SUMMER LAW CLERK PROGRAM
We have filled our positions for the 2008 Summer Law Clerk Program.
Program History
Our Firm has had a Summer Clerk Program ("Program") for almost as long as we have been a law firm. The purpose of the Program is twofold: to share an exciting opportunity with several law students ("Participants") who can learn from all of the co-workers within our 90+ attorney law firm; and to foster a superior attorney-base for our Firm in the years to come as we continue to grow and develop.
We take the Program seriously as an opportunity to teach and evaluate future legal talent while making it a pleasant experience. It wasn’t so long ago that many of our attorneys were Summer Clerks, at this Firm or another law firm. As one Particiant told us, it was certainly not a "schmooze and booze" experience and he learned more than he had ever hoped. We offer an opportunity to be a contributing part of our Firm from June through August.
We seek several second year students who want to learn how to practice law in a dynamic and successful environment. David Pordy, the Managing Shareholder, is responsible for the Program. He will appoint annually one of our Shareholders (the "Supervising Shareholder") to: interview applicants at several local schools; conduct interviews of additional candidates in our principal office; appoint a three (3) person Interview Committee for second round interviews; make a final selection from the candidates; manage the Participants; and perform evaluations of the candidates at the end of the Program. The Supervising Shareholder will critique the work of each Participant on a weekly basis, provide general guidance on how to perform tasks and try to make the experience more fulfilling for all involved.
At the beginning of the Program, we expect that the Participants will know little about practicing law, drafting pleadings, legal writing, participating in depositions, preparing documents for trial, communicating with clients and other essential elements involved in the practice of law. Rather, we are optimistic that the Participants will utilize their natural abilities, hard work and cooperative skills to learn the practice of law. During the Program’s duration of approximately ten (10) weeks, various attorneys will assign projects to the Participants. Through working on the projects, the Participants will interact with our attorneys, the Supervising Shareholder, our staff and perhaps clients, opposing counsel and courthouse staff. Through this process, we can share insight with the Participants on how to practice law. Ordinarily, the Participants receive assignments from the three principal Departments (Commercial Litigation, Corporate and Real Estate) as well as the two smaller departments, Contingent Litigation and Trusts and Estates Departments. Most of the projects assigned to the Participants involve legal research and writing. At the end of the Program, the Participants will have far more experience in the practice of law than when they entered. We hope to hear, as we usually do at the end of each summer, that the Program taught them more about law than any course they had taken in law school.
It is worthwhile to note that we use the title "Summer Law Clerk Program," instead of "Summer Associate Program," or another title, as a means to differentiate us from some firms that make grandiose promises during the interview process and during their programs. We do not make false promises of future employment as an associate after graduation. However, we offer an opportunity to earn a position with the Firm, if one is available. It is also important to know that working together is important to us. We want the Participants to help each other - they are not competitors. Each Participant will stand on his or her own performance. If there is a sufficient workflow and the Firm desires a long term relationship with one or more Participants, the Firm may ask one or more Participants to work no more than twenty (20) hours per week during their third school year. Thereafter, we would hope to offer positions of employment as Associate Attorneys so the Participants can become a valuable member of the Firm for years to come. We are proud to state that two of our 2006 Summer Clerks are working with the Firm as Law Clerks in their third years and have accepted employment as associates with the Firm after graduation.
Each year, the Participants tell us that the Program is the best form of education they had in their legal careers. We certainly enjoy watching students grow into attorneys and valuable members of our legal society. We tend to retain relationships with our past Participants either as attorneys with our Firm, as clerks with judges or as attorneys in the community. If you are interested in a position as a Participant for the summer of 2009, please send your cover letter and resume to the attention of Maura Bowen at our Rockville address.
