Advice
- Professionalism Primer
- Dressing for Interviews, Receptions, and Work
- From Student to Associate: Navigating the Transition
- Understand Performance Evaluations
Resources
- Hotshot Legal uses short videos to teach a range of legal and business topics. See Self-Directed Learning with Hotshot for information about signing up. Hotshot’s videos provide simple explanations of complex concepts. Topics include Accounting & Finance, M&A Basics, Excel & Data Analysis, and Venture Financing, and new content is continually added.
- The HotShot’s Professionalism & Communication series will build essential professional skills that will help you succeed in summer positions, clinics, and your career as a lawyer.
- Watch Starting Strong: Core Skills for Summer Associates and enter your summer associate role with confidence and professionalism by focusing on the skills that firms expect from day one.
- Watch Foundations for New Associates: Communication & Professional Skills as you transition from full-time student to full-time attorney and leverage the skills you need to succeed in the professional world.
- Prepare to Practice program by LexisNexis. This tutorial is designed to help students master some of the practical skills you need to arrive practice ready on day one.
- Developing the Professional Lawyer – Student Tip Videos. Created by the National Association for Law Placement, these interactive e-learning modules are a simple way to help you focus on some of the core elements of professionalism.
- Bloomberg Law produces short videos that shed light on the economic models and structures of major law firms.
Podcasts and Videos
| TITLE | FORMAT |
|---|---|
| Managing the First Years of Your Law Firm Career | Video |
| Summer Success in a Remote Setting | Video |
| How a Law Firm is Run and Why it Matters to You Julie Jones, Chair of Ropes and Gray | Video |
| How a Law Firm is Run and Why it Matters to you Kevyn Orr, Partner-in-Charge Washington, Jones Day | Video |
Updates from Hire Ground
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Managing a Return Offer
If you received a post-graduation offer from your summer firm but are unsure if you will accept it, it is important to handle the situation professionally. Be sure to express your gratitude for the opportunity and communicate enthusiasm about the firm and the offer. Make sure you know when your employer expects a decision. If
August 6, 2026
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Timeline for Responding to Return Offer
If you have received an offer to return to your summer firm for permanent employment, make sure you are aware of the timelines for your decision. For offers made before September 2, you will have until October 1 to accept the offer (or 28 days if the offer is made after September 2). If your
July 30, 2026
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Requesting Permission to Use Work Product as a Writing Sample
If you are hoping to use a writing project from this summer’s job as a writing sample for future job searches, including judicial clerkships, you will need to ask permission. Before you leave the job, ask permission to take redacted versions of the written work product with you to use as a writing sample. If
July 23, 2026
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Show Gratitude
As your summer employment winds down, remember to show your gratitude to those individuals who have helped you this summer, including attorneys and staff. Whether they taught you something new, patiently answered your questions, or made your life easier in some way, reach out and let them know you are grateful for their help. It’s
July 23, 2026
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Handling Law Firm Offer and Clerkships
As you wrap up your summer job, many of you may be anticipating an offer from a law firm in the coming weeks. If you are still seeking a clerkship, please see Offer from Law Firm While Seeking Clerkship for nuanced guidance. We encourage you not to give up on a clerkship search prematurely, as
July 16, 2026