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Bodman Summer Associate Alumni Testimonials

In Their Own Words

We feel that the best spokespersons for our summer program are our alumni, many of whom are members of our current legal staff. Here are comments from some of our alumni about their experiences in Bodman’s summer program.


“As a two-time participant in Bodman’s Summer Associate Program, I had the privilege of learning and working with the most prominent of attorneys. I initially was a part of the 2021 Summer Associate class, which was facilitated through the Wolverine Bar Association. Before beginning my journey that summer, Bodman showed me their commitment to diversity which has been evident ever since, fostering an inclusive environment where their attorneys can thrive. While 2021 posed some challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program adapted seamlessly providing me with a broad range of experience from various practice groups and allowing me to gain insight on what my first year as an Associate would entail. As the 2021 program came to an end, Bodman invited me back for a second summer in 2022 where the program regained its in-person essence, allowing me to delve deeply into complex legal matters, refine my research skills, and better understand exactly what I needed and where I wanted to be. These collective experiences have not only expanded my legal knowledge and prepared me for becoming a first-year Associate, but also helped boost my confidence and better prepared me for challenges ahead in my legal career.”

Aya T. Beydoun
Detroit Office

Summer Associate Class of 2022

 

“The Bodman summer associate program gave me an accurate depiction of what it was like to be a full-time associate. From the start, I was assigned meaningful work and given useful feedback. Moreover, the program set aside time for, and encouraged socializing with, other Bodman attorneys. Consequently, not only did the program help me feel prepared for my first year as an associate, but it made me feel like I already knew my coworkers when I returned as an associate. I cannot over emphasize how smooth that made the transition from law student to associate.”

Spencer M. Darling
Ann Arbor Office
Summer Associate Class of 2022

 

“The Bodman Summer Associate Program was the perfect bridge between law school and starting my career because it provided insight into a first-year associate’s day to day responsibilities while offering exposure to many different areas of law. I really enjoyed that in addition to networking opportunities with other law students and young associates, the Bodman summer program invites its summer associates to begin to forge mentorship relationships with senior members of the firm. Bodman’s summer program offered learning experiences every single day and provided a great introduction into the legal world.”

Grace A. Connolly
Detroit Office
Summer Associate Class of 2022

 

“My experience as a summer associate at Bodman greatly prepared me for becoming a practicing attorney. I forged many strong relationships and developed a sense of practicing law in a large law firm. Bodman does a great job of getting summer associates involved in all types of legal work – from litigation, to real estate, to banking – and allowed us as summer associates to begin to understand what we enjoyed (and what we didn’t enjoy) in the legal world.”

Matthew R. Fleming
Detroit Office
Summer Associate Class of 2021

 

“My summer associate experience at Bodman exceeded my highest of expectations by providing an accurate sense of life as a first-year associate. From day one — I interacted with and worked alongside the brightest attorneys in their fields on real matters and received individualized feedback. I performed substantive work in a wide variety of legal areas, and developed great working relationships with associates and partners in various practice group. Bodman’s program really strikes the perfect balance between work and play, which made for a professionally challenging and socially enjoyable summer. I am thankful to have obtained so many supportive and intuitive mentors who also have a balanced perspective on life. The unique culture of collegiality is one of the things that truly sets Bodman apart. More importantly, Bodman’s culture is one that equally values diversity, respects differences and recognizes unique perspectives.”

Alexis A. Smith-Scott
Detroit Office
Summer Associate Class of 2020

 

“My summer at Bodman was unique because it was almost fully remote, as the COVID-19 pandemic had begun only a few months earlier. I was impressed with the firm’s ability to integrate summer associates into workflow and social events in such a challenging context. Within the first two weeks, I had drafted part of a motion, began an extensive pro-bono project, and attended training sessions with various practice groups. Bodman made me feel like part of the team even though my summer was not a typical one, and the collaborative, supportive culture is just one of the reasons I was delighted to return as a full-time associate.”

Sinéad G. Redmond
Ann Arbor Office
Summer Associate Class of 2020

 

“Bodman’s Summer Associate Program surpassed my expectations and jump-started my career in private practice. Its dynamic design guaranteed me the opportunity to explore existing interests through substantive work assignments and opportunities to not only observe, but also socialize with future colleagues. The program even encouraged me to move outside of my comfort zone by trying out new areas of law I was not familiar with under the direction of world-class attorneys. At the end of the summer, I got to leave the program with new skills, great memories, and a confident vision for my career ahead with Bodman.”

Jeffrey R. May
Ann Arbor Office
Summer Associate Class of 2020