Lateral associates joining our firm is always exciting for us, but we know it can come with a little trepidation for you. Not to worry—having you become comfortable with our culture and our ways of practicing as important to us as it is to you.
That’s where our Lateral Link program comes in. Like our First Year Guide program for incoming Fall Associates, we assign every incoming lateral associate a Lateral Link to help you transition successfully to life at Wilson Sonsini over the course of your first year here. Your Lateral Link is a volunteer at your level or more senior working within your practice group, and their job is to introduce you around, answer your questions, teach you about how the practice group and firm work, and otherwise assist in your transition.
Your Lateral Link will likely reach out to you before you even start work, just to introduce themselves, and they’ll schedule meetings for you to meet with the attorneys in your new group. They will walk you through the work assignment process in your new group and talk with you about best practices for your practice group, including seeking work and tips for working with the different attorneys and staff on your team. They will be your guide to administrative processes at the firm and will help you figure out who to go to with various types of questions. It’s not all just Q&A either. Your Lateral Link will take you out to lunch, both so you can get to know each other and so you can meet partners and associates at the firm.
Your Lateral Link is your guide to your new role at the firm and they will help you every step of the way. The formal relationship with your Lateral Link lasts for a year, but the informal relationships often last much longer. By the time the program ends, you’ll be well on your way to serving as a Lateral Link for someone else!
