Orientation
Summer associates will spend part of their first week in a general orientation designed to introduce the firm's resources. However, we feel the best way to learn is by doing, and we strive to involve summer associates in client work promptly upon arrival. We provide a work experience designed to be as similar as possible to that of a first-year associate. All summer associates are invited to attend the firm’s regular departmental and practice group meetings. In addition, summer associates participate in a series of weekly briefings to introduce them to the lawyers, clients and projects in a variety of practices. These briefings provide a broad exposure to our firm and the "big picture" within which our lawyers function.
Staffing/Assignments
There is no formal summer rotation system. Instead, we prefer to match assignments with summer associates based on their interests. The summer program permits maximum flexibility in exploring as many areas of our practice as you want and time permits. We have found, however, that the interests of many summer associates evolve as they are exposed to different practice areas through work assignments, training programs, and discussions with their colleagues at the firm. We try to accommodate evolving interests, and allow summer associates to either explore substantially different areas of our practice or to focus in depth in one department.
Training
Summer associates may participate in any regular in-house training programs scheduled during their tenure at Debevoise. For example, in 2009, summer associates were invited to attend a program on the fundamentals of negotiation, including a series of workshops with simulated negotiations and discussion, a time management course, a workshop on effective legal writing and a “Private Equity Funds 101” program designed for junior associates in the private equity funds group. Summer associates interested in litigation practice can participate in an international disputes advocacy workshop. After a plenary session on the development and practice of international dispute resolution, participants conduct a mock argument before tribunal on typical issues raised during preliminary objects in arbitration proceedings.
Support Technology
Summer associates have access to the firm's state-of-the-art technology. As a summer associate you will have your own computer, connected to all of our offices worldwide through a wide-area network. You'll also have desktop access to fax transmissions, the firm's Intranet, certain clients' Extranets and to the Internet. Software support includes e-mail, MS Word word processing, Excel spreadsheet and Power Point presentation applications and a variety of online database research tools (Lexis, Westlaw, and assorted CD-ROM databases). You will be supplied with a Blackberry, remote access software and related technical support to enable you to reach the firm's central network from home or while traveling. Debevoise also maintains a supply of lightweight notebook PCs for travel and other remote uses.
Advisor Program
As a summer associate you will be assigned both an associate advisor and a partner advisor. The role of your advisors is to help you feel comfortable at Debevoise, as well as answer any questions that may arise. The partner advisor is usually the individual who gives the mid-summer and end-of-summer evaluation.
Evaluation and Feedback
We believe it is important for summer associates to get feedback on their performance in what we recognize is a new and challenging environment. Throughout the summer, you’ll receive feedback from the lawyers with whom you work, as well as two formal partner evaluations (or one if you are not here for the full summer). These evaluations are based on the written comments submitted by the lawyers who worked with you and are very similar to those given to the firm's permanent associates. They are designed to provide not only feedback but also advice and suggestions on a variety of work matters.
Social Events
The summer experience is meant to be fun as well as challenging. Every year there are a variety of social events that are designed to introduce summer associates to New York or Washington, to each other and to a wide range of lawyers within the firm. They include dinners hosted by partners in their homes, sporting and cultural events and pro bono benefits and activities.
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