Part of what makes Sullivan such a unique place is our people, so we'd like to introduce you to some of them in a series of posts. We asked associates around the firm why they chose Sullivan and what their experiences have been like since joining us.
Luke Breckenridge is a litigation associate in Sullivan's Boston office. While at Boston College Law School, he was a staff writer and staff editor for the Uniform Commercial Code Reporter-Digest and an active member of the Latin American Law Students Association. Luke also interned at the United States Attorney’s Office in Boston where he assisted the Affirmative Civil Enforcement unit.
Why did you choose Sullivan?
When I was evaluating firms during the OCI process, two things stood out to me about Sullivan. First, the encounters I had at the firm were almost uniformly positive. Attorneys and support staff spoke highly of the firm and excitedly about their work. It was clear that people held one another in high regard there. Secondly, I heard there was a lot of interdisciplinary collaboration between lawyers in different practice areas. I went to a liberal arts school for undergrad and this approach appealed to me. To hear about the first-year rotation program only made me feel more strongly like this might be a good fit.
Has your experience been what you expected?
Mostly, yes! There have been a few aspects to my time as an attorney at Sullivan I could not have predicted (e.g. being a remote litigator in the midst of a pandemic), but the firm’s cultural features I detected have been borne out these past two years.Did you consider another firm? If so, which one(s) and why?
Absolutely. Out of an abundance of caution, I applied to multiple firms in the Boston area. In much the same way that one applies to “reach” and “safety” schools, it made sense to cast a wide net.How is/was the first-year program?
In a word: atypical. COVID-19 came to the United States near the end of my second rotation, when I was on litigation. Even though the pandemic temporarily suspended rotations, I am grateful I still had the opportunity to interact with partners, associates, and support staff from each of the four departments and across Sullivan’s several offices. In person or remote, everyone has been welcoming, finding time to connect—through a friendly chat or to discuss a matter so that I can be brought up to speed.
What makes Sullivan different from other firms?
It is so cliché but it’s the personal experiences that differentiate Sullivan from other firms. I suspect it’s not the case everywhere where I could say I enjoy interacting with my coworkers, even in fast-paced, high-intensity situations.What have you been working on lately?
I have been fortunate to work on an array of interesting matters lately. A month ago, I was assisting defense of two SEC investigations and preparing to personally argue for an extension of an Abuse Prevention Order. Now, I am helping on a business management arbitration, a wrongful conviction investigation (in conjunction with the New England Innocence Project), and an international corporate severance litigation.
