Valuable Training

We believe that excellent attorneys are made, not born. That philosophy is reflected in our firm’s genuine commitment to the professional development of its young associates, and it is the cornerstone of our Summer Associate Program.

In addition to being paired with a partner or senior associate to serve as a mentor throughout the course of the program, summer associates receive immediate training in the firm’s approach to the practice of law, including workshops on advocacy, legal writing, and legal research. Summer associates are also encouraged to participate in the many different training opportunities presented to full-time associates during a typical week, including regular litigation, patent, and trademark section meetings, as well as the ever-popular Federal Circuit lunch, mixing good food with great round-table discussion of recent Federal Circuit decisions.

Equally important are the numerous informal training and mentoring experiences available to Sunstein summer associates every day. The size of our firm enables a unique mix of collegiality and professionalism. Summer associates will find that an open-door policy is in full effect. In addition to the guidance of their assigned mentors, summer associates will find that partners and associates at all levels seek them out to lend advice and to share practice tips gained through years of first hand experience.

Meaningful Assignments

We believe that training is wasted if not applied. From the beginning of the Summer Program, Summer Associates are encouraged to put their skills and training to use on the same matters assigned to our full-time associates. These include, depending on the summer associate’s area of interest, the opportunity to research and write legal memoranda and briefs, prepare motions, draft discovery and other pleadings, prepare documents relating to patent and trademark prosecution, and draft documents relating to intellectual property licensing transactions. Summer Associates are encouraged to join the partners and associates here who devote time to pro-bono assignments as well as to participate in other community initiatives and client development projects. Whenever possible, summer associates are also given the opportunity to attend depositions, hearings and trials.

A Realistic Experience

We believe that associate satisfaction depends on finding the right fit. There are many excellent law firms, but how many are truly right for you? We want each of our summer associates to finish the Summer Program at Sunstein with a realistic view of what it means to work at our firm. In addition to receiving valuable training and meaningful assignments, Sunstein Summer Associates can expect to leave the program with a good feeling for the atmosphere of the firm and the diverse personalities of their colleagues.

To that end, we strive to integrate summer associates in all facets of firm life and encourage them to meet and spend time with as many of their future colleagues as possible, both in and out of the office. Past summer social events have included Red Sox games, barbeques, F1 go-cart racing, bowling, dinners at partners’ homes, and spontaneous after-work outings. All summer associates are also encouraged to lend a glove, a bat, or their cheering enthusiasm to the Sunstein softball team!