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What Is a Summer Associate and How to Become One


What Is a Summer Associate Job?

A summer associate job is an intern opportunity in which you can gain practical experience and learn the skills of your trade. Industries from construction to entertainment offer summer associate jobs, but the legal industry is the most common for summer associate jobs. As a law student, you can find summer associate jobs after your first and second years of law school. Your job duties as a legal summer associate include drafting motions and other legal documents, practicing in mock trials, observing or performing litigation alongside an experienced lawyer in court, and conducting legal research.

How Can I Get a Job as a Summer Associate?

The qualifications for a summer associate depend on the industry in which you want to work. For example, the construction and entertainment industries might require a minimum level of education. However, to become a summer associate at a law firm, you need passing grades in certain prerequisite law courses. You also must complete an interview with the law firm’s partners. Your responsibilities as a legal summer associate are to provide support to practicing attorneys and to learn from their experience and guidance.