Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C. hires summer associates with the expectation that each has the potential to become a member of the firm. To that end, our summer program is designed to introduce you to our firm and to give you a realistic idea of what your work and your career will be like.
During the summer, you will perform substantive assignments for clients, hone your skills and become familiar with our practice. You will work closely with a variety of lawyers and get a good sense of what it would be like to begin your career at Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C.
Work Assignments
Our summer program offers a true introduction to the associate experience at the firm. Summer associates work on actual client projects, gaining practical experience. Our lawyers provide coaching and constructive feedback, regular evaluations and a friendly working environment.
Your work assignments will expose you to a variety of practice areas within the firm. Our goal is to ensure that you receive interesting, challenging work that affords you direct contact with as many different partners and associates as possible. Summer associates receive work assignments from members of the Summer Program Committee, who collect assignments from the various practice areas of the firm.
Getting to Know the Firm
We want you to get to know our partners and associates. The firm hosts social events that provide summer associates and the firm's lawyers with relaxed, informal ways to meet outside the office. Events during the summer include the firm's annual dinner dance, professional sporting events, client entertainment and other functions.
Hiring Decisions
Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C. normally hires its first-year attorneys from the summer program. Thus, we select our summer associates with the expectation that each will become a member of the firm. Summer associates receive the same weekly salary as starting first-year associates.
Our Practice
The attorneys of Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C. provide a wide range of business services, offering clients expertise in many areas of law. The firm is organized into practice groups, including corporate, litigation, real estate, labor and employment, financial services, taxation, estate planning, health care and employee benefits. We also have a multi-disciplinary practice serving non-profit, religious, educational, health and social services organizations. Please visit the Practice Areas section of this website for more detailed descriptions of each. Summer associates are encouraged to explore any practice areas in which they may have an interest.
Associate Work & Compensation
We expect our attorneys to meet our clients' needs and deadlines, which can be demanding. However, the firm greatly values and respects the interests and commitments each attorney has outside the office. Our attorneys are asked to work a minimum of 1800 billable hours per year.
Associate salaries, including those of first-year lawyers, are reviewed for adjustment as of October 1st of each year, when associates receive annual performance reviews. Associates are also eligible to receive discretionary bonuses at year-end based on work quality, billable hours and the origination of client business.
For each billable hour above 1800, an associate will receive bonus compensation at the same rate per hour as base salary paid for the first 1800 hours.
Other bonus factors (i.e., work quality and origination of business) will be considered independently of billable hours. Associates also participate in the firm's employer-funded profit sharing plan and its insurance benefit programs and may, at their option, participate in our employee-funded 401(k) program. Under the new bonus system beginning in fall 2001, billable hours bonuses will be awarded over and above amounts paid into the profit sharing plan. The firm pays first-year attorneys a stipend of one-half salary for the two months they are preparing for the Illinois bar examination.
Professional Development
The firm is organized as a professional corporation, rather than a partnership. Associates are named directors (the equivalent of income partners) based on the long-term demonstrated quality of their work. Typically, the firm considers associates for promotions to director after seven years of outstanding practice. Directors become shareholders (the equivalent of equity partners) based on their proven ability to bring clients to the firm and to contribute to the long-term development of the firm.
Associates are encouraged to develop their own clients based on their practice interests and the firm's strengths. The firm assists attorneys in marketing their practices and the firm to potential and current clients by providing a full-time in-house marketing director. The firm also publishes a regular newsletter, hosts client seminars and supports its web site. Associates are also encouraged to further their professional development in a number of ways, including attending seminars, publishing articles and participating in bar association and business networking activities.
Additional Information
Interested candidates are encouraged to ask additional questions about the firm, either at on-campus interviews or by contacting LeAnn Pedersen Pope, a member of the Summer Program Committee.
Kimberly Allen
Human Resources
(312) 840-7073
kallen@burkelaw.com
