August 14, 2018 – Sherman & Howard’s summer associate program helps the firm foster relationships and contribute to the development of the next generation of lawyers. The program was recently featured in Law Week Colorado and quotes Melissa Reagan, Lisa Liss, Carissa Davis and Alex Mancero.

Summer associates are hired directly into a practice group to help ensure they receive a complete experience. Through everyday interactions and a variety of events, associates are able to spend time getting to know other associates and network with important members of the firm. Our program aims to ensure associates receive high levels of support as they continue to grow as professionals and gain a strong understanding of what it means to fully practice law. Our firm selects three to five participants each year which adds a healthy level of competition to the process.

“That’s part of the reason why [on-campus interviews are] so strenuous,” said Carissa Davis, a 2018 summer associate. “They don’t want to invest and hire students on for internships if they don’t think the students would be capable of completing the job duties.”

The interview and selection process is a major aspect of getting the program off to a strong start. It is imperative that the associates not only gain an understanding of what the program entails, but also that the firm feels that they have selected top-tier talent to move forward. And since there has been a decrease in terms of the size of summer associate programs in law firms generally, participants should be well prepared to absorb as much practical experience from their programs as possible. “We see it as an integral part of developing the firm’s future pipeline of attorneys and growth of the firm,” said Melissa Reagan, a Member in the Litigation Group and the Associate Coordinator for development and recruitment of associates.

“I can say that benefits to the practice group specifically is that the practice group is really invested in mentoring and training the law students” said Lisa Liss, Attorney Requirement and Development Manager. “Our summer program is a great way for people to come together in the firm. It’s a nice way to reconnect and build that internal community.”

The firm has been successful in creating this positive, rewarding environment for its summer associates. “I felt welcomed into the family from day one. During my interview process, it meant a lot to me that I had genuine interactions with recruiters and attorneys. The opportunity to work in my specific practice area gave me an invaluable environment to get to know my future colleagues and hit the ground running next year,” said Alex Mancero, a 2018 summer associate.

Recruiting for the 2019 Summer Associate Program has already kicked off. Please contact Lisa Liss or Melissa Reagan for more information.

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About Sherman & Howard

Sherman & Howard L.L.C. is an Am Law 200 law Firm with ten offices located in Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Missouri, and New Mexico.  Our Firm’s more than 190 attorneys provide high-quality legal and business solutions to a broad range of clients including private, public and government entities throughout the nation and abroad.  We have preeminent capabilities in the aerospace and government contracting, infrastructure and construction, financial services, natural resources, telecommunications, technology, manufacturing, consumer products and retail, and nonprofit industries. With more than two dozen attorneys who focus exclusively on estate and tax planning as well as family and matrimonial law, Sherman & Howard also boasts one of the nation’s most respected private client practices.