Meet SmartEsq's Sandra: The AI Partner Who's Never Too Busy for Junior Associates

When junior associates embark on their first Big Law job, they understand the unspoken rule: asking questions is how you learn to think like a partner and how you develop the judgment that trains them into great lawyers. Yet in Big Law, where partners bill in six-minute increments and manage multiple high-stakes deals simultaneously, junior associates face an impossible calculation: is this question worth interrupting a partner who hasn't left their office in 12 hours? Will asking for clarification on this provision signal thoroughness or incompetence? 

Junior associates find themselves caught between two career-limiting choices: risk making a mistake by not asking, or risk being perceived as unprepared by asking too much. It's a tension that defines the first years of practice at elite firms, where the need to learn collides with the pressure to already know. 

Surveys have shown the prevalence of “impostor syndrome" within the legal profession, with 74% of lawyers and 83% of juniors confessing that they have experienced it at some point in their careers.¹ Because of this, many junior associates  choose to stay silent rather than face the possibility of appearing inexperienced in the eyes of their colleagues and mentors. In addition, American Lawyer’s 2025 Midlevel Associates Survey suggests that even those associates who actively seek out mentorship are often unable to find it within their firms. According to the report, “When given the opportunity to expand on how they felt about their firms, midlevels talked about mentorship more than nearly every other topic, including compensation.”² They identified the importance of having relationships with more senior attorneys, but formal mentorship programs within their firms felt forced and unhelpful. On the other hand, partners face the challenge of balancing this with their already heavy time commitments. They encourage junior associates to ask questions, but express frustration when those questions could be answered by checking readily available resources first.

These barriers not only affect a firm’s environment, but can have direct impacts on efficiency and outcomes. Studies show that organizations with high psychological safety, where employees feel safe to ask questions, share ideas, and admit mistakes without fear of negative consequences, can see up to a 27% increase in productivity.³

In law firms, those lost questions translate directly into hours and margins. When associates hesitate to clarify an assignment or regulatory nuance, the result is often rework, partner write-ups, or client inefficiencies. A research study by Gallup found that organizations fostering psychological safety see 27% higher productivity, 40% lower turnover, and 12% higher profitability on average.⁴ When law firms are able to create environments where associates feel safe to ask questions, the result isn’t just better learning, but more efficient and reliable client representation. 

This is where SmartEsq steps in. Our legal AI assistant Sandra is designed with the express purpose of answering any questions that fund formation attorneys have from junior associates to senior partners. Trained by members of our founding team and legal advisors, who possess a combined 120+ years of experience in private funds formation and regulatory compliance, Sandra is equipped to address junior associates’ questions and concerns, but without the pressure of taking up a partner’s time or risking embarrassment. Sandra is updated weekly with information pertinent to recent legal news and SEC regulations that affect private equity.

Types of questions that an associate could ask Sandra include:

• What is the deadline for a specific filing?
• Define an investment adviser.
• How much AUM does a fund need before it has to register with the SEC?
• Help me draft a step-by-step plan to complete MFN election administration.
• Show me sample language for an LPA amendment.
• What are the marketing rules governing investment advisors?
• From a LP's perspective under the ILPA principles, how should the expense incurred in connection with the Side Letters be treated?
• How does a mid-sized adviser determine if it is “required to be registered” in the state where it maintains its principal office and place of business?

Some of Sandra’s unique features include:

• Generating practice questions/quizzes for attorneys to test their understanding of new concepts
• Providing comprehensive reports of recent relevant legal news
• Comparing side letters from multiple funds and providing insight on the most commonly negotiated terms 

Picture a first-year associate on a fund formation team, staring at a complex side letter at 11 p.m. The partner has already signed off for the night, and the junior is hesitating over a clause that might trigger SEC registration thresholds. She knows she could message a senior associate, but worries about seeming unprepared, or worse, slowing the deal. So she stays silent, searching through old templates and firm memos, hoping for a clear answer.

With Sandra, that moment plays out differently. The associate asks her question directly, gets an instant explanation with references to relevant SEC guidance, and even receives a short checklist of what to double-check in similar agreements. By the next morning, her draft is polished, accurate, and ready for partner review. Multiply that by hundreds of associates across dozens of deals, and the effect becomes clear: a shift in workplace environment, fewer bottlenecks, and better client outcomes.

Sandra provides associates with a safe, instant way to get answers, build confidence, and strengthen their understanding before bringing matters to discuss with partners. Bloomberg Law recently noted that few law schools are preparing students to work effectively with AI.⁵ Sandra helps close that gap, giving young attorneys the competitive edge they need to excel in modern legal practice. With SmartEsq, boost your firm’s efficiency and your associates’ expertise. 

Schedule a demo today at smartesq.ai/contact.

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References:

¹ https://www.lawyer-monthly.com/2020/05/impostor-syndrome-and-how-it-impacts-your-career-success/.

²https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/2025/09/04/engaged-mentors-can-make-or-break-the-midlevel-associate-experience/?slreturn=20251125105231

³https://wifitalents.com/psychological-safety-statistics/

⁴https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx

5https://news.bloomberglaw.com/legal-exchange-insights-and-commentary/law-schools-without-ai-training-fail-next-generation-of-lawyers