Skip to Main Content

Summer Program Stats

No. of Summer Associates (2023): 107 total (103 2Ls; 4 1Ls)

No. of 2L Offers (2022): 114 out of 114

Summer Associate Salary:

$4,135/week

Summer Program Length:

10 weeks

Summer Program Contact

Lisa A. Kalen
Chief Legal Recruiting Officer
(212) 474-3215
lkalen@cravath.com

Our Survey Says

  • “As a summer, I was treated as a first-year associate in terms of staffing and the work I did. It was definitely all ‘real’ work and real responsibility.”
  • “As a summer associate, it felt like we were staffed as though we were first-year associates. Staffed on ongoing or new matters and expected to contribute, no 'created' work. There were many training/CLE sessions and a lot of ‘on-the-job’ learning.”
  • “In the corporate groups, work is rigorous, and summer associates are expected to quickly hurdle the learning curve and contribute to deals. Supervision and feedback are comprehensive, which ultimately serves the summer associate (though it may not feel like it initially).”
  • “I worked on a deal team with just me and a senior associate, so I got a lot of experience early, but likely worked more than normal summer associates.”
  • “There are lots of social events, including lunches, dinners, sporting events, Broadway shows, and the annual Central Park Zoo party.”
  • “The summer class is great; everyone got along excellently and enjoyed one another's company. Associates go out of their way to include summers in work and in fun activities, and of course, to take summers to lunch.”
  • “Social aspects of the summer associate program mirror the firm’s general social offerings—a slate of optional events at a diverse range of venues and settings (including museums, happy hours, and the theater) which are often attended by those looking for a social atmosphere from the firm.”
  • “Formal happy hours were good opportunities to connect with partners in the corporate practice group. Informal outings, such as a golf outing with my partner group, were very fun.”
  • “Hours are a lot longer than they were as a summer, which was expected.”
  • “I was interested in working with a particular M&A group, and I am now working in that group. I was made aware over the summer that the job would require long hours and include immediate partner and client contact—both are certainly the case.”
  • “Cravath does a good job giving summer associates a meaningful taste of what it is like to practice as a junior associate, so I came in with open eyes.”
  • "The summer program was largely reflective of my associate experience thus far. I was at trial.”
  • “Yankees game.”
  • “Central Park Zoo party; Milk Bar dessert-making class.”
  • “Cooking class where the ingredients were shipped to us, and then the chef got on Zoom and showed us how to prepare it.”
  • “Rooftop happy hour with my practice group.”

The Firm Says

Cravath’s summer program is designed to provide law students with an experience that mirrors the life of a first-year associate and an opportunity to work directly for, and with, the firm’s clients. Summer associates choose to work in the Corporate, Litigation, Tax, Executive Compensation and Benefits, or Trusts and Estates departments, and they experience the day-to-day working life of a Cravath lawyer. Prior to the summer, information is collected on department and assignment preferences, and the firm assists with summer housing. Upon arrival, summer associates are assigned to a partner from their selected department who is responsible for assigning work, providing feedback, introducing the other team members, and ensuring the experience resembles that of a first-year associate. Summer associates also have an associate mentor, and there are a wide variety of events held throughout the summer that allow summer associates to socialize with the attorneys.