SUMMER ASSOCIATE PROGRAM

Overview. We recruit associates primarily through our summer associate program. Students who have completed two years of law . In very limited circumstances, we hire students who have completed only one year of law school. Our summer program is designed to expose summer associates to our lawyers, practice areas and culture.

Scope. Our summer associates are typically required to spend at least six weeks working with the firm. For summer associates who spend part of the summer working with another firm, we normally require them to spend the first half of the summer with us.

Work Experience. We normally assign each summer associate to one or two practice areas for which he or she indicates a preference. However, because interests can change and evolve, our summer associates are generally exposed to other practice groups through our training programs. Whenever practicable, we provide our summer associates with the opportunity to attend client meetings, closings, negotiations, depositions, trials and courtroom hearings. Additionally, we ask our summer associates to draft research memoranda, litigation pleadings, motions and briefs  and a broad array of transactional documents. Our goal is to give our summer associates an opportunity to demonstrate their analytical, advocacy and writing skills. While we do not require summer associates to work a minimum number of hours, most work an average of 40 to 50 hours per week depending on their work assignments. Our summer program is well known for the quality of the work experience that it provides.

Practice Groups. Haynes and Boone is a leading Texas based law firm with an international and national practice.  We provide business focused, comprehensive, and cost-effective legal services to some of the world’s largest corporations, small and medium sized businesses, and individuals.

Haynes and Boone has grown from a handful of lawyers in 1970 to almost 500 lawyers  today, across more than 35 practice areas, and ten offices.  Consistently the firm is recognized among the top-ranked firms throughout Texas and repeatedly has appeared among National Law Journal’s top 100 law firms.  Our clients include industry giants as well as emerging companies. We currently have thirty-four practice groups through which a summer associate could rotate through.

Mentors and Supervisors. Each summer associate is normally assigned a partner or senior associate supervisor and an associate mentor. These attorneys interface with the summer associate daily throughout the summer and are always available to answer questions and give guidance. Each summer associate is also assigned a secretary who works with other lawyers in the firm. The supervisor has the responsibility to oversee and coordinate the summer associate’s workload and to make sure that the summer associate is assigned work projects that best match his or her interests. The mentor helps integrate the summer associate into the culture of the firm.

Feedback. Our summer associates and their work product are evaluated throughout the summer. Attorneys who assign projects to summer associates are required to give back substantive feedback in connection with each project. We review all of these evaluations in making our offer decisions.

Training Programs. Our practice groups conduct training programs for our summer associates relating to the development of important lawyer skills and legal expertise unique to their practice area. The following are examples of the kinds of programs presented to our summer associates:

• Management Presentation
• Business Development
• IP/Tech Training
• Financial Transactions Practice Group Seminars

In addition, our summer associates are invited to attend the regular meetings of our practice groups at which legal training is also provided.

Management Briefings. Several times during each summer associate's stay, we make presentations about the firm’s history, culture, governance, achievements, management style, financial operating results, future plans and vision. At the mid-point of the summer program, our Executive Committee gives a formal half-day presentation on the business operations of the firm. We invite our summer associates to ask any questions that they have about the firm.

Summer Associate Web Site. Our firm maintains a special Intranet Web site dedicated to our summer program. This site contains a calendar of events, summer associate biographical information, office maps and other helpful information. Our lawyers and summer associates use this Web site to keep abreast of our summer program.

Compensation. We compensate our summer associates on a competitive basis with our peer law firms in the cities in which they work. Last summer (2007), our summer associates were paid $2,700 per week in our Texas offices, $2,788 per week in our Washington, D.C. office, and $3,000 per week in our New York office.