I interviewed at 12 law firms—S&C was scheduled to be my 13th interview. By the time of my S&C interview, I’d already received multiple offers, but I just had a feeling I should go check out this last firm on my list. It turns out that I really liked the people, which is saying a lot after meeting people at 12 other firms! I was assured by the S&C partners that I would get real work, which was exactly what I wanted—and I did.
The Work
I love every aspect of litigation, every stage—motions to dismiss, discovery, summary judgment, and of course, trial. And the caseload we have means that I’m always working on different stages of different cases at any one time, which keeps it very exciting. It’s not just one thing —it’s the whole arc of a case, its progression through time.
The Path
I am one of those strange people who always knew I wanted to be a law firm partner. When I finished law school, I was looking for a place that was as interested in my growth and development as I was and that would take an active role in helping me shape my career. That place turned out to be S&C.
The People
The lawyers at S&C really do take very seriously their responsibility to teach and mentor. And that teaching happens at all stages—I’m still learning from my senior partners each and every day. I think that’s a big part of our culture here—everyone is hungry for knowledge and has a desire to do the best work that they can.
The Support
When I started at the Firm, we didn’t have a formal career development plan—that developed more recently, in response to associates saying it was something they’d like to see. But we always did the same things in an informal way, even before that. The people you worked with mentored you, both in terms of teaching you how law was practiced at S&C and in terms of helping shape your experiences—putting you on the types of cases that were important for your professional development. Now, of course, I mentor associates, both formally and informally. Mentors are everywhere at S&C—they’re the people on your teams.
I remember having an epiphany in my third year at the Firm—the first two years were such a steep learning curve, and I had a lot of advice and guidance along the way, but it was a lot to take in. And then one day I was sitting at my desk and I just … got it. I understood what it meant to be a litigator. All that knowledge, accumulated over 24 months, finally clicked and I could see the big picture, the whole process of litigation, all the pieces in their place.
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