The 2021 summer program demographics are displayed below.

During the summer, you can work on assignments from a variety of the firm’s practices or concentrate in a few areas. In either case, our goal is to allow you to work with many lawyers and on intellectually stimulating assignments—similar in complexity to those handled by junior associates—thereby giving you an opportunity to demonstrate your writing, analytical and advocacy skills. In addition, you will be given opportunities to learn about our practice by accompanying lawyers to depositions, hearings, trials, client meetings, negotiations and/or closings. We also encourage you to participate in pro bono work for the firm’s existing clients or in special summer associate programs such as those offered in partnership with community organizations that include Greater Boston Legal Services, Bread for the City, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Justice & Diversity Center and Sanctuary for Families.

You will be doing real work for real clients. For example, our summer associate have:

• Conducted legal research for a client who shared responsibility for $10-million-worth of environmental clean-up and was concerned that the other involved party would file for bankruptcy to avoid its share of the clean-up costs.
• Prepared for and participated in an interview of an employee-witness in action brought by institutional investors against a large financial firm.
• Organized an overview of current Chinese policies on climate change for a coalition of large EU- and US-based clean technology companies assessing the challenges of engaging China in their movement.
• Drafted a memorandum suggesting potential forms of compensation or legal action for a man seeking to vacate a murder conviction after 26 years in prison based on newly discovered evidence that proved his innocence.
• Researched, drafted bylaws and articles of incorporation, and outlined a merger agreement plan for a business that was considering merging into a newly established Delaware corporation.
• Joined a team of lawyers preparing several witnesses to testify at the trial of the former head of a Russian oil company in Moscow. Assisted with creating preparation outlines and researching Russian criminal procedure, as well as monitoring the trial, updating lawyers on the proceedings, and modifying preparation plans as appropriate.
• Examined country conditions in Tibet to support an application for asylum. Drafted a letter brief based on current country reports and the client’s declaration and application for submission to US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
• Conducted research for a high-profile technology client sued for the infringement of three patents.
• Composed a memorandum regarding the legal issues that entrepreneurs need to be mindful of during their companies’ early stages. The memo was given to clients of newly formed companies to provide a simple overview of ongoing legal issues that could hamper their efforts to obtain venture capital financing.
• Investigated the latest developments in cybersecurity on Capitol Hill, in the US federal administration and in industry.
• Attended interviews of employees of a client involved in an IP litigation matter concerning a generic challenge to a drug indicated for treatment of patients with acute coronary syndrome, including patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Mentoring

You will have two mentors—usually one partner or counsel and one associate—who serve as advisors during the summer. These mentors introduce you to lawyers in the firm, provide day-to-day guidance, and answer questions about how the firm works and the process of completing assignments.

Training

We have developed a training program specifically for our summer associates, which is designed to introduce you to the practical skills lawyers need and to the topics that indicate what we value. Throughout the summer, we also want you to sample our training programs for our lawyers. Our goal is two-fold—to assist in your professional development and to give you a sense of the training we provide to our lawyers. Summer training topics include:

• presentation and oral communication skills;
• legal writing;
• negotiation skills;
• deposition skills; 
• leadership training (with Partner Bill Lee);
• a corporate practice program; and
• an intellectual property program.

We also strongly encourage you to participate in firm- and office-wide department meetings and lunches, many of which are geared specifically to welcoming you and introducing our colleagues and practice.

Feedback

Lawyers you work with will give you constructive feedback informally throughout the summer. In addition, you will receive a review of your work and are encouraged to provide feedback about your experience.

Our programs typically involve a variety of events including:

• glass blowing classes;
• cooking classes;
• community service events;
• baseball games;
• sightseeing tours;
• casino nights;
• sailing; 
• bowling outings; and
• barbecues and dinners at partners’ homes.

We are committed to recruiting, retaining, developing and promoting the best legal talent. Accordingly, the total compensation package—base salary, bonus and benefits—for all lawyers at the firm is highly competitive with that of other major law firms.

Our total compensation package for all associates, senior associates and counsel recognizes and rewards an individual lawyer’s skill level and the value of his or her overall contributions each year. Our performance-based model aligns well with our clients’ focus on value delivered, rather than simply hours billed. This model recognizes and rewards strong performance at all levels, focusing on the qualities and contributions that both the firm and our clients value most. 

Base Salary
We provide a market lockstep base salary for associates, senior associates and counsel. The current base salary scale is: 

Annual Performance Bonus
The annual performance bonus reflects our focus on the individual lawyer and his or her development. The bonus program incorporates our philosophy of rewarding overall contributions, including significant contributions to the success of the firm. Annual performance bonuses are discretionary and are based on firm performance, quality of substantive work and quality of client service, as well as efficiency, productivity, teamwork, and collegiality and other “citizenship” factors. The design of the bonus system ensures that each year, those who meet expectations for quality of performance and productivity receive total compensation that is market competitive, and that those who exceed expectations receive above-market total compensation.

We offer a highly competitive benefit package to our lawyers, including:

• health, dental, vision and life insurance;
• short- and long-term disability insurance;
• business travel insurance;
• critical illness, hospital indemnity and accidental insurance;
• paid parental and family leave;
• mobile phones, laptops and remote network access;
• reduced hours arrangements;
• a 401(k) plan and investment and retirement planning advice;
• four weeks of paid vacation annually, paid holidays and unlimited sick days;
• flexible spending and dependent care reimbursement accounts as well as health savings accounts (HSAs);
• transition stipend for incoming first-year lawyers; 
• reimbursement for bar and CLE expenses; paid annual bar registrations for jurisdictions in which the firm has offices; paid bar association dues, and paid bar study leave;
• moving stipends;
• emergency child-care and in-home family care services;
• infant transition care;
• onsite lactation/wellness rooms and Milk Stork breast milk shipping program for nursing moms who travel;
• educational/college advising and counseling services;
• domestic partner benefits;
• onsite fitness centers and/or subsidized gym memberships (varies by office); 
• onsite cafeterias (Boston, DC and New York);
• a well-being program including EAP counseling and referral services; 
• pre-tax parking and commuter programs, as well as daily bicycle storage; and
• a 529 college savings plan.