The goal at Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC is to give our summer associates real life insights into the workings of an established firm with a wide range of practicing attorneys. We "pull back the curtain" and show our summer associates what it is really like to be an associate at the Firm. Historically, the Firm hires 3-4 summer associates that are in or near the top of their class. Chosen candidates demonstrate a commitment to excellence, stellar character, intelligence and excellent judgment capabilities.

Rotation

The Construction Group at Cohen Seglias is comprised of three teams, made up of partners and associates with various years of experience. Throughout the program, our summer associates rotate among the different teams, spending anywhere from three to four weeks on each team. While on each of the teams, our summer associates are treated as a member of the team, attending meetings and fielding the various assignments that arise.

Mentor Program

One main attraction for our summer associates is our mentorship program. From the minute our summer associates enter our door, they are assigned a mentor who will see that they have a variety of work experiences, and guide their professional development. Several times during the summer, the summer associate's mentor will take them out to a one on one lunch, giving the summer associate a greater opportunity to learn about the Firm in a relaxed setting. In addition, there is mentor on each team, who will control the work flow for the summer associate, offer practical advice and generally guide the summer associate through their time as a member of the team.

Evaluations

Evaluations and feedback are important components to our summer associate program. We ask the assigning attorney to follow up with the summer associate after each assignment. In addition, the assigning attorneys complete evaluation forms after each assignment, which the Director of the Summer Associate Program incorporates a thorough end-of-summer review of the summer associate.

What else can summer associates expect? Cohen Seglias provides an orientation so that summer associates can get acclimated to the Firm environment. To give summer associates an overview of our firm and our staff, on the summer associate's first day they will have breakfast with the mentors and lunch with the entire Firm in our office. Throughout the day, there will be speakers on various topics from confidentiality to working with an assistant to the Firm's technology. As a summer associate, you will have your own office and computer equipped with state-of-the-art technology. In addition to your work experiences, you will have opportunities to attend social events such as professional sporting events, happy hours, speakers on topics of interest, and lunches with Firm associates and partners.

The following are some quotes from former Summer Associates, highlighting the strengths of our program:

"I needed a place where everyone was nice along with a constructive environment where I could be an independent thinker." Susan Shaw, 2007 Summer Associate

"CSPG&F allowed me to do real work for real clients, I was there from the inception to conclusion on cases." Joseph Andolina, 2006 Summer Associate

"When I first interviewed with Robbie, she did an excellent job of portraying the Firm and what they stood for. I felt lucky that they chose me." Susan Shaw, 2007 Summer Associate

"I never thought I would have one-on-one client interaction in a mediation, CSPG&F allowed me to accompany an associate the whole day!" Matthew Gioffre, 2006 Summer Associate.

To apply to the Summer Associate Program at Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman, please send your resume to Monica M. Lavin, PHR at careers@cohenseglias.com.