro bono work). During the first four weeks, we did not do much real substantive work due to the new nature of the pandemic and learning how to integrate the program virtually. Nonetheless, the firm did a good job of highlighting all of the different practice groups and the type of work each group handles. The second four weeks was an excellent way to utilize the summers, as we were ‘loaned’ out to different pro bono organizations and were able to do some very meaningful work at a very important time in history, at the firm's expense. We were also paid for the full 12 weeks, which was a welcome relief considering the trying times.”
• “I was assigned to three or four cases throughout the summer in a variety of practice areas: antitrust, breach of contract, products liability class action, and bankruptcy. Tasks included conducting legal research for case law supporting arguments that were included in a motion to dismiss, drafting memoranda explaining ambiguities in the law, and conducting document review and state law surveys. These tasks felt substantive and closely mirrored the work I have been doing as a first-year associate.”
• “We had a deposition training, following which we each got a chance to take or defend a mock deposition (in small groups, with a partner attending to give feedback), which was FANTASTIC. Associates were incredibly friendly and happy to volunteer their time to talk about their experiences. Meaningful work was available if you sought it out.”

• “Once again, because I interned during the first COVID summer, I think it's difficult to compare my response to people who interned in-person in previous summers. Weil did as best as it could given that it was all virtual. We were given junior associate mentors who…[w]e had virtual lunch with once a week, and they did a good job planning group Zooms so we could meet other associates and summer associates. Weil also had some virtual events.”

• “Because the summer program was completely remote in 2020 due to COVID-19, opportunities for social events were limited to Zoom. Even so, I thought the firm did its best to host events that created a bonding experience among the summers. Events included a ramen cooking class, wine tasting seminar, jeopardy night, and painting workshop.”
• “The social events were some of the highlights of the summer program, and I felt a strong bond with my fellow summer associates and mentoring attorneys, especially my first summer where all summers and mentors convened in New York for several days. Traveling together really helped us bond and get to know each other, and I consider those people my friends. Even smaller events, like happy hours and lunches, I felt were well-attended, especially by attorneys in my practice group, and the women's events, in particular, were very popular. In DC, we previously did a boat trip, where we took a couple boats out into the Chesapeake Bay, and swam, and then went to a crab shack. Definitely one of the highlights of my summer. But even a good lunch or happy hour was a great opportunity to casually chat with attorneys and learn more about what their work was like.”
• “My summer program was pre-COVID and so we had social events almost daily. The firm had social events weekly on every floor—we would get drinks and finger food in our kitchen pantry on our floor; there would be group-wide, department-wide, and firm-wide events (i.e. Ariana Grande concert, summer associate ball, Yankee game). We also were split into ‘Summer Program Committee’ groups and went out 3x with the SPC partners and other summer associates in our group.”

• “I think the style of work has been a little different than promised, but I find that that is more a result of market conditions than any broken promises by the firm. When I attended that summer, the M&A group was handling more deals, and by the time I started two years later, the focus had shifted to SPAC mergers, so the workload has been a lot more replete with securities filings.”
• “There is a lot of document review as a litigation associate that summer associates don't get to see. The junior attorneys did flag this as a matter of fact of junior litigation work, but the quantity can still be unexpected until one actually starts to do the work. I have been pleasantly surprised that the attorneys are as nice as they appear over the summer, especially at the junior to mid levels.”
• “The work is definitely different and far more complex than anything you see as a summer. I felt ready to join the firm and interact with colleagues, but the summer training was not all that useful for the actual work. However, we get lots of training that is group-specific after you join, so that made up for the lack of summer training to a certain degree.”

• “I definitely enjoyed the wine tasting event and the murder mystery event.”
• “Ariana Grande concert.”
• “My favorite summer event was a virtual ramen making event—we received the ramen making material and had a chance to follow along remotely with a chef who taught us about the history of ramen and gave cooking pointers.”
• “I really enjoyed listening to the partners and associates talk about their practice groups from their homes and favorite outdoor locations. It really made them feel more approachable and friendly—although there is no doubt that everyone at Weil is like this in person. There is just something more relaxed about seeing someone sitting in their home, dressed more casually than they would be in the office, and to hear them talk frankly about how the pandemic was affecting them, their work-from-home experiences, and their thoughts about being separated and wanting to get back to their colleagues. It's also a great ice-breaker when our pets decide to join the Zoom!”

Weil’s Summer Associate Program is packed with opportunities to learn and develop. Our commitment to your career begins early and we have a team of people to support you, including assignment coordinators, associate mentors, social coordinators and Summer Program Committee partners. Summers participate in active transactional and litigation matters and attend client meetings, negotiations, depositions and court hearings. This enables you to gain a much clearer idea of your choice of future practice area and obtain a realistic view of what it is like to practice law at the firm. The Firm offers trainings in Depositions, Writing and Diversity, as well as a Speakers Series featuring talks with prominent clients, alumni and firm leaders. We also provide numerous opportunities to socialize with partners, associates and each other. Summer associates based in New York are given the opportunity to participate in the firm’s pro bono summer externship program by spending two weeks at a public interest organization. Apart from externships, summer associates are also assigned pro bono cases under the supervision of attorneys in the various departments through which they rotate.