FAQ
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Hiring for the Summer Associate Program
Q: How many summer associates does your firm expect to hire each year?
A: The number of summer associates we hire is based on our projected need for attorneys. In 2007, our summer program included 46 summer associates firmwide. This summer we will have 31 summer associates firmwide.
Q: Do you hire first year law students for your summer program?
A: No, we currently do not hire first year law students in any of our offices.
Q: What criteria do you look for when hiring summer associates?
A: We hire only summer associates who show the potential to be excellent attorneys. We seek well-rounded and highly motivated individuals with excellent interpersonal skills, strong academic achievement and the desire to work in a team environment.
Q: Do you allow split summers?
A: Yes. We believe the summer after a law student's second year is an excellent opportunity for him or her to see more than one firm. To ensure that ample opportunities to learn about us are provided, we require that summer associates spend a minimum of six weeks with us. While we do not require which half the summer associate spends with us, we find that most choose the second half after meeting the first-half requirement at another firm.
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Summer Associate Program at a Glance
Q: What kind of training can I expect to receive from your Summer Associate Program?
A: Our goal is to give summer associates a realistic impression of what it would be like to work at Bass, Berry & Sims. As a result, summer associates have many opportunities to observe the attorneys as well as participate in client meetings, depositions, conference calls, hearings, trials and closings. Also, as part of our formal Professional Development program offered to our attorneys, summer associates are invited to seminars and training programs that cover a broad range of topics including Accounting for Lawyers, Public Speaking for Lawyers and other practice-area specific presentations. In addition, a summer associate gets hands-on experience by drafting documents, preparing motions, etc. We also emphasize constructive feedback as part of our summer program so that progress may be noted through the course of the program.
Q: Will I have a mentor as a summer associate?
A: Yes. Each summer associate is assigned both a partner mentor, who serves as an advisor on firm questions and long-term goals, and an associate mentor. The associate mentor works closely with each practice area leader to oversee the summer associate's work assignments and serving as an integral part of acclimatizing the summer associate into our firm.
Q: How is work distributed and what types of assignments can I expect to receive as a summer associate?
A: The work assignment process is managed and distributed by the associate mentor. Summer associates are asked to list any practice preferences and are given the opportunity to choose assignments that match his or her interests.
Q: What if I am interested in multiple practice areas and do not know which area I would prefer?
A: In addition to receiving assignments from a variety of practice areas, the different practices host luncheons and other activities throughout the summer to provide the summer associate with an overview of each practice area. Though summer associates are seated on the floor of a particular practice area in order to interact with the attorneys on a daily basis, attorneys in other areas, as well as the summers themselves, they are encouraged to seek out and meet as many of each other as possible.
Q: How many billable and non-billable hours will I need to complete as a summer associate?
A: Summer associates are not expected to meet a minimum amount of billable or non-billable hours. However, assignments given to summer associates are reflective of the work given to our associates. Our full-time associates typically bill between 1,850 and 2,050 hours annually. We also expect all of our attorneys to be involved in non-billable activities, such as pro bono matters, bar related activities, recruiting, attorney development and continuing education.
Q: What salary can I expect to make as a summer associate?
A: Salaries for summer associates are currently $1,800 per week.
Q: How do I find housing while working as a summer associate?
A: We provide summer associates with several resources for finding temporary summer housing. In Nashville, most of our summer associates find it convenient to sublease from Vanderbilt University Law School students, and we provide a spreadsheet of those sublet opportunities. Also, NALP has a national apartment exchange list available at www.nalp.org where summer housing can be found for Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville.
Q. What is there to do around the city?
A: Nashville, Knoxville, and Memphis all offer a wide variety of entertainment and recreational activities. For more information, visit Where We Live.
Q: What are some of the social activities planned for the summer?
A: Our firm sponsors many social events designed to give the summer associates, the attorneys, and their families the opportunity to spend time with each other in a relaxed setting. Past activities have included receptions and dinners at local venues and attorneys' homes, out of town trips, cultural performances/exhibits, and sporting events. We also have a number of informal lunches and dinners designed to allow our summer associates to spend time with our attorneys in a small, more informal atmosphere.
Q: What is the dress code at Bass, Berry & Sims?
A: Our firm maintains a business casual dress code year round.
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Post-Summer Decisions
Q: How many offers do you make to your summer associate class?
A: Due to the very stringent hiring standards for our summer associates, our expectation is that a very high proportion of our summer associates will receive offers to join our firm as new attorneys. The Entry-Level Hiring Committee meets the third week of August to review all feedback collected on each summer associate resulting from his or her work, and an offer is extended to those who consistently excelled during his or her time at our firm. In 2007, we made offers to 39 of our 46 summer associates, with one summer associate withdrawing from consideration.
Q: If I receive an offer of employment, will it be made by a specific group within your firm?
A: No, we do not hire by practice area. Our summer program is designed to expose summer associates to multiple practice areas, although we strive to tailor their activities to the practice areas they have listed as preferences. Practice area placement is determined by the long-term needs of our firm, the foreseeable market and economic trends and the preferences indicated by the summer associate.
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