The 2022 Summer Associates Survey

After nearly three years of disruptions, are law firm summer programs finally ebbing closer to the way things were before COVID-19? Will the Zoom happy hours finally be swapped out for actual bar stools? The data collected from Law360 Pulse's second foray into the world of would-be associates facing the arduous process of applying for a prized summer associateship seems to indicate so, to an extent.

We found that firms are reading the tea leaves and shedding their time-tested ways of doing business in favor of a more flexible model. This effort seems to be driven by the desire to accommodate a generation eager to be "virtualized," and to combat the lingering fluidity of COVID-era policies, by the business benefits of a workforce not bound by geography and by the fiscal nimbleness that comes about as a result of decentralizing a physical footprint.

This year's survey also contains stipend data for the first time. In the competitive landscape of BigLaw one-upmanship, it will be interesting to observe whether prospective associates seize leverage and the programs become a theater for the next round of pay wars, akin to what has happened in the midlevel associate market.

We will continue to follow these trends and, we hope, unearth new ones, in the second installment of the survey, which is set to go out in late summer and will explore students' social and work experiences at firms.

These Firms Are Where Summers Want To Work

By Aebra Coe  |  May 16, 2022

Shifting sentiments around what law students value in summer associate programs are driving changes in which law firms win out in today's competitive environment for talent, with a new Law360 Pulse survey highlighting the value of factors like remote work options, diversity and work-life balance.

Fat Salaries Are Nice But Don't Drive Summer Associates

By Andrew Strickler  |  May 16, 2022

For most law students, paychecks for summer programs are widely seen as at least adequate; for some, they're transformative. Law360 Pulse dives into how much firms are paying their summers and what a big paycheck can mean to the cohort.

Firms Eye Return To Normal With Flexible Summer Programs

By Xiumei Dong  |  May 16, 2022

Both law firms and law students are embracing summer associate programs' return to in-person formats, though firms are also offering associates more flexibility as the industry increasingly becomes accustomed to hybrid work more than two years into the pandemic.

All You Need To Know About How Summers Pick Their Firms

Graphic by Ben Jay  |  May 16, 2022

Where do law students dream of working this summer? What practice areas are they looking to specialize in? What are your firm's top schools for summer associateships? Explore the ins and outs of the summer associate bidding and firm selection process with our interactive graphic.

What Are Summer Associates Saying?

Graphic by Jason Mallory  |  May 16, 2022

Law360 Pulse asked prospective summer associates about how their top-choice firms distinguished themselves and what backup plans they have in place. Here's what they said.

BigLaw Vs. Mid-Law Summer Programs: The Pros And Cons

Edited by Nataleeya Boss and Margherita Beale  |  May 16, 2022

There are major differences between BigLaw and Mid-Law summer associate programs, and each approach can learn something from the other in terms of structure and scheduling, the on-the-job learning opportunities provided, and the social experiences offered, says Anna Tison at Brooks Pierce.

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