As summer comes to a close, we’re excited to wrap up our Summer Associate program. This program offers law students a unique opportunity to gain hands-on legal experience following their second year of law school. Throughout the summer, Summer Associates have worked diligently, assisting with current client matters, attending depositions, drafting essential legal documents, and observing courtroom proceedings.

Today we are delighted to showcase one of our Summer Associates, Jack Schelhaas. In this interview, Jack shares his invaluable insights and reflections on the experiences and lessons he’s gathered during his time with us.

Jack Schelhaas

1. What were your overall thoughts on your Summer Associate experience?
   • I truly enjoyed being a part of Lane & Waterman this summer. The partners and associates alike were great to work with and learn from, the mix of work week to week always kept me engaged, and I felt like I started to find my footing within the practice of law. I certainly have a long way to go, but it was great to learn from many of the best attorneys in the state and begin to find my place in this profession.
2. How did your internship change or reinforce your approach to practicing law?
   • This summer certainly reinforced my attention to detail, as it is easy to leave a mistake in your writing or miss a case/statute in your research if you are not careful. But it also taught me how to have a little more fun digging into legal issues or finding the path forward. Sometimes law school teaches you to be so rigid and tense in your approach to the law, but this summer taught me how to be a bit more confident and have more fun with tackling each issue that came my way.
3. What advice would you give to future summer associates joining Lane & Waterman?
   • For future law clerks, I would tell them to not be afraid to ask questions and attack each project with the same attention to detail and hunger that you attacked the first one with. The practice of law can be challenging and at times intimidating, but the attorneys here provide a great support system to help you dive head-first into projects, learn from mistakes, and allow you to hone your skills, as long as you continue to give great effort to each project that enters your office.
4. What will you miss most about the Quad Cities?
   • I will absolutely miss many of the restaurants in the area, as there are so many great ones to choose from. Particularly, it is a shame I will no longer be right across the street from Me & Billy. It was always a treat to do a social hour or grab lunch there, and I will miss working in such close proximity to it.