This week I posted on LinkedIn about law student recruiting, and what firms are “really” selling. When nearly every summer event involves booze, usually with an after-party going late into the night at a bar, law students are understandably concerned about the lifestyle they are being lured into.

My post is below, and there is a reference to a risk that a summer recruit gets the “ick” from a law firm attorney. That’s exactly what happened to me. I summered at a fancy white shoe firm that I won’t name but that you’ve definitely heard of if you have any familiarity with law firms. And one night at a summer event, when I was getting ready to leave, a senior attorney stood up in front of the entire large table where I had been sitting and said that I couldn’t leave until I drank what he poured. What he poured was a tumbler full of tequila. Not a shot. A TUMBLER. I drank it, got in a cab, and rushed home before getting sick. I declined my offer from that firm and I never forgot that attorney.

If I witnessed something like that now, I would of course intervene immediately to stop it. But hopefully we can do much better than stopping the worst drinking offenders around us. Hopefully if you work somewhere that has a crop of summer interns, you can make sure that your firm or company has the beverage options, the messaging, and the modeling from senior people to elevate healthier patterns. We’re all in this together.

Summer Recruiting: What Do Law Students Think You’re Selling?

At a recent law school event kicking off summer recruiting season, several students confided in me that they’re stressed—not about interviews or offers, but about how to navigate firm life without alcohol.

How did we get to a point where that’s a source of stress?

Consider the industry standard summer playbook over the years:

• Step 1: Welcome summer associates with a drink. And then another. 🥂
• Step 2: Keep drinks flowing at every event. 🍷
• Step 3: Follow each event with a firm-sponsored after-party at a bar. 🥃
• Step 4: Hope nothing terrible happens.

And the risk-reward calculation? Not great.

The upside? Maybe an associate and a summer bond over martinis.

The downside? Thousands spent on alcohol, sluggish productivity, an embarrassing (or career-altering) incident, and the very real chance that the summer class has an “ick” reaction.

And beyond the immediate risks, there’s the long game: What exactly are firms selling to new recruits? (Telling them “You don’t have to drink” isn’t a strategy—it’s a disclaimer.)

If we want the best talent and the best culture, the goal isn’t just letting non-drinkers opt out—it’s making sure they feel fully included, no questions asked.