Last summer, a senior associate pulled me aside to tell a joke. The joke involved a young man who, while alive, was mistakenly whisked away to hell. Upon arriving in hell, the man found it warm and sunny. So, he spent the rest of his life trying to get back.

Many years later, the man died. As expected, he was sent back to hell -- this time for real. Upon his return, however, the man found that hell had become scorching hot. The man, now old, was shocked by this change. The devil's explanation: "Before, you had only seen hell's summer associate program."

Summer associates, beware: your law firm careers might not be filled with the same bread and circus as you will enjoy this summer. However, the future also does not have to be hellish. This summer is a great time to seek out work you find interesting. For those of you considering a career in sports law, here are five summer tips to consider:

1. Sports law is not just for jocks. Many summer associates shy away from sports law because they are not athletes. Really, there is no need to do so. Although most big firms have a few stereotypical jocks hovering around sports assignments, the two most accomplished sports attorneys that I have encountered are close to the opposite -- Jeffrey Kessler (Dewey & LeBoeuf) and Shepard Goldfein (Skadden, Arps). As Jeffrey Kessler once told me, the first thing he looks for in a sports attorney is a good litigator that understands antitrust. At the end of the day, being an athlete may help you to enjoy sports, but it is not needed to become a successful sports lawyer.

2. It is not all about the formal assigning process. When done politely, letting partners and senior associates know about your interest in sports makes perfect sense. Although big firms generally have a summer assignment person, this person only knows as much as is conveyed through weekly paperwork. As you will soon learn, many attorneys are bad about completing their paperwork. This means the formal channels are not always the best way to get interesting sports assignments. It is best to talk to people directly and try to build relationships.

3. Sometimes working hard is worth it, even as a summer. Although summer associates rarely need to overachieve to get their offers, getting into a top sports practice group is a tad more competitive. Because sports assignments are rare, try to grab any sports work available -- even if the work does not come at the best time for your social calendar. This shows dedication and commitment, as well as could help get you into the loop to receive future and more opportune sports assignments.

4. Beware of the "bait and switch." Just because you are getting sports work as a summer does not mean you will get the same work when you return. In fact, many firms give summer associates assignment preference over junior associates. Before locking yourself into any firm or practice area, try to talk to junior associates about what work they are really doing, and whether they are reasonably happy. Be especially skeptical of firms that lump sports work together with less desirable areas of practice such as antitrust due diligence and Hart-Scott-Rodino filings. If you are not going to get sports work as a first year associate, at least try to find an opportunity where you can build your litigation skills. A sound litigator can always transition later into sports.

5. Keep an open mind. When choosing a practice area, keep in mind that eventually the glamour of big-name sports clients will subside, and what will be left is the underlying legal practice. If you choose sports law as a career, make sure you actually enjoy antitrust, contracts, labor and IP. If not, you may want to explore another area. It is always easier to explore new areas during the summer than as a first-year associate. According to some, that was the original purpose behind law-firm summer associate programs.

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Marc Edelman is an attorney, business consultant, published author and professor, whose focus is on the fields of sports business and law. You can read his full bio by clicking here, and you can reach him by email by clicking here.