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Proskauer: Peter Fishkind L’17

May 24, 2018

Peter Fishkind L’17, Proskauer Associate, New York Office

 

  • Why I chose to start my career at Proskauer

When deciding which firm to bid on after finishing my 1L year, Proskauer stood out to me. In reviewing testimonials on Chambers Associates, reading about the strengths of the firm’s different practice groups, learning about its history and having the good fortune to speak with an attorney at the firm, something clicked. The firm distinguished itself and it became an easy decision to list it as my top choice. Now I’m a newly minted Proskauer associate and I can confidently say that I feel great about my choice.

 

  • Practice area spotlight

As a first year in our Litigation Department I have had the benefit of working on a wide variety of cases. The firm trains its litigators as generalists, recognizing the reality that a broad wealth of knowledge gives us a solid foundation to build upon as we become more seasoned attorneys. It also allows us new litigators to try different areas as we may not want to commit to a specialty immediately. This is different than the Corporate Department at Proskauer, where specialization happens earlier in one’s career, but starting as a generalist suited me well. I have been able to work on securities matters, cases in our insurance practice and on bankruptcy cases. Most cases have leanly staffed teams so I get to work directly with partners and senior associates, and quickly see the results of my labor. Whether I’m providing research that is directly used in our briefs, writing an outline to use for witness preparation, or second-chairing a deposition, I see the impact of my work.

 

  • Interview tips, what you look for in a candidate, or other advice for success from a recruiter’s or interviewer’s perspective

Just be yourself. You won’t be serving anyone by trying to fluff your way through your interviews (at Proskauer or anywhere else). When reviewing websites and reading online testimonials, law firms can seem like they are all the same but they really do have personalities of their own. While interviews offer a small sample size of the firm as a whole, they can be revelatory. At each stage of the interview process, I did my best to get to know the people I met and to let them learn a bit about me. At Proskauer I found the lawyers to be genuine and interesting, and was very encouraged by the way I was able to get along with the people I met. These positive interactions continued during a second look meeting at the firm and were always apparent during my summer in the way I saw associates and partners interact. Those interactions showed not simply an employee-employer relationship, but symbolized a sense of good will and collegiality that I was drawn to.  As an associate, I continue to enjoy my colleagues and know that Proskauer is the right place for me.