Upon our arrival at Bilzin Sumberg we were informed that we all got mentors for the summer. The mentors are attorneys that are paired with each summer associate to help guide us throughout the summer with regard to assignments, networking, and everything in between.
Personally, I did not know how amazing building a relationship with my mentor, Kayla Hernandez, would be. I asked her serious questions about career planning, classes to take in law school, and ways to make my assignments the best they could be. I even asked her silly questions about what outfits to wear to after work summer events, and have enjoyed being able to grab dinner with her after work!
While reflecting on the strong relationships built with our mentors, some of my fellow summers had similarly great experiences. Here are some of their takeaways:
“My mentor Alex Barshel has given me advice on work product and billing questions, and overall made sure to make me feel included in the environmental group. I felt like I could go to her to ask any question I had, even if it was as simple as ‘Hey what type of shoes do you wear to work when you don’t wear high heels?’ or a more complicated question about how to write a Phase I environmental summary memo.” – Savannah Bergeron
“My mentor Stephanie Koutsodendris made me feel comfortable and welcome right away at Bilzin, and has helped me navigate my assignments throughout the summer.” –Megan Barney
“Throughout the entire summer, my mentor Ben Mitchel has always gone out of his way to give me his advice and support. He always took the time to answer any question I had. He’s a fantastic mentor and has become a great friend.” –Aaron Finkel
“My mentor Elise Holtzman Gerson has given me assignments that have really helped me gain more working knowledge in the Land Use space.” –Lucas Pizzutti
Overall, the mentor relationships that have been built during this summer have enhanced our experience navigating Bilzin Sumberg as well as our futures in the legal field, and we couldn’t be more thankful!