Summer Associate Program

About Our Firm

Hahn & Hessen LLP is unique in that it enables an attorney to enjoy all the benefits of a large firm practice and client base in a midsize environment at a firm recognized for leadership in its practice areas. We think this gives an attorney the best of both worlds - the advantages of working in a New York City law firm with a sophisticated, diverse practice and a congenial, intimate and relaxed atmosphere (as evidenced by our business casual dress code) that makes "learning the ropes" easier and more pleasant.

Our Practice Groups
The firm has several practice groups: business finance, corporate/securities and tax, bankruptcy, litigation and real estate. In addition to obtaining experience in the specialty practice groups, our associates benefit from the firm's integrated practice philosophy by working with attorneys in the other practice groups. For example, in restructuring and working out a loan facility the associates and partners in our business finance, bankruptcy and litigation practice groups work together as a team and in purchasing or selling a corporation in connection with a bankruptcy proceeding, our bankruptcy and corporate/securities and tax practice groups coordinate the transaction.

We believe the exposure to related practice areas enhances our attorneys' development and enables our attorneys to provide more effective representation to our clients.

Our Summer Program
The goal of our summer program is to give each summer associate a realistic picture of what it is like to work at Hahn & Hessen.

Each summer associate selects two practice groups to rotate through during the eleven-week program. If, because of firm dynamics, it is not possible to satisfy each request, we make every effort to ensure that each summer associates receives assignments from the practice area(s) of interest.

Each practice group has at least one mentoring partner who is responsible for managing the summer associates' caseload and ensuring that the associates understand their assignments as well as the legal principles involved. In addition, each practice group assigns an associate who acts as a "Big Brother/Sister" during the summer and is generally available for consultation on any issue of concern in the transition from academic to professional life.

Our summer associates are given work assignments that would normally be handled by a first or second year associate. Typical assignments given to summer associates include conducting legal research, drafting motions and briefs (including appellate briefs), drafting transactional documents and attending client meetings, depositions and court hearings. They work directly with partners and are given responsibility for their own assignments and as such, our summer associates are an integral part of the Hahn & Hessen team.

Training
In addition to working on matters for our clients, in-house educational seminars are given to our summer associates to provide broad exposure to our practice areas. These seminars are conducted by partners, special counsel and/or senior associates in an informal setting, which fosters a high level of interaction among the participants.

Feedback
We believe summer associates benefit from thoughtful feedback on their performance from the partners they work with. To achieve this, frequent informal critiques are encouraged between partners and the summer associates during the course of the summer. Summer associates also receive more formal evaluations at the end of the first rotation and at the end of the program. We encourage summer associates to evaluate the program at its conclusion so that we can continue to meet the changing needs and address the concerns of our summer associates.

Getting to Know you and the Firm
Summer associates are given the opportunity to get to know our partners during weekly luncheons, which are designed to allow them to spend time with each partner in a more informal setting. Summer associates also mingle and socialize with associates and partners at firm events throughout the summer. The firm's annual attorney dinner is held during the summer.

The firm schedules outings to ballgames, the theatre and clubs. Impromptu get togethers with our associates are common.

Our Culture
By summer's end, we hope our summer associates will not only feel that they are being given the opportunity to join a prestigious law firm that will give them a bright future but that they are also joining the Hahn & Hessen family.

For more information about out summer associates program, read our FAQ's.

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