As a mid-sized communications and technology law firm based in Washington, D.C., Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP provides the quality of representation and client base typically associated with a large firm, while maintaining the personal style of a smaller firm. To sustain and enhance these unique qualities, the firm seeks candidates who have balanced excellence in law school with solid professional and personal achievements.
WBK’s Summer Program
The Fall Interview Process
New Associates
Lateral Openings
WBK’s Summer Program
Wilkinson Barker is very "team-oriented," and its summer program is no exception. The summer program generally commences in mid-May, and lasts until mid-August, depending upon the schedules of the respective summer associates. Each summer associate has access to an associate mentor to provide guidance and answer questions. Summer associates work directly with both associates and partners, and are given opportunities to work in all of the firm's practice areas, without a formal "rotation."
A coordinator helps to handle and assign initial projects and intervene in cases of competing assignments. As the summer progresses, summer associates are encouraged to seek out assignments in areas of particular interest to them. The firm strives to make its summer experience a reflection of life at the firm as an attorney, and in that regard the types of projects given to summer associates are typical of those assigned to first-year associates.
Although summer associates work hard, the recruiting committee also seeks to include a mix of cultural, social, and athletic activities in its summer program as a means of allowing summer associates and full-time attorneys to become better acquainted. Spouses and significant others are invited to as many events as practicable.
Recent activities have included softball, theater events, a comedy club performance, a golf outing, an evening at Wolf Trap, Orioles baseball, and a Chesapeake Bay crabfeast and a barbecue at partners' homes, as well as traditional lunches, and happy hours. Summer associates are given a calendar of activities at the beginning of the summer for planning purposes.
Summer associates are evaluated throughout the summer at the completion of each assignment by the supervising attorney. These evaluation forms are collected by the summer associate coordinator, and are available for review by the candidates at any time. Formal mid-summer reviews are conducted in early July. In addition, exit interviews are conducted at the conclusion of the summer.
Wilkinson Barker generally hires between two and four second-year summer associates for its summer program who have a demonstrated interest in the firm and its practice areas. The firm determines the actual number each fall based upon its projected future hiring needs, and seeks to extend offers to no more candidates than it could reasonably expect to hire on a permanent basis following a successful summer experience.
The firm does not have a formal third-year clerkship program or first-year summer program. The hiring of law clerks and first-year summer associates is done on a case-by-case basis.
The Fall Interview Process
Participation in the firm's summer program as a second-year law student is the primary means of filling entry-level associate positions at Wilkinson Barker. Candidates for the summer program are selected on the basis of on-campus interviews conducted at Washington, D.C.-area schools, as well as from résumés sent from candidates at schools across the country.
Candidates who attend schools at which the firm does not regularly interview should send their résumé to the recruiting coordinator. If a candidate's interest in the firm's practice areas is not readily apparent from his or her résumé, he or she is strongly encouraged to also include an explanatory cover letter. All candidates should include a copy of their transcript along with their résumé and cover letter.
Recruiting Coordinator
Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP
2300 N Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20037
Telephone 202.783.4141
Candidates are requested to send inquiries via U.S. mail rather than the Internet.
The interview process generally consists of an initial screening interview, as well as a call-back interview to meet with other associates and partners. Candidates should bring copies of their writing sample and references to the initial screening interview, as well as an updated résumé and/or transcript, to the extent information has become outdated or was not previously provided.
Reasonable travel expenses will be compensated for call-back interviews, which generally last several hours in either a morning or afternoon session. Interviews are generally conducted from late August through early November, and, in most cases, offers are extended to summer associate candidates before Thanksgiving. Following NALP guidelines, offers made by September 15 are kept open until November 1, and those made after September 15 are kept open until December 1. Compensation for summer associates is set at competitive levels.
New Associates
Wilkinson Barker seeks to extend offers for permanent positions as early as possible during the fall, generally before October 15. All new associates are required to become members of the D.C. Bar, either by examination or waiver.
While studying for the bar examination, new associates may elect to work half-days as law clerks during the month of June and be off the entire month of July while accruing a full-time salary during both months. Any time taken during August will be without pay or charged against accrued leave. Alternatively, the firm will consider providing a modest bar stipend in lieu of working prior to the bar exam.
The entry-level salary for new attorneys is set each year at competitive levels. In addition, the firm provides certain fringe benefits, including group life insurance, medical and dental coverage, short- and long-term disability insurance, travel insurance, participation in the Employee Assistance Plan, vacation, parental leave, a retirement plan, and payment of annual bar membership dues.
Lateral Openings
Lateral openings at Wilkinson Barker become available from time to time. Candidates interested in lateral positions should send a cover letter, résumé and transcript to the recruiting coordinator at the address noted above.
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