Summer Associate Tips For Success

Winston & Strawn's Hiring Committee Chair William O'Neil offers advice to help aspiring lawyers stand out from the crowd during OCI and make the most of their summer associate experience.

Vault: What are the key things you look for on a law student's resume?

William O'Neil: There's a clear set of qualities we want to see in a summer associate candidate. Of course, we look for strong intellect and academic accomplishments. But we also look for things that demonstrate a student's depth of character, initiative, leadership abilities, and interpersonal skills. We value community involvement and differentiating experiences that will enable a student to bring varied perspectives to the practice of law. An internship with a government agency or other public service experience is regarded favorably. The summer after 1L year is a good time for students to do something that will help differentiate them heading into BigLaw recruiting season at the beginning of the 2L year.