As summer rolls in, so too do the many summer associates and summer interns at our law firms, judicial chambers, prosecutor and public defender offices, non-profit agencies, and in-house legal departments. With all of these law students eagerly ready to learn the profession, its important to consider how we can best mentor this group and otherwise facilitate introductions to the practice of law. Below are some ideas that the Young Lawyer Editorial Board (and the summer associates they work with) identified:

1. Be Present, Available and Patient

First and foremost, we believe that any good summer associate or summer internship experience requires the hosts to be present, available and patient. This means making yourself available to meet with your interns, to let them ask questions (even if those questions may seem overly basic to the seasoned practitioner), and to patiently work through questions as they arise. Being present and available also means having your door open, walking around the office and engaging in less formal and more social interactions so the summer associates and interns begin to learn the office culture.

2. Give Clear, Concise and Reasoned Guidance