Buttaci Leardi & Werner Welcomes 2023 Summer Associate Madison L. Hooker
Buttaci Leardi & Werner is pleased to welcome its 2023 summer associate, Madison L. Hooker. Madison studies law, with a concentration in Health Law, at the Seton Hall University School of Law where she is a member of the Health Law Forum, the Women’s Law Forum, the Real Estate Law Society, and the Women’s Golf Club. Madison is also a graduate of Rutgers University.
The firm’s Summer Associate Program is designed to allow law students interested in a Health Law career to experience what post-graduate life as an attorney at Buttaci Leardi & Werner will be like. Summer Associates experience the firm’s practice and culture firsthand through practical training, challenging work, constructive feedback, and social interaction both formally and in more casual settings. The goal is for both the firm and the Summer Associate to get to know each other, in the hopes of allowing both sides to make an informed decision about a potential long-term collaboration.
“We’re delighted to have Madison join us this summer,” said firm member Paul D. Werner, who spearheads the firm’s recruiting efforts. “We’ll make every effort to provide Madison opportunities to shadow our attorneys in court proceedings, during negotiations, and in client meetings. But more importantly, she’ll do real work, for real clients.” He explained, “We don’t give our summers busy work, we give them the same kinds of assignments and responsibilities we give to first- and second-year attorneys. We want them to know exactly what will be expected of them if we extend them a post-graduation offer.”
In addition to real work, Madison will spend the summer getting to know her colleagues, and vice versa. “While gauging a law student’s aptitude and potential is important, we place just as much emphasis on trying to find a cultural match,” explained firm member John W. Leardi. “We interviewed a lot of really bright and capable candidates for this year’s program; where Madison stood out to us was as a potential culture fit. So, we’re really looking forward to getting to know her better, and for her to get to know us too.”
Vincent N. Buttaci, the firm’s founder, echoed his partners, “Of great importance is exposure to the firm’s culture,” said Buttaci. “Whether it’s lunches, happy hours, or even a boat trip around Point Pleasant, Madison will see firsthand the collegiality of our firm, our focus on working cohesively as a team, and our culture of respect and kindness. To us, culture is about far more than just getting along with each other, it’s about making sure our clients always get the very best from us, which only happens when we work collaboratively as a team.”
There is no better example of the success of the summer program than firm member Nicole P. Allocca, a former summer associate who was elevated to member last year. Allocca recalled her Summer Associate experience, stating, “What stood out for me was how transparent the whole summer felt. I knew exactly what to expect when I accepted a post-graduate offer: the work I would be doing and who I would be working with. There was no unknown. And that’s the whole point.”
The firm will participate in on-campus interviewing again this year at Seton Hall Law, which is coordinated by the Office of Career Services. Law students at other schools interested in the firm’s 2024 Summer Associate Program can submit a cover letter and resume to careers@buttacilaw.com.
- Posted on: Jun 8 2023