This summer, I had the opportunity to work as a Summer Associate at Gutwein Law. It has been a great privilege to be able to complete a full Summer Associate program at an exceptional law firm amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to grow as a professional and get to know the great people at Gutwein Law. Even among the COVID-19-related changes and uncertainties in their own personal and professional lives, the members of the Gutwein Law team, at all levels, were willing to go above and beyond to ensure that I was put in a position to be successful and always received the support I needed.
The Gutwein Law Summer Associate Program begins with personal introductions with team members from all practice groups. The introductory meetings provide some insight into the wide range of work performed by Gutwein Law, as well as the type of dedicated, intelligent professionals that work at Gutwein Law. Further, the onboarding introductions made it clear that, as a Summer Associate, I was a welcomed and valued member of the Gutwein Law team for the summer.
Gutwein Law has a strong, positive firm culture that values individuals while emphasizing a team-first mentality. The team at Gutwein Law is energetic, optimistic, and fun and they genuinely enjoy working with and in support of each other. As a Summer Associate, expectations are high and the learning curve can be steep, but it was reassuring to know my coworkers were always willing to set aside time to assist me with any and all issues that I faced, project-related or otherwise. The willingness to support and assist me this summer was shown repeatedly by the Gutwein attorneys, paralegals, IT Department, Human Resources, and firm management, and I am appreciative of them all.
In regard to the legal work, Summer Associates at Gutwein Law are granted the opportunity to work on projects from all practice areas. Personally, with a background and interest in real estate, I was given the opportunity to spend a majority of the summer working on a wide range of interesting and challenging projects for the Real Estate practice group. I was able to perform real estate work on behalf of various types of clients: buyers and sellers, tenants and landlords, developers and individuals, and others. I drafted purchase agreements, leases, mortgages, title objections, deeds, and more. I undertook legal research projects and due diligence tasks relating to zoning issues, contract disputes, solar panel farm operations, property transaction closings, the list goes on. I was able to drastically expand my real estate-related legal skills and expertise this summer and I am immensely thankful to the Gutwein Law Real Estate practice group for welcoming me as a member of the team and allowing for me to learn under their guidance.
Along with the technical legal skills, Gutwein Law taught me how a highly-principled law firm treats and views clients. Multiple times throughout the summer, prior to starting a project, a member of the Gutwein Law team would share with me some of the client's personal background. They would tell me about some of the positive aspects of the client's family, business, character, and more. Gutwein Law genuinely values their clients on a personal level and they expected me to do the same. Gutwein Law taught me to work on behalf of clients with diligence and integrity as if they were my own friends or family, a mindset that will stick with me throughout my career.
My experience as a Summer Associate at Gutwein Law was a great chapter in my personal and professional development and I strongly recommend Gutwein Law to any law students in search of a fulfilling Summer Associate experience.
If you want to learn more about Gutwein Law's Summer Associate Program, please visit our landing page.
