Pros
Working as a law clerk at Wilson Elser San Francisco has been a transformative experience. Any law school student who wishes to gain first-hand experience in pre-trial civil litigation should strive to clerk there. During the summer of my 2L year, I assisted with discovery, complex research questions, and a motion for summary judgment. I felt involved in the litigation process, and the firm pulled no punches in assigning me challenging tasks that were ultimately extremely rewarding. At the end of the summer, I came away with an experience that most of my law school colleagues never got to touch and a deeper appreciation of civil litigation. Wilson Elser is also a place where you make of it. The partners and associates were always willing to guide me in the right direction, but I was beholden to the responsibility of asking for help and mentorship. I hesitated to ask for help initially, but once I gathered the courage to ask, everyone from the staff to the partners was willing to lend me a hand.
Cons
Litigation is challenging, and the assignments I had were tough. There were some nights and weekends when I toiled over a tricky research question. But, as mentioned previously, these assignments had a profound positive impact on my experience there. They are a testament to the firm's trust in every employee and how much they care about your growth (especially for an aspiring lawyer). Your experience is what you make of it.