“Something communicated to me during the interview process was that as a summer associate we would be expected to do substantive work, which I preferred because I wanted real experience. I didn’t want to sit and work on power-point slides, which is what a lot of my friends were doing at other law firms. I wanted to build the skills that would help me grow as a lawyer.
The depth and breadth of one of my projects, in particular, was impressive. I worked on drafting a summary judgment opposition brief, and collaborated with expert witnesses and my colleagues. I worked alongside great people who appreciated my contributions and mentored me throughout the project. I worked on it for two months, and it was a real joy to see so much of my work in the final document. I knew then that this was the ideal firm for me. I enjoyed the work I was doing and the company of my co-workers, with whom I built true friendships during those long nights. I didn't think I would get that experience from other firms. The intimate nature of the entire experience last summer was something, in my opinion, unique to this firm.
I also was grateful to have the opportunity to work on one of our pro-bono cases— something I didn’t believe I would be able to do as a summer associate. Usually as a summer associate, you don't get the opportunity to do that kind of meaningful work; whereas I was able to do something very near and dear to my heart.”
“The impression I formed during the call-back interviews was that summer associates and new attorneys are entrusted with a good level of responsibility—the associates get to do a significant amount of substantive work, which is the best way of gaining real-world experience.
As an FLH summer associate, I stuck my hands in many different pots and experienced a wide variety of what the firm has to offer. I worked with many younger associates who always would be willing to share their own experiences in a very helpful way by saying, 'I had a similar assignment two years ago and here’s how I dealt with it; this is how I approached the problem.' That was great mentoring.
One of my favorite experiences was attending a Markman hearing in the District of Delaware. I think that was my moment of belonging when it came to FLH; it was a lot of time away from the office invested in me, just so that I could have this courtroom experience—which not a lot of summers at other firms get to do.
There also are social events during the entire summer program. FLH makes a point of having different people take you to each event if possible, so by the end of the ten weeks each summer associate meets everyone at the firm. I became really involved with FLH’s Lawyers’ Dodgeball Association team. There were two games over the course of the summer, and the league wasn’t just for summer associates. Anyone from the firm could play—it was a great opportunity to meet my future co-workers in a relaxing atmosphere and get a genuine sense of the community outside the office.”
“I joined FLH as a summer associate because I wanted the advantages of a mid-sized firm—advantages like personal guidance from senior attorneys, significant feedback, genuine responsibility, the ability to make real contributions to a number of fascinating legal matters as opposed to merely carrying out menial tasks, and the opportunity to be an important part of a legal team. This is not a common summer associate experience in every law firm.
At FLH, I received guidance and feedback on my work from associates and partners. The attorneys I worked with were eager to teach me the “ins and outs” of being a good lawyer. They were genuinely interested in teaching me how to think in ways that will help as advocate for the client from both a legal and business perspective.
FLH's practice areas are quite diverse and intellectually stimulating. They cover a wide range of technologies and a broad expanse of IP law. As a summer associate, I worked on patent prosecution, patent litigation, Hatch-Waxman litigation as well as matters involving trademarks, antitrust law, and regulatory law. I worked on projects having a substantive impact on cases. I worked with experts during the preparation of their reports, attended meetings with clients, drafted and edited legal briefs, created power point presentations for trial, researched legal issues and drafted memos about the legal research.
All of these tasks were supervised by attorneys and were performed as part of a team in which everyone’s contribution was considered important. I learned a tremendous amount during the summer. By the time the summer ended, I had significantly improved my legal writing, my legal research skills and my knowledge of patent, trademark, antitrust, and regulatory law. I also had the opportunity to learn about cutting edge pharmaceutical technology. It was incredible! My summer at FLH was very exciting.
Even though FLH is a mid-sized firm, it has the manpower to handle any sized case against any other firm, large or small. But since the firm's size is not overwhelming, it is simpler to get to know the attorneys and staff. As a summer associate, it was easy for me to approach lawyers who were experts in different practice areas. They were eager to talk to me about those areas. Whenever I spoke with an associate or partner, I was learning. It was a good feeling to know that I was constantly learning and growing in order to become a better lawyer.”
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