Wilkinson Stekloff

• “Very good, went to trial three times.”
• “I performed much of the same work as a summer as I do now as a first-year associate (drafting witness outlines/mock crosses and directs, assisting with witness prep sessions, performing legal research, attending strategy meetings and taking notes). I received an associate mentor who was supportive and helpful, but I also received informal mentoring from members of my case team and associates around the office. The summer wasn't as social as my BigLaw firm summers, but I went to regular lunches and coffees with associates and partners and a going-away happy hour for an associate. I traveled several times with associates/partners to preps and depositions, and during one of those trips, I attended fun client events with associates and partners (e.g., dinners, baseball games).”
• “I went to multiple trials, spending around five of my eight weeks total at a trial site. Favorite event was a Nationals baseball game but didn’t do many given how busy we were. Mentoring is great. The people are amazing.”

• “The volume of the work is greater, and the pace is faster, but otherwise, it was an accurate representation of associate life.”

We are a small firm that seeks to give associates meaningful opportunities and exposure to trial litigation, and our summer program is an extension of our culture. Based on our case schedules, we take a small number of summer associates and give them real responsibility right out of the gate. Our program is informal and dynamic, changing to fit whether we are in trial, in trial-preparation mode, or in a briefing window. Our goal is to give summer associates hands-on training through learning by doing, within the supportive and collaborative network of our experienced trial teams.