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2024 DIVERSITY DATABASE PREMIUM SPONSOR Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

Summer Program Stats

No. of Summer Associates (2024): 113 total (101 2Ls; 12 1Ls)

No. of 2L Offers (2022): 92 out of 92

Summer Associate Salary:

$4,327.92/week

Summer Program Length:

10-11 weeks

Summer Program Contact

Donna M. Harris
Director of Legal Recruiting—U.S.
(212) 225-3170
dharris@cgsh.com

Our Survey Says

  • “The associates that I worked with as a summer associate were incredibly thoughtful in giving me assignments that were both substantive and well-suited to introducing me to their practice areas. I got a really solid flavor of different practice groups and their work and felt strongly like I was making a genuine contribution to the team.”
  • “I was staffed on two matters and was given substantive work on each. The junior and mid-level associates provided useful feedback, and I feel like I became a better attorney because of the experience. We were also encouraged to attend the firm’s weekly or biweekly trainings in our practice areas. These trainings were substantive and interesting and helped me better understand the area I am now practicing in.”
  • “Work assignments were discrete and manageable, and both associates and partners were more than willing to provide face-to-face onboarding and assistance.”
  • “I received a number of substantive work assignments, integrating onto two teams. As a summer associate in litigation, I conducted legal research and wrote research memos that ultimately went up to the partner.”
  • “The firm's summer associate program includes plenty of social events and opportunities for building camaraderie among summer associates.”
  • “There were many social events at Cleary for summer associates, generally about two events per week. These events were varied—some were cultural activities; others cocktail hours or smaller events with partners and senior lawyers. Summer associates grew very close to one another. The firm also sent me to one of its European offices for four weeks, and the summers who accompanied me got incredibly close.”
  • “There were events almost every week. The events ranged greatly, ensuring that people with different interests would find at least some interesting. At least some attorneys attended almost every event, and it was a great opportunity to get to know my future colleagues and ask questions in a less formal atmosphere.”
  • “I could not imagine a more social and fun summer program. The CGSH recruiting team goes above and beyond to plan incredible programming with amazing groups of attorneys and firm staff—what I've heard from peers who summered at other firms doesn't begin to compare.”
  • “There was nothing that really differed from my expectations as a summer. While, of course, I worked much less over the summer, I knew that the hours would become more intense once I started as a first year and was not led to believe otherwise.”
  • “I think the firm presented itself very well and very honestly during the summer associate program. People at the firm have continued to be incredibly thoughtful, kind, and collegial, and the work that I was given as a summer was fairly representative of the work as a junior associate. Though there is certainly more of the work as an associate, that was not unexpected.”
  • “The schedule has been more hectic, but the work itself has proved more substantive, and I've been pleasantly surprised by the amount of drafting and direct client communications in which I've participated.”
  • “I certainly do more document review, but I also have more meaningful writing opportunities and client interactions. I am able to work on whichever type of project I like … I have worked with almost every partner in my practice group and was able to join a trial simply by asking a partner.”
  • “Boat party and a concert with box seats.”
  • “Concert, cruise, baseball game.”
  • “Belmont Stakes, cruise around NY, Shakespeare.”
  • “Cooking competition, baseball game, boat party—too many to count!”

The Firm Says

Cleary Gottlieb’s summer program offers an introduction to life at the firm through exposure to high-caliber legal work as well as training, mentoring, and networking opportunities and events. Our work assignment system is unique and tailored to your professional experience and interests. Summer associates can explore our many different practice groups or choose to focus on a particular discipline. They can also work on a variety of the firm’s ongoing pro bono matters. The summer program offers many opportunities for formal and informal training and development, including litigation and corporate practice seminars as well as skills development courses. In addition, summer associates are invited to attend practice group lunch presentations to learn about the practices throughout the firm and to meet the lawyers practicing in each area. The firm provides many layers of mentoring, including support from partners, senior lawyers, and associates; a comprehensive feedback process; and optional overseas office rotations.