In the legal profession, summer associate positions provide law students with hands-on experience working for a law firm in the summer after their first or second year of law school. These positions are opportunities to experience life as an attorney firsthand, allowing students to embed themselves in a firm to do much of the same work they will likely do as a full-time associate post-graduation.
Like an apprenticeship, the summer associates work side-by-side with our attorneys and develop an appreciation for the unique aspects of practicing law at WilliamsMcCarthy. Experiencing the culture and clients of Wilmac is not only valuable for the summer associates, but the firm can also assess the abilities of summer associates to be successful once they graduate, pass the bar, and are ready for the practice of law.
Meet Cody Canegan, who recently completed his time as a summer associate and is heading back for his final year of law school at Northern Illinois University.
What made you decide to go to law school?
I decided to go to law school because I want to give back to my community. This all stems from my mother’s community outreach, where she helped create businesses in her community. This inspired me to find ways to give back as well, leading to my involvement in canvassing and volunteering.
For most of my childhood, I have been an active member in my community, whether through volunteering or advocating. This grew more when I actively started working on campaigns during high school because I got to advocate for issues that affected my community. With my law degree, I want to be the lawyer people turn to when they want something done correctly and efficiently. My law degree will be a testament to the service I will provide for the community.
Why did you pursue a summer associate position at WilliamsMcCarthy?
It was more so a feeling after I interviewed with Wilmac. As soon as I walked out of the interview, I said to myself, “I want to work here.” I gravitated to this firm because of how honest and nice they were. The partners who interviewed me told me a lot about how law firms work and how to be successful. I appreciated their transparency, which also enticed me to want to work here. I also appreciated the firm’s deeply rooted history in Rockford. I want to serve the community where I work, and Wilmac does that.
What did you enjoy most about your summer with the firm?
I liked getting a wide range of different projects. I have not had a legal internship that has done all of this. I have drafted estate planning documents, written a variety of motions, sat in on depositions and client interviews, and completed research on a wide range of litigation and transactional matters. I also enjoyed having lunch with all the attorneys. It made me feel special that the attorneys were interested in getting to know me.
How will this program benefit you as you continue in law school and consider what comes after law school?
This program benefited me with the variety of projects across different areas of the law. Given this experience, I have a good sense of what I like and don’t like as I consider what’s after law school.
What advice would you give other students interested in a summer associate experience?
My advice is to be curious! When going into any summer associate position, try to do a little bit of everything because you never know if you will like it or not. It is better to do it early, so you have a sense of direction when transitioning to an associate.
Surprisingly, my favorite area of law this summer was trademark and copyright litigation. While I didn’t enjoy learning about intellectual property in my law school class, doing it in practice changed my mind. You just never know until you try it!
What was your experience like working in the Rockford community this summer?
It has been great! I am not from the Rockford area, so I wanted to immerse myself in the community. I am an avid runner, so throughout my summer, I ran multiple races. Besides improving my fitness, races afforded me the opportunity to talk to people in the community, who I find very pleasant and friendly. I also enjoyed some of the attractions in Rockford, such as the Anderson Japanese Gardens and Rock Cut State Park.
Overall, a very enjoyable experience in Rockford.
