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Law360 (April 10, 2020, 3:13 PM EDT ) Pepper Hamilton LLP and Troutman Sanders LLP became the latest law firms on Friday to announce they would be canceling their 2020 summer associate programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The two firms had planned to merge into one law firm as of April 1, but announced last month that the merger would be delayed until July 1 due to the novel coronavirus. The firms' summer associate program announcements came in tandem and contain similar plans of attack to approach the situation.
Both have canceled their summer associate programs, but plan to offer those who were poised to enter the programs financial assistance, and will be offering rising third year law students jobs as full-time associates in the fall of 2021.
"This decision arises out of our conclusion that, given current and expected conditions, we cannot provide for a meaningful summer experience that allows our students to perform to their full potential," a statement released by Pepper Hamilton said.
"Because our focus remains on the health and welfare of our people and their families and on serving our clients, we do not believe we can provide a meaningful summer associate experience for the students. As a result, we will not host a summer associate program this summer," Troutman Sanders' statement said.
The announcements came as a number of other firms have made changes to their summer associate programs, including Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, which this week suspended its program but still vowed to pay associates who had been selected. Meanwhile, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, Cooley LLP, Vinson & Elkins LLP, DLA Piper and Sidley Austin LLP have all pushed back start dates to June 1 or later and shortened their summer programs.
On Thursday, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP promised to hire its summer associates on a full-time basis after they graduate and provide compensation despite challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. The firm said it is still working out the details of the program, but hopes to still provide a "meaningful summer associate experience."
In a statement provided to Law360 last week, a Cooley spokesperson said the firm is "confident that, even with a six-week schedule, our summer associates will benefit from high-quality assignments and be able to fully experience the firm's unique culture."
Still, a handful of other firms — like Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, Covington & Burling LLP and Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP — have said they plan to move forward with their programs, though many of the new hires may end up working remotely.
--Additional reporting by Hailey Konnath. Editing by John Campbell.
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