1. Summer Experience: Kile Granai ’25L

Originally from Providence, Rhode Island, Kile Granai '25L graduated from Dickinson College in 2021. At W&L Law, Kile serves as a Rachford fellow in the Office of Career Strategy (OCS). During his 1L summer, Kile interned with the Lynchburg Public Defender's Office. This past summer, he worked as a Summer Associate at Hunton Andrews Kurth in New York City where he gained experience across multiple practice groups. After graduation, Kile will return to New York to join Hunton's Structured Finance and Securitization practice group.

What did you do for work this summer?

I worked as a summer associate in Hunton Andrews Kurth's New York office. I completed assignments from various practice groups, including Structured Finance and Securitization, Real Estate, Capital Markets, Bankruptcy and Restructuring, Insurance Litigation, and Commercial Litigation. I also had the opportunity to work on some Pro Bono matters, including helping a refugee reunite with her husband and assisting a veteran in upgrading their discharge status.

How did you find/get this position?

I used SCORE to find which large firms gave the most summer associate position offers to W&L students in the last 5 years. Hunton was at the top of the list. Then, I used a database provided by OCS to find all the Hunton attorneys in my desired markets who graduated from W&L Law or my undergraduate institution and reached out to them over email. I connected with a partner in the New York office, and he helped keep my name in the mix and ensure I received an interview.

Describe your work experience.

Before this summer, I never worked in a corporate environment. For five summers during high school and college, I worked as a farmhand at a horse rehabilitation facility, where I did everything from mucking stalls to building fences. After my sophomore year of college, I interned at a small law firm in Westerly, Rhode Island, where I had my first experience in a legal environment and decided to pursue a legal career. During my 1L summer, I interned with the Lynchburg, Virginia Public Defender's Office, working specifically with the senior trial attorney on litigation matters. This summer I focused on transactional work, where most of my hours were spent drafting deal documents. In Hunton's New York summer program, work assignments are primarily summer associate-driven, meaning we were expected to seek out the work we wanted. I preferred this "create your own adventure" approach because it allowed me to explore several practice areas at the beginning of the summer and focus on the groups I was most interested in toward the end.

What were some skills you developed this summer?

No matter where you work during your law school summers, there are only two fundamental expectations: communicate well and give effort. While these things sound simple, it can be a challenge to stay consistent and maintain a helpful and responsive attitude. After a few weeks, it can be easy to forget little things like sending an email confirming receipt of an assignment or double- (and triple) checking your work for typos. It's the small actions that don't seem to make a difference that say the most about you as a future attorney. While I can't say I mastered a complex legal skill this summer, I developed the habits that make for a successful junior associate. I learned how to communicate effectively and produce worthwhile work product, no matter how important or trivial the assignment was.

What surprised you about the work you did this summer?

I was pleasantly surprised by how much of my work this summer was "real." Most of the assignments I completed would have been given to an associate had I not taken them. My work product was used by the attorneys in their representation of real-world clients, such as major banks or multinational companies. All the assignments I was given, even those unrelated to the representation of clients, served a purpose and were important to the attorneys who assigned them. Additionally, I was surprised by the level-headed and calm work style of the attorneys.

What was your favorite aspect of this summer work experience?

I loved the hands-on nature of the work and the trust the attorneys placed in me. Being able to contribute meaningfully to high-stakes projects for major clients was incredibly rewarding. The collaborative environment at Hunton also stood out, as everyone was approachable and willing to provide guidance and support. This includes my fellow summer associates, with whom I am grateful to have shared this experience.

Has this experience helped you figure out post graduate plans, and if so, how?

I've accepted an offer to return to Hunton in New York as an associate in the Structured Finance and Securitization (SFS) practice group. Most of my assignments during the first few weeks of the summer program were for the SFS team, and I knew then I was interested in joining. I'm very excited to start next fall.

How do you think this experience will shape the rest of your time at W&L Law?

My experience at Hunton this summer taught me the importance of building and maintaining relationships with my colleagues. I've learned that law is a very social profession, where even the most isolated attorneys still benefit from strong working relationships. While I'm not exactly a social butterfly, it became clear early on this summer that I needed to push myself to show up and meet new people. There were many opportunities, both in and out of the office, to meet attorneys from the firm, and I made sure to take advantage of them even if my social batteries were running low. I plan to bring this same philosophy to my final year at W&L. Our law school community is full of talented, interesting, and intelligent people, and it'd be a waste not to build a few more bridges before I go.

Outside Law School

Hobby/Interest

Playing Catan with friends and picnics on campus

Podcast Recommendation

"Revisionist History" by Malcolm Gladwell

Favorite things to do in Lexington

Attend local events, walk trails, and drive the Blue Ridge Parkway

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