From left to right: Olivia San-Emeterio, Lauren Behrens and Aurora-Yasmine Ghorab.
As our Summer Associate Program ends, we’re taking a moment to recognize Aurora, Olivia, and Lauren and the contributions they made during their time with us at Bertone Piccini.
During this summer, our Summer Associates had the opportunity to work with attorneys across multiple practice areas, assist with meaningful client matters, observe proceedings, strengthen their legal research and writing skills, and experience the day to day practice of law beyond the classroom.
Before their last day, we asked each of them to reflect on what they learned, the experiences that stood out, and how their summer at Bertone Piccini shaped their goals for the future.
Aurora: Keeping an Open Mind
For Aurora, one of the biggest lessons of the summer was realizing just how much there is to discover within the legal profession.
Coming into the program with a fairly defined idea of the areas of law that interested her, exposure to different matters at Bertone Piccini encouraged her to look beyond those initial interests. In particular, she gained a new appreciation for areas such as trusts and estates and commercial real estate.
“Bertone Piccini has inspired me to broaden my horizons and approach my legal education with curiosity rather than limiting myself to the interests I had when I first started law school.”
Aurora also had the opportunity to observe mediations, arbitrations, and client calls involving both litigation and transactional matters. Seeing attorneys advocate for clients in different settings gave her a perspective that cannot always be gained in the classroom.
Her experience reinforced an important lesson about the practice of law: strong legal analysis matters, but so do judgment, creativity, communication, and the ability to build trust with clients.
Olivia: Anticipating What Comes Next
Olivia learned several valuable skills this summer, including, as she jokingly pointed out, how to FedEx a package overnight!
More importantly, she learned how to manage a busy workload, prioritize multiple assignments, and anticipate what attorneys and clients may need next.
Rather than simply completing an assignment, Olivia began thinking one step ahead: identifying additional research, contacting outside resources when appropriate, and recognizing provisions that might require additional discussion with a client.
One experience in particular reinforced why she wants to practice law. Olivia accompanied Grace to the home of a client who could no longer physically leave the house and was facing an adverse prognosis. The client had never executed a general durable power of attorney or medical power of attorney, which meant their children would be unable to make decisions for their parent should the client later become incapacitated.
“Being able to help, to show kindness and compassion at a time when disaster has struck, is what being an attorney is all about.”
The summer also confirmed Olivia’s interest in Estate Planning, Estate Administration, and Estate Litigation. With one year of law school remaining, she looks forward to applying what she learned at Bertone Piccini in her family law clinic this fall and later during her civil trial judicial clerkship for the 2027–2028 term.
Lauren: From the First Draft to the Courtroom
For Lauren, the summer was an exercise in learning how to adapt.
Working with attorneys across different practice areas meant adjusting to different approaches to research, writing, strategy, and assignments. Over time, that experience helped her become a more versatile writer, analytical thinker, and confident problem solver.
One project gave her the opportunity to see her work progress from research and drafting all the way to the courtroom.
Lauren worked on a brief in support of a motion to dismiss, discussing strategy with the attorneys, researching case law, and preparing the first draft. She then received detailed feedback and learned how carefully each argument (and even each sentence) is considered when developing an effective legal strategy.
She later attended the oral argument and saw that written advocacy come to life. Ultimately, the court granted the motion.
“Seeing the entire life cycle of the motion, from initial strategy discussions, to the first draft, oral argument preparation, and ultimately a successful decision, was the highlight of my summer.”
The experience reinforced Lauren’s excitement about finishing law school and beginning her legal career, while emphasizing the importance of mentorship, strong professional relationships, and treating every assignment as an opportunity to learn.
Our Summer Associate Program is about more than introducing law students to different areas of practice. It is an opportunity for future attorneys to participate in meaningful work, learn directly from practicing lawyers, interact with clients, and begin developing the judgment and practical skills that will shape their careers.
Aurora, Olivia, and Lauren each brought curiosity, enthusiasm, and a willingness to learn to the firm this summer. We are grateful for their contributions and hope the experiences, relationships, and lessons they gained at Bertone Piccini continue to serve them throughout law school and their future legal careers.
We wish all three of them the very best in what comes next!