Firms Sponsoring Split Public Interest Summers
This article was prepared for NALP by Theresa J. Bryant, Executive Director and Director of Public Interest at the Yale Law School Career Development Office. She has served on the NALP Board, and is a member of the NALP Public Service Commitment.
Several law firms have instituted programs that enable law students to work part of the summer with the firm and part of the summer with a public interest organization, with the firm paying the students' salaries for the entire summer. These generous plans allow law students to explore two types of legal practice and demonstrate the firms' strong commitment to pro bono work.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer& Feld's Pro Bono Scholars Summer Program is a two-year program for up to to four 1Ls. The first summer the Scholars spend at least seven weeks at a public interest organization and three weeks at the firm's DC office working on pro bono matters. Salary for the entire period is commensurate with the firm's summer associate salary. For the second summer the students are expected to work in the DC office and will be given a commercial workload as well as pro bono opportunities. Scholars will be eligible for a post-graduation offer after completing the second summer at Akin. www.akingump.com; Washington, DC, 202-887-4071; Steven H. Schulman, Pro Bono Partner, sschulman@akingump.com
Arnold & Porter LLP, New York Office, offers a public interest split summer opportunity for a 2L. The firm requires that the first half of the summer be spent at the firm and the second half of the summer be spent at the firm and the second half at a NYC-based public interest organization. www.arnoldporter.com, New York, NY (212) 715-1776, Aglaia Galimanis, Legal Recruitment and Professional Development, aglaia.galimanis@aporter.com
Bradley, Arant, Boult Cummings LLP offers a split summer opportunity for a 1L or 2L student. The student will work a minimum of 6 weeks at the firm and the balance of the summer (a minimum of 4 weeks) at a public service organization approved by the firm. www.babc.com, Birmingham, AL/ Huntsville, AL/ Jackson, MA/ Montgomery, AL/ Charlotte, NC/ Washington, DC/ Nashville, TN, (205) 521-8445, Mary Screws, Manager of Recruiting, mscrews@babc.com
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP offers up to two Cadwalader Public Interest Fellowships to 2L students. The fellow will work at the firm for the first eight weeks of the summer program and spend the last four to six weeks working at NYC public interest organization approved by the firm. The firm will pay the standard 2L weekly summer associate salary for work at the firm and pay $8,000 for work at the public interest organization. www.cadwalader.com - New York, NY - (212) 504-6044 - Monica Brenner, Manager of Legal Recruitment, Monica.brenner@cwt.com.
Crowell & Moring allows up to one third of their 2L summer associates to spend five weeks at a DC public interest organization. The firm extends offers without a commitment for the split summer option and inquires about interest in the program in the spring. www.crowell.com - Washington, DC - (202) 508-8869 - Amy Bigart, Attorney Recruiting Manager, abigart@crowell.com.
Dewey & LeBoeuf offers sponsored split summer opportunities in their New York, and Washington, DC offices. The students work at the firm for the first 6-10 weeks of the summer and then can spend up to half of the summer at a public interest organization, subject to approval by the firm. In the Washington, DC office, the firm sponsors the Buchen public interest fellowship, which is open to a student with an interest and background in one of the office's practice groups. The public interest organization selected should be related to one of these practice areas. www.dl.com New York, NY, (212) 259-6788, Scot Fishman, Director of Pro Bono, sfishman@dl.com, Washington, DC, (202) 346-7846, Rebecca McLean, Legal Recruiting Coordinator, rmclean@dl.com
Fenwick & West offers a 2L student the opportunity to spend the first eight weeks of the summer at the firm and the following four weeks at a Bay area public interest organization which focuses on diversity issues or serving diverse populations. Fellow (s) would continue to attend firm summer events during the fellowship. At the end of the summer, the Public Interest Fellow will be eligible for a first-year associate offer, contingent upon work evaluations and performance feedback from the public interest organization. www.fenwick.com; Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Seattle, 650-335-4949; Julieta Stubrin, Manager of Attorney Recruiting & Diversity, recruit@fenwick.com
Goodwin Proctor's DC office offers two 2Ls the opportunity to spend a minimum of the seven weeks of the summer at the firm and the second half working at DC-based public interest organization of their choice. Students interested in applying should, after they receive an offer, submit a letter to the firm describing their interest in working at a specific public interest organization's willingness to participate in the program. www.goodwinproctor.com, Washington, DC, (202) 346-4171, Cindy Jahr Evans, Legal Recruitment Manager, cevans@goodwinproctor.com.
Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP offers a split summer Schell Fellowship to a 2L student. The fellow will work as a summer associate at the firm's NYC office for the first 7-8 weeks and spend the rest of the summer at a public interest organization of the student's choice. www.hugheshubbard.com, New York, NY (212) 837-6057, Kit Wannen, Recruiting Coordinator, wannen@hugheshubbard.com.
Kelley Drye's Pro Bono Fellowship Program offers one summer associate the opportunity to spend half of the summer at Kelley Drye and the other half working for a nonprofit public interest organization of his or her choice, with a focus on an underserved population in the New York Metropolitan area. The fellow will continue to be actively involved in the Kelley Drye summer program. www.kelleydrye.com - New York, NY- (212) 808-7728 - Tina Metis, Director of Legal Recruiting, tmetis@kelleydrye.com.
