Firms try to reverse intern downturn

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Wisconsin law firms are hunting an elusive target for their summer internships.

If the firms play it too conservatively, they might end up with too few people to handle the workload. If they take on too many interns, the firms essentially are grooming employees for someone else or, at best, offering people jobs but deferring the hire dates until there is enough work.

It’s a balancing act made even more difficult by the lingering economic downturn. But this is the moment for firms to pick a recruitment number, for better or worse, for 2012.

In 2009, Milwaukee-based Foley & Lardner LLP had 75 interns in its 21 offices around the country. That number dropped to 38 in 2011, with some offices suspending their intern programs, but Foley is bumping that number up to 45 for 2012 based on the workload this summer.

“The general sense is that we will not have enough capacity in our current program to satisfy client needs,” said Kara Nelson, the firm’s national director of legal recruiting. “We’ve had departments asking for more people than were in our summer program.”

That resulted in a void Nelson said can be filled by hiring associates from other firms, but Foley relies heavily on grooming new attorneys through it’s summer program.

The same is true at Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, where the Milwaukee-based firm is planning to increase its summer program from two students this year to up to eight in 2012.

But Managing Partner David Krutz said he struggles to find the right number. He said he doesn’t want a repeat of 2010, when Michael Best only offered associate positions to about half of the 12 interns.

“You don’t want to bring in a summer with no real chance of becoming an associate,” Krutz said. “You like to bring in people with a chance to succeed and become a partner one day.”

The firm had about 30 summer interns in 2008 and about 20 in 2009. The 2012 target, while lower, could be sustainable, Krutz said.

He said the firm revamped its summer program during the past few years to make sure interns have enough work for the eight-week program.

“Law firms have reached new plateaus in terms of operating,” Krutz said. “I do think we will continue on an era much different than the 1990s and most of last decade.”

According to a 2011 study by the Association for Legal Career Professionals, the average size of summer associate classes nationally dipped from 12 in 2009 to eight in 2010.

Renewed optimism in hiring could change the direction of that trend, but caution will keep any reversal under control, said Kelly Conrardy, manager of attorney recruiting at Godfrey & Kahn SC, Milwaukee.

The firm plans to visit a dozen law schools and recruit about 10 summer associates, which is consistent with recent years, she said.

“I don’t think people are rushing to double their summer programs,” Conrardy said. “I know there is still a lot of talk about a double-dip recession.”

There’s no guarantee the work will be there if the recession regains its grip, but Foley & Lardner’s Nelson said the firm only can react to 2011’s results. Foley’s summer program ended Aug. 5, and the firm is extending offers to all but one intern, a first year law student, she said.

Nelson said she is optimistic those who accept will join the firm soon after graduation.

That wasn’t the case last year.

The firm deferred 2010 start dates to January 2012 for 29 new associates.

Nelson acknowledged there is no guarantee that won’t happen again, but, she said, at this point, the demand is there.

“We plan to have room for those people we extend offers to for 2012,” Nelson said. “So I think this is a positive step forward.”