TTORNEY performance and its “value” is being utilized as never before to determine whether an associate, and now more often, a partner, stays or leaves. The reason can be found in the profound impact the economic downturn has had on recruitment and retention. At many firms, summer associates are also being held to stricter standards. Although most firms assure summer clerks that there are openings for everyone to receive offers at the end of the summer, the evaluation process will be utilized to appraise performance. This is especially true for firms that over-hired last fall and are now concerned about making offers to the entire class at the end of the summer.

For a law student to best understand the evaluation process, it is useful to determine how an employer intends to use its appraisal of work performance and what can be done to insure that the review best reflects both learned skills and potential abilities. A summary of what employers are seeking and evaluating is detailed below. Also described is the way in which law students can evaluate their summer experience to determine whether their firm is meeting, and will meet, their needs for professional development and growth.

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