Summer Program Q&A With a Wilkinson Stekloff Associate

Can you tell us a little bit about your background?  Was law always your first interest? 

I was born in New York City and grew up in central New Jersey. I went to Princeton University, where I studied at the School of Public and International Affairs. At Princeton, I focused my studies on U.S.-China relations and was initially interested in pursuing a career in foreign policy. During my sophomore summer, I interned at the political section at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. While working with Foreign Service Officers was invaluable, I also met officials from other federal agencies. One of them was the Department of Justice’s Resident Legal Advisor, a former federal prosecutor at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Speaking with him helped me appreciate the Department of Justice’s work in promoting the rule of law and sparked my interest in pursuing a legal career. After graduating Princeton, I fulfilled a goal of mine of joining the military and I attended Army Officer Candidate School at Fort Moore, Georgia. Commissioning as an Army Officer was a rewarding experience, but law school was still on my horizon.

What inspired you to choose litigation as a career focus? 

During my 1L summer, I interned in the criminal division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (USAO SDNY). After seeing the assistant U.S attorneys stand up in court and advocate their positions, I knew I wanted a job like theirs. Moreover, one of the cases I worked on almost went to trial, and that experience reaffirmed my interest in litigation. In the lead-up before trial, I learned about the lifecycle of a case—everything from investigations to motion writing to collaborating with federal agents— and realized I enjoyed the process. One thing I especially appreciated was how team oriented the effort was. Everyone from the AUSAs to the paralegals to the agents was a key contributor. As a result, I’ve grown to enjoy litigation not only for the advocacy opportunities but also because of the ability to work in a team environment.

What kind of experience can prospective summer associates expect to gain through Wilkinson Stekloff’s summer program?   

Summer associates should expect to be immersed in live and fast-moving cases. I was part of a case team working on fact discovery in a multidistrict antitrust matter. I received a background binder that helped me get up to speed on the case, and then dove right in. I appreciated learning about a new industry and the ins and outs of how the main players in the industry operate. After getting up to speed, I worked on a variety of assignments, including creating a deposition digest and researching a procedural question relevant to the discovery process. I also enjoyed the various lunch training sessions, which included learning about Daubert motions and how to manage expert physician depositions.

What was the most exciting or rewarding aspect of your summer?   

Attending a jury exercise was the most exciting and rewarding part of the summer. I had never been to a jury exercise and did not know what to expect. Moreover, I was not part of the jury exercise’s case, so I went in with a blank slate. Seeing attorneys from the firm represent both sides of the case was fascinating. The partners who made the opening statements for the plaintiffs and defendants were very convincing, and I learned the value of deeply understanding the other side’s best arguments. Watching and listening to the jurors deliberate and debate vigorously was insightful because I saw which arguments jurors latched onto, and which ones did not resonate with them. During the debrief, we discussed which themes resonated most with the jurors and how we can lean more into them. I also learned how picking a few impactful themes can be more effective than picking too many themes. In other words, quality over quantity. In sum, attending the jury exercise showed me why I love trial work: the opportunity to craft a story to highlight certain themes in advocating for a client.

What were some growth opportunities that you were exposed to?   

Watching two depositions was an amazing growth opportunity. Before this summer, I had never seen a deposition. Watching our attorneys defend the deposition and seeing how our witness calmly responded to the cross-examination helped me appreciate the human dimensional aspects of a deposition. Both depositions went very well, and the witnesses hit our key themes during the direct examination. I appreciate how trial work allows attorneys to interact with witnesses and to develop a relationship and trust with them as they prepare them for the deposition. I also liked the strategy involved when deciding which themes to want to hit and how to use the relevant facts and documents to emphasize those themes.  

How would you describe Wilkinson Stekloff’s culture and the environment that you worked in?    

Wilkinson Stekloff has a tight knit, caring, and collaborative culture. Because the firm is small, it is easy to get to know everyone on an individual level and to connect professionally and personally. When traveling with the firm for the jury exercise, I appreciated the team dinners and how warm and supportive everyone was. Indeed, people at the firm care about you and are invested in your success. Throughout the summer, partners and associates were more than willing to grab coffee or lunch and to provide advice. Moreover, while the firm works hard to achieve the best results for clients, the firm also ensures we have fun and provides social events where we can connect with each other. In addition, I also valued the firm’s collaborative and team-oriented culture. Everyone from the paralegals to the partners are key members on case teams, and we rely so much on one another.

How can prospective summer associates best prepare for and approach a summer program at a trial firm?   

I would recommend taking a trial advocacy class and participating in clinics, internships, and externships that allow you to go to court. Interning at a U.S. Attorney’s Office, public defender’s office, or district attorney’s office are all great experiences to get court experience. Participating in moot court and mock trial is valuable, too, as it gives you stand-up experience. I would also recommend attending court hearings if there is a court nearby. Last semester, I participated in the Prosecution Externship, and my supervisors encouraged me to go to the federal district court in New Haven to observe trials, arraignments, initial appearances, motion hearings, sentencing, and other court proceedings. These court proceedings are often open to the public, and watching prosecutors and other attorneys stand up in court can be a valuable experience in learning what effective advocacy looks like.