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What is it like to be a summer associate at a law firm?
What Do Summer Associates Do? A summer associate position is an extended job interview. You can expect to do the sort of work a first year might do, without the really boring parts like document review. The expressed goal of the firm is to let you get a taste of what it would be like to work there.
How much does a Big law summer associate make?
As a summer associate, you can expect to make between $30,000 – $36,000 depending on the length of the program.
How do you get a summer associate at a big law firm?
6 Steps to Landing the Best Summer Associate Position
- Know what you want. In the case of law associateships, the word “best” is relative.
- Understand the process.
- Bid smart.
- Network.
- Refine your resume.
- Use references strategically.
Do summer associates get paid?
At the conclusion of summer associate programs, many summer associates receive full-time job offers. Moreover, many firm’s pay their summer associates the weekly equivalent of a full time associate’s salary. According to the NALP website, the average summer associate makes approximately $3,000 per week.
What is being a summer associate like?
Summer associates are expected to be friendly and kind to people, preserve company reputation, support other associates, and perform legal tasks appropriately.
Do summer associates get their own offices?
Kirkland associates (including summer associates, as of last summer) get their own office from day 1. As far as I know, this is the case for the Chicago, New York, and Washington D.C. offices. Probably is also true for the San Francisco, Palo Alto, Los Angeles, and London offices too.
What is a 2L summer associate?
As a traditional law student at a three-year law school, you have two summer “breaks.” The first is between your first and second years of law school (your “1L summer”). The second is between your second and third years of law school (your “2L summer”).
How long is a summer associate position?
nine to eleven weeks
Summer associate programs generally run from nine to eleven weeks, during which time the law student will experience a modified schedule of what it is like to work at that particular firm.
How do you get a 1L summer associate?
To obtain a 1L summer associate position, you need good grades. If you attend a lower ranked law school, you may need to rank in the top 5\% of your class to be competitive. The grade requirements for summer associate positions vary.
What do summer associates do?
Summer associates are law students hired seasonally by law firms. The aim is for future lawyers to be exposed to the practical aspects of a firm. Summer associates are expected to be friendly and kind to people, preserve company reputation, support other associates, and perform legal tasks appropriately.
How many weeks is a summer associate program?
The typical Big Law summer associate program is ten weeks long, but there is some variation with some firms holding anywhere between 8-12 week long summer associate programs. The typical ten-week program can also vary depending on what is going on in the national economy.
What does a summer associate job do?
Summer associate positions expose law students to the actual practice of law in the real world environment of law firms. While law school teaches law students about the intellectual aspects of the law, summer associate positions expose future attorneys to the practical aspects of working in the legal profession.
What is a law firm summer associate program?
Larger firms in major markets like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles generally have larger “summer associate classes” than smaller firms. The programs are structured to give summer associates a variety of work assignments and the chance to meet (and work for) as many of the firm’s attorneys as possible.
Why do law firms hire summer attorneys?
Law firms are businesses in need of attorneys to do the work of the firm—and firms thus invest in summer associates in the hopes that they will excel and return as productive permanent associates. In this way, summer programs are an important part of law firm staffing protocols.
Is being a 2L summer associate a good job?
But while you need to work hard, the final piece of advice for your 2L summer is to have fun. Being a summer associate is the best job you will likely have in the legal industry (trust me, I have had most of the jobs in this industry).