As their internship concludes, our Summer Associates reflect on their overall experience and how this will shape their perspective and guide their future paths in the legal profession.

First up is Christian Fricke.

What were your overall thoughts on your Summer Associate experience?
I think my overall experience this summer was great. I had the opportunity to work with and learn from exceptional attorneys, dive into new areas of law, and learn about how to practice as an attorney beyond what they teach in law school.

How did your internship change or reinforce your approach to practicing law?
I would say this summer has opened my eyes to a lot of considerations that are not addressed in law school like how much time I should focus on a particular issue and structuring how I approach a problem in a strategic way beforehand to make my efforts more efficient.

What advice would you give to future Summer Associates at Lane & Waterman
I would advise a future Summer Associate to think about how you are going to approach a problem before working on it and understand what constraints you should set on yourself to solve the problem in the best way possible.

What will you miss most about the Quad Cities when you’re back in school?
I will miss going to many of the restaurants in the area and the different golf courses, too.

The firm’s Summer Associate program offers law students practical legal experience following their first and second years of law school. During this program, Summer Associates engage in active client matters, and assist by, among other things, drafting briefs and transactional documents; participating in depositions, arbitrations, and mediation sessions; attending client meetings; and observing courtroom procedures.