Summer Associate Program : Career Development : Assigning : Technology : Associate Life : Mentoring : Diversity : Pro Bono : Alumni

Barbara R. Llanes Paul, Weiss Associate, Litigation Stanford Law School 2004 "Every incoming class of associates works with an assigning partner that helps the associates get the most out of their time here. That partner travels with you throughout your career, so he or she gets to know you and your preferences and the cases that will challenge and push you. When I'm up for a new assignment, my assigning partner calls me, tells me what's available, what the cases are about, and the type of work and opportunities I am likely to have. Don't get me wrong – sometimes you're assigned work because the department needs you to be on a certain case for a certain length of time, but more often than not I have been able to choose between different options that might appeal to me. Outside of this process, there are times when a case I am working on is less active and I have time on my hands to take on a new one. At these times I never have any qualms about reaching out to my assigning partner. I email or call him and tell him I'm looking for work and he helps me find opportunities that might be of interest to me. I've had a lot of choice in the kind of work that I've done, and I've been very happy with what I've been given and what I have been able to contribute."

print | email | search Assigning Balanced Assigning System:  You won’t be pigeonholed into a specialty area at the outset of your career. Instead we prefer to expose you to a wide range of work within your department so that you can choose your specialty according to your interests. Linking assignments to associates’ career development plans is another key feature of our approach to work assignments. Unconventional Work: You’ll have the opportunity to work on matters that challenge you and push you into new and exciting areas of your practice. The diversity of our clients, combined with our track record as the go-to firm for their most urgent and complex legal challenges, will set your work apart from the work of your peers at many other firms. Case Management and Responsibility: When major transactional and litigation matters require large teams of people with a broad range of skills, associates are an essential part of the team and can quickly get experience in all aspects of a matter — from initial drafting or document work to brief writing, depositions, court appearances and advising clients. You will be encouraged to take on significant responsibility and push yourself to develop and mature as a lawyer and counselor. The assigning process is intended to ensure that you develop all of the skills required to “run” major matters for significant clients.