Career Center: Essential Reading for the Summer Associate (Because You Don't Read Enough Already)

If Oprah had a book club for summer associates, you can bet the following reading materials would be on that list (in addition to Above the Law). While I am sure extra reading is the last thing you want to do after long days (and nights) of working and schmoozing at the firm, the items identified below provide great insight into subjects a savvy summer associate should be on top of.

For extra credit, consider forming a summer book club with your classmates and/or fellow summer associates, read some of the material suggested below, and take some time to discuss. The following reading recommendations are brought to you by Lateral Link’s Frank Kimball, an expert recruiter and former Biglaw hiring partner.

Now on to the reading….

1) Local: Whether or not you are a native of the city you are summering at, you must be conversant with the current developments in the city — in the legal profession, in business, and in the metropolitan area in general. If you are not a city native, you can go a long way toward establishing yourself as a credible prospect if you do your homework. Out of the 168 hours of the week, take 5-10 and master the locality. The simplest and least expensive way to do so is found in the library or on the internet.

Read the following types of publications — lightly but with care:

  • The local city newspaper – to get the local flavor of the city.
  • The [City Name] Business Journal (each major city has a business journal that provides weekly updates about the local business community).
  • The [City Name] Daily Law Bulletin (the daily newspaper of the legal profession).
  • Local tourist guide/magazine/website (not a deep read, but a great source of current gossip, restaurants, shopping, etc.).

Sponsored

The name of the game is not to memorize the publications or to spend dozens of hours reading. It is to make you conversant with trends and developments in the community. Five hours a week is a small investment compared to the 40-year career you are about to begin.

Click here for more reading recommendations for the prepared summer associate. For additional career insights, as well as profiles of individual law firms, check out the Career Center.

Sponsored