Summer Experiences: Amrita Krishnan, ’25, Summer Associate, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
Amrita Krishnan, ’25, is spending her summer working in San Francisco office of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, a multinational law firm with 1,900 attorneys worldwide. The experience has given her a feel for the life of a full-time associate, which is a position she would like to occupy after she graduates.
How did you connect with this summer opportunity?
After speaking to a UChicago Law alumna working for the firm’s San Francisco office, I was inspired to apply to Gibson through the Chicago Law Interview Program. After submitting my bid list, I interviewed with associates who happened to be alumni of the Law School. Before receiving a call back, I let the firm know I happened to be in the Bay Area, and I received the opportunity to tour the office and meet members of the team. Having enjoyed meeting members of the litigation group, I was thrilled to get an offer for a summer associate position after completing my callback interview.
How does your experience connect with what you currently envision doing with your law degree?
My summer experience gave me a taste of what full-time associate life will look like. For example, I spent a good portion of my day researching discrete legal issues and summarizing my findings in formal memoranda, one of which was sent to a client.
Please describe a “typical” day at work.
- Morning: Walk for twenty-five minutes through the heart of San Francisco to One Embarcadero Center, where the Gibson Dunn office is located; grab a coffee in the firm’s work café and chat casually with other summer associates; open my Outlook calendar and plan out the day that lies in store; perform preliminary research on a memorandum and plan out what cases I will read today and what sections I will write.
- Afternoon: Grab lunch with summer and full-time associates to learn more about their path into law and career trajectory; continue working on memorandum; grab coffee with my associate mentor.
- Evening: Attend an event organized for summers. Our summer events include a pizza tour, mini golf, champagne tasting at a partner’s house, and a brewery tour. We often hang out at another summer associate’s house or at a nearby bar or restaurant (SF has a great food scene) after the event is over.
What is something you learned or experienced that was surprising or particularly compelling during this summer position?
Partners and associates will often assign you tiny slivers of a much larger matter that is being handled by a broad team of people. Take the initiative to understand what is happening in the broader matter and how your piece fits into the puzzle. Doing so will enable you to gain a better understanding of how the “sausage is made.”
What are a couple of your key takeaways from the experience so far?
I really enjoyed the lasting friendships I made through the summer program. Additionally, the summer associate position allowed me to confirm that I chose the right career path. I also found myself enjoying projects in areas of the law I didn’t expect to enjoy, like administrative law.
What advice would you offer another law student contemplating working in a similar position next summer?
Reach out to alumni who are working at your dream firm. Doing so will provide you insight on what their day-to-day looks like and give you better material for the classic interview question, “why X firm?”.
How are you spending your free time this summer?
Oil painting, walking by the lake, and spending time with friends.
What are you most looking forward to in returning to UChicago Law this fall?
Seeing all my friends and continuing to work in the Civil Rights and Police Accountability Clinic.