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 Sarah McKee.

• What were your overall thoughts on your Summer Associate experience?
  • I had a really great experience! I was able to get to work on a wide variety of cases and work, so I did not do the same thing each and every day. Even when the tasks repeated, such as doing research, the matters I was handling were all very different. This kept things interesting throughout the summer and made sure that I was not burned out on a single type of law or work.
• How did your internship change or reinforce your approach to practicing law?
  • It definitely reinforced the feeling that I was on the right path. No matter what project I was working on, I could either figure out what to do or had great support in getting it done. I have always felt that the best way to learn something is to ask questions and just try it and this internship definitely reinforced that.
• What advice would you give to future Summer Associates at Lane & Waterman?
  • Make sure to lean into the mentorship where you can find it and ask questions about the work that is asked of you to get the clearest picture you can before you dive in.
• What will you miss most about the Quad Cities when you’re back in school?
  • I have family in the area, so I’ll be visiting throughout the school year!
• Do you have a favorite memory or moment from the summer you’d like to share?
  • I don’t have a particular memory, but I loved all the social events that we put on. It helped me get to know the other Summer Associates and the attorneys at the firm better, which made the overall work experience friendlier and positive.

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.