FAQs

Summer associates can arrive on various dates in May and then depart in early August, spending at least eight weeks at the Firm. Typically, summer associates work from 10 to 12 weeks at the Firm.

We have formal Summer Programs in New York (our largest class), Houston, Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Washington, D.C. and London. Each office hires summer associates directly.

Interested summer associates may request to work temporarily in one of our international offices. Rotation decisions are based on need and long-term interest. Our Asian and Brazilian offices require the requisite languages. In recent years, an average of 10 to 15 summer associates have rotated through our international offices each summer.

We do not have a formal rotation program for summer associates. Rather, they choose the departments and practice in which they have interest and typically work on assignments from multiple practice areas at any given time.

We encourage everyone to do pro bono work. Summer associates work on existing pro bono cases and transactional matters, and we try to honor requests from summer associates to pursue projects that are personally important. Many pro bono organizations refer cases to the Firm in such fields as education rights, family law, asylum, landlord-tenant disputes, capital punishment and criminal defense.

For more information on pro bono, click here.

Summer associates work with an assigning team that allocates matters based on specific interests. The assigning team is responsible for checking in regularly with their summer associates to ensure that they are doing the type of work they want. This centralized summer staffing system is intended to mirror the Firm’s general approach to staffing for full-time attorneys.

Each summer associate is assigned a partner mentor and two associate mentors, each of whom will provide regular guidance throughout the summer associate's time at the Firm. The pairings may be based on a school tie, common background or interest, or a special connection made during the interview process. Partner mentors are available to talk and advise, and often work directly with their mentees, providing shadowing opportunities and substantive learning experiences.

In addition to working with attorneys, summer associates have ample avenues to meet our full-time attorneys. We host weekly social events and have a summer meal program, both of which are great ways to connect with our lawyers. There are also a number of other networking opportunities, including departmental meetings, trainings, practice group and affinity group events and dinner parties at partners' homes.

Regardless of the economic climate, we hire summer associates each year hoping that each will return as a permanent associate. There is no competition among summer associates for job offers. We choose candidates based on their exceptional credentials and personal skills, and we are confident that they will do superior work and be a welcome addition to the Firm.

As part of our ongoing efforts to recruit high caliber attorneys, we offer a 1L Diversity Summer Program to a select number of students. These positions are offered to exceptional first-year law students who can contribute to the diversity of our Firm and the broader legal community. Diversity includes but is not limited to differences across categories of race and ethnicity, gender, age, ability, economic status and sexual orientation.