For the past seven years, Morgan Lewis has brought firm leaders and summer associates from throughout the United States to a single location for a multiday kickoff to the Summer Associate Program. Kickoffs in prior years were held in San Francisco, Chicago, and Absecon, New Jersey. The 2007 kickoff was held in Santa Monica with a beach theme, where flip flops were given out and summer associates enjoyed a night on the beach with a campfire and s'mores. The 2008 kickoff was held in Washington, D.C. and in 2009 we gathered in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2011, the kickoff was held in National Harbor, Maryland where summer associates joined each other at an evening's crab & lobster bake feast.
As in years past, part of the kickoff program is devoted to introducing summer associates to Morgan Lewis and its practices. In 2008, however, summer associates joined with firm leaders and other Morgan Lewis lawyers in a community service project at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Georgetown, near our D.C. office. In 2009, we partnered with one of our Pro Bono clients, Back on My Feet. Morgan Lewis lawyers and summer associates participated in community service projects at homeless shelters by painting, serving lunch, folding laundry, landscaping, and many other projects. We continued our focus on community service in 2011 and again united with a Morgan Lewis Pro Bono client, Rebuilding Together, by providing free home repairs such as painting and cleaning services to low income homeowners.
Morgan Lewis's Community Service Summer Associate Kickoff supplemented our unique Public Interest and Community Service split-summer program. Picture yourself at Morgan Lewis, beginning your summer experience by serving the needs of others.
Members of the 2011 Summer Associate Program pictured outside one of the homes where repairs were done on behalf of Rebuilding Together, a national nonprofit that free of charge rehabilitates homes for low-income homeowners, particularly the elderly and those with disabilities.
Summer associates work together to install new windows for a low income homeowner.
Members of the 2009 Summer Associate Program work outside painting at the Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training.
Summer associates work inside organizing canned goods at the Helping Up Mission.
Summer associates, students, and attorneys paint the fences outside of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, one of the many community service projects completed throughout the day.
Students from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts thank the volunteers from Morgan Lewis by performing a few of their favorite routines.
Summer associates sit in on the daytime programming at the kickoff.
Summer associates and attorneys enjoy an evening dinner on the beach.