The firm maintains a summer program for law students who are interested in the possibility of becoming associated with the firm upon graduation and admission to the bar. The primary focus of the firm's recruiting effort is its summer associate program. However, the firm will consider all qualified candidates regardless of whether they have worked as summer associates at the firm.
The program is designed to permit the summer associate to sample the full spectrum of the firm's legal work and to become acquainted, on both a personal and professional basis, with members of the firm. Opportunities for direct contact with clients, active participation in client matters, as well as legal research and drafting, are provided. Summer associates are not specifically assigned to a practice group and are invited to attend meetings of all the practice groups through the course of the summer. Summer associates usually find that they have an opportunity to work with a large number of the attorneys in the firm.
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Baird Holm attorneys participate in a sand sculpting competition, "Sand in the City," to
raise money for the Nebraska Children's Home. | Associates go on-site to help with a Habitat for Humanity project. |
Summer Associate Events have included:
- Participation in Sand in the City, proceeds benefitting the Nebraska Children's Home
- Dinner at the Strategic Air and Space Museum
- College World Series Outing
- Participation in the Baird Holm Golf Invitational
- Dinner at the Joslyn Art Museum
- Gathering at the Henry Doorly Zoo
- Habitat for Humanity
Questions and Answers
During the summer, Baird Holm employs a number of first and second year law students from different schools. Below are some responses from recent summer associates about their experiences.
What is the atmosphere like at Baird Holm?
"It is a true teamwork atmosphere. You are treated as an equal from the first day. The people at Baird take a true interest in you as a person as well as a colleague. Truly enjoyable summer."
"Everyone is comfortable and amicable with the people they work. I never felt like I should not laugh or have a good time while doing my work."
"Baird's atmosphere is professional, yet relaxed. While attorneys take their work very seriously they remain personable and approachable."
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What do you perceive to be the work ethic at Baird Holm?
"I am proud to associate myself with Baird and the work of its people. Baird demands high quality, efficient, and ethical work products. It is not a firm that will cut ethical corners in order to make a buck."
"Baird's attorneys are intensely professional. On your first day as an associate you will notice the premium is placed on client service and on producing a quality work product...a summer associate is never expected to sacrifice quality for quantity. The attorneys understand that law students have limited experience and must often learn an area of law as they work."
Describe what you most liked about Baird Holm.
"The people are what make Baird a wonderful place to work."
"Everyone was genuinely happy to be at work which made my job quite enjoyable."
"The work is vast and interesting; exposure to every aspect of being a lawyer."
"The aspect about Baird Holm that I liked the most was the people. No matter what question I had, someone was always willing to help me. I was impressed that in a firm the size of Baird Holm, people got along with each other and worked so well together."
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Describe the interviewing process with Baird Holm.
"The interview process was relaxed. As I toured through the building I had mini-interviews with those people who were in the offices, before I knew it the afternoon was done and the interview was over. It did not feel like an interview, yet I was given a good look at the firm and the people who work there."
"I participated in an on-campus interview with a Baird Holm attorney. Several days after that, I received a call-back to interview at the offices. My second interview did not fit my traditional concept of an "interview." I arrived at the offices and an associate took me from office to office to meet all of the attorneys. The impressive part was that the attorneys were interested in talking with me. Each had a copy of my resume and took time from their work to talk to me, not just about my resume, but about me and what I was like. The attorneys were also very willing to answer any questions I had about Baird Holm. After talking to the various attorneys, I went to lunch with members of the recruiting committee. Lunch was enjoyable and, while the conversation was focused on me as the interviewee, I felt comfortable talking with them. "
"Very relaxed and easy-going interview. It was very organized, informative, and all my questions were answered quite honestly. I was introduced to everyone-lawyers and support staff, had a wonderful lunch that was not just business, but social as well. I got a real good feeling of the firm's personality."
"At Baird Holm when the interviewee meets different people throughout the office it gives him/her a chance to really see the firm and not be on a strict schedule. Only meeting three or four people makes it difficult for both sides to make the right decision. The process used by Baird Holm is more open and fair for all involved."
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Describe the summer associate program at Baird Holm.
"I have been able to do a variety of projects, all of which are applicable to the actual practice of law, not merely grunt work. The assigned mentor has worked out well for me, and has provided a person to look to for help, projects, and anything else needed. The program will give a student a well rounded picture of practicing law in a larger firm."
"I wanted to experience as many different areas as possible and I was given that opportunity."
"A very autonomic experience. Help is available from any attorney, but I am given a great deal of responsibility. Every section has provided me with work at various levels of the projects. I have stayed with several projects through many stages, so I have gotten a sense of "how it all fits together." It is not too intensive, but intensive enough to get a realistic view of what a lawyer is and does and how an associate's life would be at Baird Holm."
"The firm schedules a number of informal events to help the new associates get to know the other attorneys. Summer associates are invited to several, more formal, business gatherings and to meetings of the various practice sections. There is also a series of lunch meetings at which various topics including firm management, the firm's partnership agreement and the firm's associate program are discussed."
Did you get to work with a lot of attorneys?
"I got to work with several attorneys from each section. If I haven't worked with an attorney, I have at least had a conversation with them. I feel like I know most attorneys on some sort of professional and personal level."
"I worked with about 20 attorneys in different capacities. Some attorneys I only attended meetings with and others gave me several projects. "
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What was the mentoring program like for Summer Associates?
"I thought that being paired up with an associate and a partner was very valuable, because it provided me with someone to whom I could go with questions or concerns about my workload, an assignment or anything in general."
"Many people within the firm took a great deal of time to teach, explain and demonstrate various aspects of the law. I felt that I could turn to a number of attorneys for help when needed, and the help would be forthcoming."
"I received feedback from my projects, positive and negative, and I learned volumes during my summer."
"Each summer associate is given their own mentoring attorney. It's nice to be new at something and be comfortable with going to someone for the complicated questions along with the small, seemingly dumb questions."
"I received lots of support from all of the attorneys I worked for and all the staff members I worked with. I learned a lot from all of them. My supervising attorney was particularly insightful and patient."
Did you get to work in a lot of practice areas?
"I was able to work in Litigation, Health Care, Employment and I did some transactional projects."
"As many as I wanted to."
"I worked in almost every practice area at Baird Holm. If there was one area I was particularly interested in, I could do more in that area than others."
"I received work from almost every practice area in the firm. This exposure enabled me to see different areas of law and decide what I liked and did not like."
Did you get to attend client meetings, depositions, etc.?
"I was able to attend one deposition which was great. I am hoping to attend some more client-related activities before summer's end."
"I attended an arbitration, a jury trial in federal court, a seminar put on by the Labor and Employment Section and client meetings."
"I attended several hearings, depositions, conference calls, teleconferences, client meetings and presentations."
"I was able to attend about three or four different meetings or depositions. These were enlightening and at times very exciting. It helped me see the other side of the legal profession."
"I personally attended a three-day trial and sat in on two conference calls to clients. My work occasionally involved telephoning clients for additional information and drafting letters to clients."
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