Testimonials: The Work Experience

"Goldberg Kohn has an environment that you walk into it and you can just feel the energy and excitement all around you. The attorneys at GK are dedicated, focused and take pride in their work; yet despite all the excitement, they are never too busy to give you feedback on your work or to just take the time to get to know you better. What made my summer most enjoyable, though, was the amount of responsibility I was given. I was never given work that was passed down because no one else wanted to do it or "busy work" that was going to remain in my file unread; instead, I was given opportunities to work on briefs for summary judgment and other work products that were given directly to the client. Feeling trusted and given so much responsibility is what drives me to do my best. At GK, I know that I will excel, learn a lot, work hard, and have a great time doing it.

I already knew from its excellent reputation that the attorneys at GK were intelligent and great at what they do; but what separates this firm from others is the people. I never felt any hesitation to approach a partner, and the associates truly make an effort to reach out, show you "the ropes" and to make sure you have fun over the summer, too!"

        Kristen Jones, Northwestern University, 2008 Summer Associate

"GK is truly an incredible place to work.  What stood out most throughout the summer was the firm's non-hierarchical culture and its commitment to developing its young lawyers.  Partially because of the firm's 1:1 ratio of partners to associates and partially because of the attorneys' personalities, I always felt like a valued member of the team.  From my first assignment, I was expected to contribute my own original analysis to cases and transactions; I was trusted to draft documents that were distributed to clients and other parties; I was even asked to speak on a conference call to discuss my research with co-counsel in only my second week of the summer!  Of course, I was constantly encouraged to contact attorneys with any questions or simply to discuss my thoughts about an assignment before putting pen to paper.  Beyond this, the firm sincerely invests in the development of its young lawyers.  The most obvious example was my first assignment: After submitting my first draft of a brief, the partner on the case sat in my office and discussed my arguments and writing for over 40 minutes!  Needless to say, this commitment to my development as an attorney continued throughout the summer."

        Alex Edelson, University of Michigan, 2008 Summer Associate

"I enjoyed every day of my summer at Goldberg Kohn. The attorneys provide summer associates the encouragement and support they need to not only succeed, but perform at the highest level possible. The work was challenging and varied, and both partners and associates went out of their way to provide me with feedback and to make sure I was engaged in all facets of the work. I benefited from a wide variety of challenging experiences: meeting with a pro bono client, participating in a financial transaction from beginning to end, co-writing an article with a partner and contributing to counsel for a client."

        Lindsay Hagy, Northwestern University, 2007 Summer Associate

"I think what truly makes Goldberg Kohn stand apart is the interest the attorneys (even senior partners!) take in summer associates’ development.  I had numerous opportunities to work one-on-one with partners, and their interest and commitment to my professional development stood out all summer. They spent a lot of time making sure I understood both the bigger picture and specific nuances to transactional deals, provided constructive feedback on my work product, and even solicited my opinions on legal issues in settlement negotiations.  Even as a summer associate, their investment of time and effort reflected the firm’s goal of having every associate become a partner someday."

        Holly Ihlanfeldt, Northwestern University, 2007 Summer Associate

"What drew me to Goldberg Kohn was its uniquely collaborative, intelligent, and friendly environment. Such an environment allowed me to explore and develop my professional interests while building valuable friendships along the way. As a summer associate, I worked alongside partners and associates across disciplines and at all levels of the transaction. I was afforded great responsibility and was personally incorporated into each project, receiving valuable, constructive feedback throughout the summer. I look forward to joining Goldberg Kohn next year!"

        Zach Garrett, University of Michigan, 2007 Summer Associate

"Goldberg Kohn is a great place to work. Everyone at the firm was extremely supportive, friendly, accessible, and consistently appreciative of my work and time. Attorneys and staff were always willing to answer my questions and provide helpful guidance. My projects involved substantive work with people who were universally enthusiastic about mentoring summer associates. Rather than simply handing me an isolated assignment that ended when I completed a work product, the attorneys I worked with included me in meetings and conference calls. I felt like my work actually mattered, and I obtained a much better understanding of the different practice groups because the attorneys were conscientious about keeping me informed about all aspects of each project. The summer was a terrific experience."

        Katherine Lin, Yale University, 2007 Summer Associate

 

Click here to read about Testimonials: The Fun.