A Summer Associate's Premature Departure: 'I Would Rather Be Farming' - Page 2 of 2

DINSMORE & SHOHL — SUMMER ASSOCIATE DEPARTURE MEMO

Farewell Dinsmore:

It was great meeting everyone and I greatly appreciate you letting me in the door. I am sorry for wasting your time, but I obviously misunderstood the role of the summer associate. Sure it’s selfish and naïve to think I should not be judged, but I simply cannot be perfect for everyone for two minutes — let alone two months. I would rather be farming — so farewell.

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I can interact with people, meet deadlines and be counted on to deliver good work product. But I came here to get legal experience in trusts and estates. I have at all times been up front about this and it was wrong for the Firm to speak for Tom Bonasera. It is obvious that while I am certain to get legal experience here, I may easily squander the summer fighting for an offer I would inherently accept notwithstanding my lack of any meaningful basis other than a tough job market.

Before you write off Georgetown or aged summer associates, I beg you to reconsider. I am not representative of the bunch. I am simply a two-year cancer survivor who must be in control of his destiny. It was probably wrong of me to think I could simply pick a niche area of law and be sheltered from the rigors of your program. But I went to law school for estate planning and will not simply roll the dice and wait until some other area of the law finds me. Why survive the day, the week, the month, or the summer if headed in the wrong direction?

Again, please forgive my seemingly foolish behavior. I hate the thought of burning bridges, but I could just as easily spend the summer wasting firm resources — and I refuse. This is very much a personal decision and I wish everyone the best.

Most sincerely,