This summer, do real work on real cases. Become a Summer Associate.

Orientation and getting to know your colleagues

You will spend two days in-person with your fellow summer associates for orientation and training, starting with a welcome breakfast to meet the attorneys and staff of the office.  Then you are off to training on the firm’s systems and procedures followed by a lunch with some of your mentors.  The first night is capped off with a happy hour and dinner with RK attorneys at a fun locale.  After the second day of training is complete, off you go to your designated offices to begin your summer journey!

Taking Depositions Seminar

One of the core tasks of being a litigator is taking depositions.  In this segment, RK partners will teach you the fundamentals to taking a comprehensive and effective deposition and how to both gather information and strategically prepare for the defense including trial.  During the workshop, you will have the opportunity to use a real case fact pattern and implement the skills you were taught in the seminar portion. Other RK attorneys will serve as your opposing counsel and witness.  Afterwards, along with your fellow summer associates, you will roundtable the exercise with the RK attorneys who participated with you and receive constructive feedback in a positive collegial environment.

Opening & Closing Statements

Trial lawyers know how important and influential opening and closing statements can be to their case.  In this seminar and workshop, you will learn the different nuances that are key including style, voice, inflexion and confidence.  A seasoned trial partner will provide pointers including how to start, personalizing your clients to the jury and planning your theme.  You will also learn how to incorporate key testimony, jury instructions and attacking your opponent’s weakness in closing.

During the workshop, you will travel to the Tampa office where you will be given a real fact pattern from a case that is set for trial in the following months and receive condensed deposition summaries and a copy of the complaint and some exhibits.  You will then be assigned to do opening or closing and show off what you learned during the seminar portion.  Afterwards, RK attorneys will provide constructive feedback and pointers and then carry on the tradition of a celebratory lunch at Columbia Restaurant.

Writing Competition

There is more to litigation than presenting a case to a judge or jury. Quality writing is an important skill for a successful litigator.  Written motion practice sets the stage for success at hearing or trial.  The writing competition is a chance for our summer associates to show their written advocacy abilities. It also provides a glimpse into the real work of lawyers in a litigation practice.  The writing competition will give you a chance to see how depositions can be used for purposes outside of trial. With this competition, you will be presented with a deposition transcript and other documents from a past real case and asked to prepare a motion to exclude an expert witness.  Not only will you be drafting a motion for the competition, but you will then be arguing it in the Motion Workshop later in the summer.

Four RK partners review and grade all of the submissions so scoring is uniform with the winner being announced at a later date.

Motion Practice

Ninety percent of a litigation practice is writing motions and arguing them. An essential part of being a civil litigator is winning motions which helps you win cases.  By the time you go through our motions practice workshop you will be able to capably argue a basic motion in front of a judge on your first day on the job.  The Motion Practice Seminar is unique in that it involves two seminars and then a workshop.  In the first seminar, you will learn tips on drafting motions.  In the second seminar, you will learn about the nuance of arguing motions.

The workshop simulates a real hearing in a real setting, both in person and virtual, because virtual proceedings are so prevalent now. We aim to give our summer associates an authentic feel to motion and hearing practice. What is especially exciting is that the motion workshop is tied in with the writing competition in which you will actually argue the motion you drafted earlier in the summer.   And as with all of our summer workshops, you will receive feedback immediately after and be one step closer to being ready for the mock trial.

Direct & Cross

Experienced trial attorneys know how important direct and cross examinations of witnesses are to the success of their case.  This segment will provide you with real life examples from trials, some that worked and some that didn’t, and teach you different ways to prepare for and conduct direct and cross examinations. During the workshop, RK trial attorneys will provide you with a real case fact pattern in which you will have a chance to conduct your own direct and cross examination of a witness, typically played by RK attorneys or paralegals.  You may even play opposing counsel for your fellow summer associates.

Mock Trial

The highlight of RK’s Summer Program is the Mock Trial at the end of the ten weeks.  You will once again get to see all of your fellow summer clerks in person as you travel to the Orlando office to participate in the Mock Trial.  It is the culmination of all of the training and practice you have had all summer with the seminars and workshops, as well as witnessing RK attorneys in real proceedings.  This will be your chance to show off what you have learned.

We try to make the Mock Trial as realistic as possible with three partners serving as judges and other RK attorneys and staff playing witnesses.  Your mentors and other attorneys will provide coaching and an evidence seminar to help you prepare your case.  Whether you are assigned to be plaintiff or defense, each of you will have the opportunity to do opening and closing statements as well as direct and cross examine a witness.  After the last trial ends, the judges will provide insightful and constructive feedback on your performance followed by a celebratory happy hour with the whole office where we announce the award for Best Advocate.

Going back to law school after participating in our Summer Program will be a lot of fun as you tell your classmates all of the wonderful activities and learning experience you had with us!

Summer Fun

The RK Summer Associate Program is not all work, there is a lot of fun to be had too!  During the summer, you will have ample opportunities to socialize, enjoy fun activities and get to know  RK attorneys and staff.  Whether it’s Top Golf, a Tampa Bay Rays or Miami Marlins game, dinner and cocktails or down home barbeque at a partner’s home, we want to make sure you sneak in some fun between workshops and real client work.  On the more business side but still fun, we also like to provide opportunities for you to attend Inn of Court events, observe trials, tours of the courthouse, and various bar association events.