This summer, I was fortunate to work as a Summer Associate in Hinckley Allen’s New Hampshire office. My ten weeks at Hinckley Allen flew by; every day I was working on challenging assignments or visiting other offices for social events like a Red Sox game, a night at Action Kitchen, or Trivia. The summer was full of memorable moments, but these are my top three:
- Contributing to client trials and realizing I would be treated as an Associate
The first week of the program, a partner in the Real Estate Group invited me to his afternoon bench trial. The partner let me sit at counsel table and after he introduced himself for the record, he said “… and with me is my colleague, Lisa DeFronzo of Hinckley Allen.” I sat through the rest of the trial proud as could be. After the trial, it was time to debrief with the client. I was excited to be able to sit in and hear what the partner would say to the client. To my surprise, the partner turned to me—in front of the client—and said, “Lisa, what did you think?” It was in that moment that I realized for the next ten weeks at Hinckley Allen, I would be treated as a full-time Associate and expected to do Associate-level work.
- Working from other offices and networking during social events
Another great benefit of my summer experience was working from other offices on the days that there were social events. There is no better way to see what the firm is like than to spend days in different offices. Traveling gave me and the other Summer Associates the opportunity to network and build relationships with attorneys, which led to receiving more assignments. This was a great benefit because many of the attorneys at the firm work from multiple offices, and visiting Boston, Hartford and Providence gave me a glimpse of the life of a Hinckley Allen associate. I was pleasantly surprised that the firm not only supported me working from other offices when possible, but encouraged it.
- Attending a barbeque at a Partner’s home
My favorite social event of the summer was a barbecue hosted at a partner’s home. It was the only weekend event of the summer, and I did not know what to expect but was pleasantly surprised by the turnout and environment. Even on a Saturday, partners and associates took time away from their family and hobbies to travel from all over New England to meet the Summer Associates. After seeing the partners and associates connect in a relaxed setting, I walked away with a feeling of affirmation that Hinckley Allen, and these people, are the perfect fit for me.
For those aspiring legal professionals considering a Summer Program in the future, what are you looking to get out of the experience? Share your thoughts with Hinckley Allen on Twitter at @HinckleyAllen.
Learn more about our opportunities for Summer Associates and law students here.