Think of a lawyer. What comes to mind? If you’re like some of America, you may not necessarily be thrilled with the image. But throw that idea out the window because I want to tell you about my experience working as a summer associate at Gutwein Law.
While wrapping up my last days here at the firm, I was asked to write a blog post about my experiences. The truth is, I could probably fill much more than a 500-word blog post about what I learned this summer, but I’ve done my best to keep it short. Here it goes:
My first week was a whirlwind. The inclusive culture ensured I had a front-row seat to every matter in the firm. And almost immediately, I was called upon to get involved directly in serving our clients. A new business needs formed? No problem. Have a contract dispute? We’ll handle it. Need to patent your million-dollar idea? Let’s do it. Every project I completed was supervised by an attorney who had deep experience in that particular area of business law. They gave me plenty of guidance and provided the necessary resources I needed to succeed. What could be better than that? Oh wait! How about attorneys that encourage you to get out and get involved in the business world? They do that, too.
Nearly every single attorney at Gutwein Law owns or runs a successful business. Just let that sink in for a minute. Who better to guide businesses through their legal issues than a business-owner attorney? Who would be better suited to guide my business law education? Here, attorneys are encouraged to pursue business opportunities outside the firm. It’s part of the simple, yet impactful, Gutwein Law philosophy: provide clients legal strategies with business perspective.
And the best way to provide that perspective is to get deeply engrained. Through this method, Gutwein Law attorneys are able to do more than simply meet their client’s needs. Instead, it empowers them to look for ways to ensure their clients succeed. I’ve witnessed first-hand how this method cultivates trust and confidence between client and attorney.
I could also talk about the start-to-finish real estate transaction I completed, the numerous contracts I drafted and revised, the client meetings I attended, the research projects I worked on, or the hearings I was able to attend. But, none of that truly represents the past three months. During my time as a summer associate, Gutwein Law taught me the importance of people—teaching people, listening to people, and investing in people. These lessons to me are just as important as any legal experience I could possibly gain.
So if you’re a law student looking for a summer associate position, I’d highly encourage you to apply with Gutwein Law. And if you have any questions about what the summer associate program encompasses, you can always reach out via the Gutwein Law website: http://gutweinlaw.com/contact-us.
