Law schools are designed to teach students legal theory and train them to think like lawyers, but most do not prepare them for the day-to-day realities of legal practice. A contracts class is not going to prepare you to close a merger deal, nor will a torts class teach you to conduct a deposition in a products liability matter.
If you are lucky enough to have been offered a position as a summer associate, you will be able to partially bridge this gap. The savvy law student will look past the social advantages of a summer position and use the time to learn about the realities of legal practice, demonstrate his/her knowledge and professionalism and make important connections.
