Today was my first day of work as a summer associate. For the hype and varying anxiety levels leading up to today, I spent most of the day in a conference room listening to orientation speeches. I have a summer class of 5 and I will be working mainly with two associates. The other summer associates ("summers") seem friendly and social. The associates seem eager to get to know us and help us learn the ropes. We were served breakfast and lunch in the conference room in between meeting partners, associates, and various administrators. We are given access to all kinds of cool things like secretaries, paralegals, mail services, records services, IT, and other things you would expect to find. Of course we had an orientation session relating to each one of these. After a building tour (we have showers in the basement!?) we were shown our offices.
Perks include an office with windows (and locks), a blackberry, a laptop and extra screen, swag with the firm's logo, lunches with associates, and social events. Oh, and experience.
Today, I was worried about not having a briefcase. How will I transport my briefs (read: glasses, packed lunches, and books)? Turns out the firm had it covered: one of the major pieces of swag waiting in my office was a briefcase. This is second only to the beach bag with firm logo emblazoned towel.
So, the first day finishes. Honestly, it was kind of awkward, but what first day isn't? The summers sort of felt each other out and tried to get a feel for the associates and the culture of the office (which is pretty relaxed - suits are the exception, not the rule). We were all focused, extra polite, and extra conscientious. The building tour included so much door holding that even the most chivalrous knight would have gotten tired of it; and the firm-sponsored happy hour after work saw summers have no more than 2 or 3 beers each.
There is a conference room across the hall from my office. There is a painting on the wall of the conference room positioned so that it can be seen from my office and my desk. The painting is, for lack of a better description, kind of creepy. It is a scene of an older woman looking at a picture album in front of some big windows. Why? Why would this be mounted on the wall of a law firm's conference room looking into my office? I will try to take and post a picture of this painting if I can take one discretely. I named the woman Lucille (perhaps an Arrested Development homage) and decided that she will be my thinking buddy. I will turn to her in difficult situations where I need to mull over a problem. Lucille will bring me wisdom - and creepiness.
The recruiting partner told us a story of a summer who was surprisingly given an offer. The summer had a few drinks before dinner at a firm-sponsored social event. At dinner, he was seated next to a fairly senior partner who was described as "gentlemanly" and perhaps southern. The summer finished his meal but was apparently still hungry. He began taking food off the partner's plate next to him and eating it. The partner was astounded, as were all the summers and associates listening to the story. I think there will be great stories from my firm.
There is probably more, but I did not sleep well last night and awoke at 6:30 this morning in an attempt to get into a new routine. So that is all for now.
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