Our firm's summer program is not just a temporary job. It is a tool for creating lifelong friendships and for laying the foundation to a solid and successful legal career.
The goal of our summer program is to introduce law students to various aspects of a law practice and provide them the guidance and environment that best suits and enriches their legal talents. We work very hard to provide summer associates with a wide variety of substantive work assignments. Summer associates typically select their assignments from an online database, which allows them to pursue projects of particular interest. This also provides our summer associates the opportunity to work with a diverse group of attorneys.
University of North Carolina
School of Law
Class of 2000
"By working with so many different attorneys, I developed an appreciation for the intellectual diversity, the commitment to quality, and the personal relationships that make Brooks Pierce a special place to work."
Washington and Lee Law
Class of 2002
In addition, we offer summer associates working experience outside of the office. Summer associates are invited and encouraged to attend depositions, court appearances, trial strategy sessions, transaction closings, negotiations, and other meetings associated with the firm's practice.
Another vital component of our summer program is feedback obtained through various methods including evaluations, surveys and informal conversations. Attorneys and summer associates alike are strongly encouraged, and routinely asked, to provide each other with feedback on an array of topics including work assignments and the summer program.
We generally hire first- and second-year law students to work with us as summer associates. However, from time to time, we may employ a recent law school graduate for part of the summer prior to the commencement of his or her judicial clerkship. The length of our summer program varies and, generally, students are free to choose when their tenure will begin and end. Summer associates are also allowed to split their summers with another firm.
We host several events throughout the summer to promote social interaction between summer associates and attorneys. These events are also a helpful tool to introduce summer clerks to the cities of Raleigh and Greensboro. Summer social events include concerts, baseball games, cocktail parties, movie nights, golf and tennis outings, weekend retreats, and informal get-togethers.
If you are interested in becoming a summer associate with Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard, LLP, please contact our Recruiting Coordinator, Ms. Elizabeth Bilcheck.
New Associates
A unique firm attribute is our lack of formal division into departments. We understand that not every recent law school graduate is going to know what area of law will hold his or her particular interest. By not having formalized departments, attorneys are free to experiment with a variety of practices. Typically, associates will eventually narrow the spectrum of their concentration, yet some attorneys will prefer to continue their careers without ever focusing their practice into one or more specialties. This decision is left up to the individual.
Entry-level associates joining our firm are given the freedom to take on as much responsibility as they choose. It is not unusual for a first or second year associate to take depositions, organize a closing, pick a jury, or be second chair at a major trial. We believe that the best way for someone to learn is through exposure and first-hand experience. In addition, we encourage our attorneys to attend continuing legal education and training seminars, and we offer additional training in-house.
Beacon Technologies, Inc.