King & Spalding offers several summer associates the opportunity to work the first six weeks of the summer at the firm and up to six weeks in a public interest organization. www.kslaw.com - Washington, DC, (202) 626-2387, Cheyanne Powers, cpowers@kslaw.com -Atlanta, GA, Amy Miele, 404-572-4990, amiele@kslaw.com; Silicon Valley, CA, Lea Thompson, lthompson@kslaw.com, (404) 572-4961, - New York, NY, (212) 556-2200, Jaclyn Tortora, jtortora@kslaw.com; Houston, TX, Courtney Rosenweig, 713-495-8839, crosenzweig@kslaw.com
K&L Gates LLP awards up to three successful 2L, or 3L candidates a $4,000 stipend for a 4-week fellowship at one of four designated public interest organizations. Candidates must complete and submit an application by October 2, 2009. Students are not required to apply to the K&L Gates summer program for the remainder of the summer. Participating organizations are the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, Education Law Center, KidsVoice, and Neighborhood Legal Services Association. www.klgates.com, (412) 355-6547, Jessica L. Gangjee, Pittsburgh Recruiting Coordinator, K&L Gates LLP, jessica.gangjee@klgates.com
Miller & Chevalier offers summer associates (both 1Ls and 2Ls) the opportunity to work in one of three DC public interest organizations (Legal Aid Society, Public Defender Service and Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs) for up to four weeks after they have spent at least six weeks at the firm. The firm extends offers without a commitment for the split summer option and inquires about interest in the program in January. To date, the firm has not declined any summer associate who wanted to participate. www.millerchevalier.com - Washington, DC - (202) 626-1480- Allyson Conroy, Director of Recruiting and Professional Development - aconroy@milchev.com.
Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP offers all summer associates (predominantly 2Ls) the opportunity to work for up to 4 weeks in a public service organization through their PICS (Public Interest and Community Service) program and receive the full compensation for the 10-week summer program. www.morganlewis.com, Chicago/ Dallas/ Washington, DC/ Los Angeles/ Miami/ New York/ Palo Alto/ Philadelphia/ Princeton/ San Francisco, (215) 963-4840, Eric Kraeutler, Chair Firmwide Professional Recruiting Committee, ekraeutler@morganlewis.com, (215) 963-5218, Marianne Dolan, Firmwide Attorney Recruiting Coordinator, mdolan@morganlewis.com.
Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP offers up to four 1Ls (two in Los Angeles and two in San Francisco) the opportunity to work a minimum of 7 weeks with the firm and 4 weeks with an approved nonprofit organization in the Los Angeles or San Francisco area, receiving $3,080 per week for the entire summer. Candidates who will bring any type of diversity to the firm are especially encouraged to apply. Applications for summer 2010 must be received by February 28, 2010. www.mto.com, Los Angeles, CA (213) 683-9242, Ms. Kevinn Villard, Director of Legal Recruiting, kevinn.villard@mto.com.
Paul, Hastings offers a limited number of 2Ls a sponsored split opportunity in the city where they will be working for the firm. The public interest organization is subject to a conflict clearance by the Firm. Students should express interest in this opportunity during the campus interview process, and if selected, must submit the name of the nonprofit organization by March 31. The first 8 weeks must be spent with the firm, and the final 4 weeks spent with the public interest organization. While working for the non-profit organization during the last four weeks of the summer program, the Firm will compsensate the student unless legally prohibited. www.paulhastings.com, 18 Offices Worldwide/ Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP, (213) 318-6898, Cindy Hasson, Senior Manager of Global Attorney Recruiting, cindyhasson@paulhastings.com.
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP has in the past offered all summer associates (both 1Ls and 2Ls) the opportunity to spend the first 7 or 8 weeks at the firm and the rest of the summer at a DC public interest organization of their choice. The firm has helped interested summer associates find appropriate public interest opportunities. www.pillsburylaw.com, Washington, DC/ San Francisco, (202) 663-8397/ (415) 983-1320, Stephanie Persi, Firmwide Recruiting Manager, stephanie.persi@pillsburylaw.com.
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett offers five split summer opportunities (2Ls only). These students will work for the first eight weeks at the firm and then at a public interest organization of their choice.The organization may be domestic or international. www.simpsonthacher.com; New York, NY, 212-455-7084; Michelle C. Las, Manager of Law School Relations, mlas@stblaw.com
Vinson & Elkins LLP offers a split opportunity for two 2Ls. The firm requires that the first half of the summer be spent at the firm and the second half at a public interest organization approved by the firm and in any U.S. city where the firm has an office. www.velaw.com, Austin/ Dallas/ Houston/ New York/ DC, (512) 542-8717, Stephanie Pratt, Attorney Employment Manager, spratt@velaw.com.
Wiggin and Dana LLP offers a split summer opportunity for one 2L to spend the first 5 weeks at the firm and 4 weeks of the summer at a public interest organization approved by the firm. www.wiggin.com, New Haven, CT (203) 498-4472, Kathy Gilloran, Director of Professional Recruitment and Development, kgilloran@wiggin.com.
Inclusion on this list assumes the firm will assure full summer associate pay during the public interest placement unless otherwise specified.