Diverse 1Ls Gain Valuable Career Insights at Summer Program Roundtable

For the second year in a row, Winston hosted a Diverse 1L Roundtable for the law students participating in our summer associate program. The diverse 1Ls gathered in the firm’s Charlotte office for a day of targeted programming before heading to the 1L LCLD Scholars Summit in Atlanta with other students from around the country.

Charlotte Partner Kobi Brinson, Chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, hosted a dinner on June 3 at Haymarket for Roundtable participants and presenters and opened formal programming on June 4 with an overview of Diversity & Inclusion at Winston.

Throughout the day, the 1Ls engaged in open dialogue with firm members on a range of topics from building quality relationships to seeking out mentors. Director of Attorney Recruiting & Development Lisa McLafferty led a lively panel on obtaining and acting on feedback, Hiring Committee Co-Chair Bill O’Neil reprised his inspiring “Top 10 Secrets of Success” presentation, and Director of Diversity & Inclusion Sylvia James moderated a candid discussion with the firm’s diverse attorney affinity groups.

All of Winston’s 2019 summer associates were invited to attend a teleconference with industry-leading career development consultant Werten Bellamy, who spoke to them about what it takes to be a top performer during the summer program and in their careers. Framed by his 10 “rules of retail,” Werten offered attendees tips for cultivating loyal customers (partners and senior associates) by providing them with an overwhelmingly positive service experience when working on their matters. “Career trajectory is determined by what you do at the bottom of the ladder,” he said.

Here are some additional insights the 1Ls gained from the program:

“Feedback is not automatic. Seeking it out respectfully shows initiative and interest in the subject matter, leading to more opportunities.”

“Aiming for consistency over perfection was a great thing to realize early on and will be something I continue to remind myself.”

“Try to give people the benefit of the doubt, but stand up for yourself respectfully.”

“Relationships, and not our writing/research projects, are our most important product.”

Summing up their experiences at the Roundtable, participants commented that:

“It was really nice to have the chance to bond with other 1L summer associates.” 

“…I enjoyed all of the wisdom that the attorneys were willing to share with us.”

“I felt like I was surrounded by people who were personally committed to my success.”

“…I left feeling that I knew some important people in the firm who I can look to for help or guidance.”

Please visit our Law Students Careers site for more details about Winston’s summer program.