Summer Associates

Simpson Thacher Dishes Out Summer Associate Meal Policies

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We’ve been talking for months about how summer associate programs will be scaled back this year. It’s a recession, baby. Frugality is the new black.
Last month, Cleary issued a humorous memo about how to treat its summer associates. It encouraged associates to take SAs out for value meals at McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s, or better yet, to invite them over for a home cooked meal (“Pair hot dogs with frozen fish fillets for a surf and turf treat.”)
This week, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett issued its real Summer Meal Program memo as its first SAs start at the office on Monday. Things are dramatically scaled back in comparison to prior years, says a tipster:

summer 2007 – unlimited summer lunches
summer 2008 – 15 summer lunches per associate (entire summer) no limits on how many lunches summers attended
summer 2009 – one lunch a week (for associates AND summer)

More details, and the memo, after the jump.
Lots of firms are starting to let associates know the budget for SA entertaining this year. We encourage you to dish on the policies at your firm in the comments.


Simpson Thacher’s lunch spending limit is holding steady at $65 per head, but the frequency of eating out is down.

Rules for the summer lunch program remain similar to past years, but there are changes worth noting. Importantly, we are retaining our cap of $65 per person for lunch. However, both associates and summer associates will be limited to one lunch per week (either traditional or Chow for Charity). Additional opportunities will exist for summer associates to lunch with one another or full time attorneys at departmental lunches, training programs and other in-house activities.

We’re not sure of the full length of Simpson Thacher’s summer program, but it’s certainly shorter than 15 weeks, so associates will likely be indulging less often than in 2008, and SAs will be indulging much less often, as they were unlimited last year.
And no ganging up on the SAs:

Please make every effort to maintain a one to one balance of full-time lawyers and summer associates. If someone drops out creating an imbalance please contact Recruiting to arrange a substitute (or to get prior approval).

Sponsored

See the full memo below.
Earlier: Cleary Encourages ‘Home Cooking’ To Keep Summer Associate Lunch Costs Down

SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO: All Associates
FROM: The Recruiting Committee
RE: Summer Meal Program
The summer is almost here, and our summer associate class will soon be with us. We are pleased to continue our summer lunch program again this year. Consistent with the themes of moderation and austerity adopted by so many of our clients (and less fortunate peers), we have implemented several changes to policy and practice as compared with prior years, so please review this memo thoroughly.
On May 11 our first summer associates arrive at the firm. We hope that they will get to know many attorneys here at the firm so we encourage you to host meals with summer associates at the Firm’s expense. In particular, we encourage you to host summer associates with whom you may work, as well as any summer associates whom you may have met last fall or those whom you are asked to advise.
The purpose of the summer lunch program is to enable summer associates to meet and get to know their new colleagues at the firm as well as their fellow summer associates. Please lunch with a range of summer associates, and not merely the same summer associates and associates repeatedly. The more attorneys the summer associates get to know, the greater the
likelihood that they will find friends and mentors in the associate ranks, enhancing their experience as summer associates and the development of their careers when they return as full
time attorneys.
Rules for the summer lunch program remain similar to past years, but there are changes worth noting. Importantly, we are retaining our cap of $65 per person for lunch. However, both associates and summer associates will be limited to one lunch per week (either traditional or Chow for Charity). Additional opportunities will exist for summer associates to lunch with one another or full time attorneys at departmental lunches, training programs and other in-house activities.
Details of both the traditional and Chow for Charity program are set forth below.
TRADITIONAL PROGRAM

  • Reimbursement for meals is limited to $65 per person (including tax and tip). The meal host will be responsible for covering any overages.
  • Only weekday lunches will be reimbursed. (Previously other meals were included). If circumstances necessitate an exception to this rule, please contact the Recruiting Department in advance for approval.

    • Sponsored

  • Associates and summer associates are limited to an average of one lunch per week.
  • Meals for spouses or non-STB guests will not be reimbursed.
  • Taxi fares will not be reimbursed.
  • Please make every effort to maintain a one to one balance of full-time lawyers and summer associates. If someone drops out creating an imbalance please contact Recruiting to arrange a substitute (or to get prior approval).
  • Lunches with partners will not count against the weekly limitation.
  • For the benefit of the summer associates, return to the Firm within a reasonable period of
    time after lunch.
  • Lunches are not reimbursed on days of mandatory summer associate lunches, which generally occur on Fridays. Summer associates will be aware of these dates and Recruiting will circulate this information.
  • Complete a Meal Report form and send to the Recruiting Department with a copy of your
    receipt on the same day as your lunch.
  • Late approval requests, submitted after the week of the lunch, may be delayed or denied.
  • Attach a copy of the Meal Report form to anything submitted to Accounting for payment.
    Accounting will not approve any meal costs without a copy of the Meal Report form previously sent to Recruiting.
  • Use 099999/0947 for all time relating to the Summer Lunch Program. The charge number for expenses is set out on the lunch forms.
    CHOW FOR CHARITY PROGRAM – Associates and summer associates can choose to enjoy a less expensive meal and have the Firm donate the balance of the $65 per person meal
    reimbursement limit to one of the following charities selected by the lunch participants: Natural
    Resources Defense Council, Human Rights First/The Vance Center for International Justice (donation split 50/50), inMotion and Legal Aid. The guidelines are as follows:
  • Reimbursement for meals is limited to $15 per person (including tax and tip). For each person in attendance, a donation equal to the difference between $65 and the cost of the meal will be made to the designated organization.
  • Meals can be at any location outside the Firm within the cost limits.
  • Be sure to designate on the form the name of the organization to receive the donation.
  • The other requirements of the traditional program apply.
    GETTING INVOLVED – We know you do not always know in advance when you will be available to host a lunch. For assistance, e-mail “SummerLunch” and someone from Recruiting will attempt to coordinate a meal with available summer associates.
    Please note that the Meal Report form has a “Comments” section. In addition to your views on which restaurants work well for these programs, we appreciate any feedback you have relating to the summer program.
    If you have any questions, please contact the Recruiting Department, Jamie Gamble or Caroline Gottschalk. We hope you enjoy the program and thank you in advance for your participation.
    The Recruiting Committee
    cc: All Partners

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