Frequently Asked Questions About Our Summer Program

Choosing a firm to clerk at can be a confusing process. To assist you, we have provided answers to some frequently asked questions about the Kohrman Jackson & Krantz summer associate program.

What kinds of projects will I work on?
One important goal of the summer program is to expose summer associates to as many different attorneys as possible and as wide a range of projects as possible. Summer associates can expect research and drafting projects related to any of our areas of practice, although we do not maintain a formal “rotation.”  If a summer associate expresses a particular interest in an area of law or type of project, we will try to accommodate that interest.  Finally, we don’t create projects for our summer associates: they work on real billable projects for our clients, and assignments reflect the type of work that a new attorney would perform as a first or second-year associate at our firm.

Will I get to meet clients and opposing counsel?Absolutely.  Summer associates routinely accompany our attorneys to client meetings, negotiation and drafting sessions, depositions, trials, pre-trials and other events.  Our goal is to expose you to the experiences that will allow you to develop your own skills as rapidly as possible.

How are projects assigned?
Assignments are coordinated by David R. Posteraro, the partner in charge of the summer program.  David ensures that the workloads are balanced and that each summer associate receives a variety of projects, taking into account any particular areas of interest. To the extent possible, we assign work on a particular larger project (a trial or business acquisition, for example) to the same associate so that he or she can follow the progress of a matter from inception to final resolution. Although assignments are coordinated centrally, they are not filtered by the coordinator.  Instead, the summer associate works directly with the assigning senior associate or partner and receives substantive feedback from the assigning attorney.

How will my work be evaluated?
Each assigning attorney is expected to give continual informal feedback to summer associates concerning their work, and to write a formal evaluation of each completed assignment. In addition, David R. Posteraro monitors performance as well as workloads, and is always available to offer guidance.  We make every effort to provide you with timely, constructive feedback throughout the summer.

Will there be anything to do other than work?
The firm sponsors a variety of social activities during the summer to enable you to meet all our lawyers and staff members.  Events typically include a summer golf outing, Cleveland Indians baseball games and other activities at the firm and elsewhere.

Who will answer my questions once I arrive at the firm?
Each summer associate is assigned an associate mentor who is always available to answer your questions.  Of course, you will quickly find that all of our attorneys are accessible and pleased to spend time sharing their knowledge with you.

Did you make offers to your most recent summer associates?
We made offers to both of our summer associates in 2005.  Our summer associate program is an essential component of our firm’s hiring process.  We invest significantly in our summer associates and we fully expect that a successful summer will lead to an offer of permanent employment.

What kind of hours will I work as a summer associate?Summer associates, like the firm’s associates and partners, are not required to work specific hours. Our normal office hours are 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.  There are no minimum billable hour requirements for summer associates.

How long is the summer program?
The summer associate program typically lasts 12 weeks. Start and end dates are flexible.

Can I split my summer with another law firm?
Generally we prefer that summer associates spend the full summer with us to obtain a complete experience of our firm. However, we recognize that splitting the summer may be advantageous, particularly for a student who have previously spent a full summer at Kohrman Jackson & Krantz. Determinations are made on a case-by-case basis.

Will I have an opportunity to work during the school year?
We make this determination on a case-by-case basis, but in the past we have given summer associates who expressed an interest the opportunity to work during the school year.

Where does the firm interview on-campus?
We typically interview on-campus at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University. If we aren’t coming to your school, and you are interested in employment opportunities at KJK, please contact Jon J. Pinney at 216·736·7260 or jjp@kjk.com.

Have a question that isn’t addressed here? Please contact our hiring partner, Jon J. Pinney, at 216·736·7260 or jjp@kjk.com to learn more about our summer program.