We prefer to hire new associates from among the summer associates who clerk with us after their second year of law school. The primary goal of our summer program is to provide each summer associate with a realistic and meaningful exposure to the practice of law at Rutan & Tucker and to the out-of-office lifestyle and culture of Orange County.
Our summer program is designed to give summer associates wide exposure to the firm's different practice areas. Summer associates rotate through each of the firm's five major Sections, thereby enabling them to work with a large number of attorneys on a variety of projects raising diverse legal and factual issues. We believe this gives each summer associate a realistic perspective of the breadth of our attorneys' responsibilities.
We make a special effort to review and constructively critique every summer associate work assignment. Generally, our summer associates find that their writing and analytical skills improve significantly over the course of the summer.
We often encourage summer associates to attend and participate in client conferences, business development opportunities, trials, hearings, depositions, strategy sessions, and other professional activities. Each summer associate is encouraged to qualify for the State Bar's Certified Law Students Program, which allows certified students to appear before the Superior Court and argue motions prepared by the summer associates under the supervision of one of our litigation attorneys.
Planned and spontaneous social events occur throughout the summer to better acquaint each summer associate with the firm's attorneys, their families, and Orange County's environs. In the past, activities have included barbecues and dinners at attorneys' homes, an evening at the theater, a partner vs. associate softball game, a sailing trip, the firm's annual summer party, bike trips, sporting events, and a variety of other leisure events.
