Overview.  At WAW we strive to provide our summer associates with a truly exceptional experience. It is our goal for our summer associates to experience what life at WAW will be like upon graduation from law school. We believe in having our summer associates maintain an appropriate balance of work, social events within the firm and a life outside of work. In that, we generally recruit associates primarily through our summer associate program. We identify students from targeted law schools who have completed two years of law and hire them for the summer. Our summer program is designed to expose summer associates to our partners, associates, staff, practice areas and culture.

“I like the diversity of the work and opportunities – I also enjoyed all of the people in the office”.

Work Experience. We normally assign each summer associate to a  practice area for which they indicate a preference. However, because interests can change and evolve, our summer associates are generally exposed to many areas of law; both of a commercial and litigation nature, through our summer program. Whenever practicable, we provide our summer associates with the opportunity to attend client meetings, closings, negotiations, depositions, trials and courtroom hearings. Additionally, we ask our summer associates to draft research memoranda, litigation pleadings, motions and briefs and a broad array of transactional documents. Our summer associates have been allowed to actively participate in trials as permitted by Virginia's Third Year Practice Rule.

Our goal is to give our summer associates an opportunity to demonstrate their analytical, advocacy and writing skills. While we do not require summer associates to work a minimum number of hours, most work an average of 40 to 50 hours per week depending on their work assignments. Our summer program is well known for the quality of the work experience that it provides.

“I will remember all of the people and all of the opportunities I had to learn and improve”.

Mentors. Each summer associate is assigned a partner or senior associate as a mentor for the time they spend with WAW for the summer. These attorneys interface with the summer associate daily throughout the summer and are always available to answer questions and give guidance. A partner or senior associate is designated to oversee the program each summer and has the responsibility to oversee and coordinate the summer associate’s workload along with the mentor to make sure that the summer associate is assigned work projects that best match their interests. The mentor also helps integrate the summer associate into the culture of the firm.

Feedback. The summer associates and their work product are evaluated throughout the summer. Attorneys who assign projects to summer associates are required to give back substantive feedback in connection with each project. We review all of these evaluations in making our offer decisions.

“I loved working here and I really enjoyed meeting and getting to know the partners and associates. I only wish I had more time”.

Activities. We also strive to provide summer associates with an opportunity to evaluate life in the Shenandoah Valley. You will be invited to participate in a variety of social events organized by the firm, providing an opportunity for you to interact with our attorneys in a more informal setting. In the past, the firm has organized canoe trips down the Shenandoah or Middle Rivers, a trip to a Baltimore Orioles or a Nationals baseball game, and dinners at local restaurants and partner's home.  For most of us, the friends we made during our summer at WAW remain a part of our professional lives forever.

Compensation. We compensate our summer associates on a competitive basis with our peer law firms in the cities in which they work.

If you would like to get in touch with any of the previous summer associates, please contact Daniel L. Fitch, Recruiting Partner, at 540.438.5304.