It is our priority to help our summer associates succeed by providing training and resources to support their development. Each year, our program begins with a three-day orientation in our Cleveland office that includes structured training sessions to prepare each summer associate for a successful day-to-day work experience. In addition, we bring in outside consultants to present valuable skills workshops on a variety of topics, such as legal writing and communication skills.
Toward the conclusion of our Summer Program, we bring our summer associates together again for a two-day training program focused on oral arguments and negotiations, which provides a great opportunity for them to learn and grow their oral advocacy skills.
We view our Summer Program as an investment in the future of our firm and want to see our summer associates succeed. Our Summer Program Committee meets weekly to oversee the program’s progress, and each summer associate is assigned a Thompson Hine attorney who serves as an advisor and provides guidance and advice throughout the summer.
We engage our summer associates and expose them to the realistic and billable work of a Thompson Hine associate. Summer associates work in a “pool” and have the opportunity to receive work from multiple practice groups. It is expected that each summer associate get work on their own from assigning attorneys. Because giving back is important at Thompson Hine, each summer associate also receives the opportunity to work on meaningful pro bono cases in addition to billable work.
To advance our summer associates’ writing skills, each is assigned a writing coach, a Thompson Hine partner or senior associate who provides mentorship and works with the summer associate throughout the summer.
Assigning attorneys provide each summer associate with informal feedback, both in-person and written, on each substantive work assignment. In addition, summer associates receive a formal mid-summer evaluation.
In addition to firmwide events and weekly coffee chats, we host fun social events where our summer associates can interact with attorneys and staff members outside the workplace, illustrating the importance of work/personal life balance for a Thompson Hine attorney. We plan a variety of exciting outings designed to highlight the best of each city. Past events have included concerts, golf outings, baseball games in the firm’s suite, bowling, trivia nights, boat cruises and many meals shared together.