In the legal profession, summer associate positions provide law students with hands-on experience working for a law firm in the summer after their first or second year of law school. These positions are opportunities to experience life as an attorney firsthand, allowing students to embed themselves in a firm to do much of the same work they will likely do as a full-time associate post-graduation.
Like an apprenticeship, the summer associates work side-by-side with our attorneys and develop an appreciation for the unique aspects of practicing law at WilliamsMcCarthy. Experiencing the culture and clients of Wilmac is not only valuable for the summer associates, but the firm also can assess the abilities of summer associates to be successful once they graduate, pass the bar, and are ready for the practice of law.
Welcome back, Morgan Knight
Morgan returns to Wilmac for her second year as a summer associate. She attends the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Law School in Champaign.
Why did you return to WilliamsMcCarthy as summer associate?
I enjoyed spending last summer getting to know everyone at the firm, and I saw myself spending my future career at WilliamsMcCarthy. I can do interesting and challenging work while being close to family.
Can you share the most interesting project you worked on this summer?
I enjoyed the projects where I worked on the case throughout the entire summer. I was able to learn more of what was happening in the case and the different steps required to bring a case to trial.
What was different for you this year since it was your second summer associate experience at WilliamsMcCarthy LLP?
This summer I was able to take on more projects because I had more experience. Having just completed my first year of law school last summer, projects took me longer because I spent more time understanding the law behind them. This year, with another year of law classes completed, I had the insight and context to confidently handle more.
After law school, in what area(s) of practice are you most interested?
I’m really interested in both family law and employment law. I think I’m drawn to the practice of family law because I can help clients navigate through circumstances that can be very overwhelming and scary. Serving as a trusted advocate for families would be very fulfilling.
What do you look forward to most about working with WilliamsMcCarthy after graduation and passing the bar?
Everyone at WilliamMcCarthy is welcoming and friendly, which contributed to a great experience as a summer associate for two summers. I’m very much looking forward to working at a prestigious and successful firm that wants to see me succeed both as an attorney and a person. A working environment like that is rare, and something that I value at WilliamsMcCarthy.
