How Not To Succeed As A Summer Associate

Found this great post on Above the Law the other day about a memo put out by NYU Law on "how not to succeed as a summer associate." The memo entailed a few real life examples on some improper things summer associates did. While I'm working for the government this summer so I won't have the joy of expensing out a strip club bill (or get paid much, for that matter), I still learned a few valuable lessons (such as don't do skinny dipping with your boss) and learned how to avoid problems (bring your own laptop). Keep that last one in mind... Anyhow, here is my top ten, but be sure to check out the entire list.

1. Summer associate complains about having a windowless office and then claims to have been "promised" a window during the interview process.

2. Summer associate shows up at all firm events involving food, and is so busy eating that they fail to socialize with anyone else.

3. Summer associate sleeps 12 hours a day during the firm's three-day sailing trip.

4. Summer associate engages in public display of affection with co-clerk in library.

5. Summer associate throws up after a firm cocktail party as a result of excess consumption of alcohol.

6. Summer associate visits Internet porn sites at the office.

7. Summer associate organizes summer associate outing to strip club and bills firm.

8. Summer associate tells a partner that the way he is trying to make a fire during a firm canoe trip is "dumb"; same summer associate, later on the canoe trip, goes skinny dipping with senior associate.

9. Summer associate extends disingenuous lunch invite to attorney in order to dine at an expensive restaurant.

10. Summer associate says to a British-trained senior associate "I don't know where you went to law school, but in America summer associates get more sophisticated work assignments".