Jenner & Block

• “I was pleasantly surprised by how substantial the training and work assignments were during my summer associateship. I was given substantial guidance and training at the firm but was also able to participate in really wonderful opportunities, including two mock jury exercises—one virtual and one in-person. I was consistently asked for my thoughts and feedback and felt like I was an important part of the team. I never felt overwhelmed and always had a myriad of support from both associates and partners.”
• “As a summer associate, I was fully immersed in trial preparation with our team and was given substantive work including drafting motions in limine.”
• “I had a fantastic summer experience. Unlike my law school classmates at other firms, all of my assignments as a summer associate were related to actual live matters the firm was working on, and I made substantive contributions to advancing our work on those matters. I was never assigned anything that could be described as busy work. We had ample one-on-one time with attorneys, both those assigned to us as mentors and others throughout the firm. I worked on billable and pro bono matters, and I was staffed across our offices, so I worked with attorneys all around the firm.”
• “Summers have the chance to do genuinely substantive work, including writing the first drafts of motions or briefs. There are also systems in place to ensure that the summers all get feedback on their work.”

• “We had strong camaraderie as summer associates. It was a small group, and the program took advantage of that by having lots of structured activities.”
• “The social activities and events during my summer were wonderful, inclusive, and geared towards creating valuable work friendships. People were encouraged to attend as many or as few events as they liked with an emphasis on feeling a part of the Jenner culture. There were many opportunities to socialize with the associates in my year, as well as plenty of opportunities to create connections with partners and full-time associates.”
• “My summer associate class was amazing! We had social events every Wednesday, so I got to know the attorneys and my class quite well. We also do a TGIT event each week where we were able to continue talking amongst ourselves and the other attorneys.”
• “The social program was the best part of the summer. Our summer class gelled really well, and it was great to form those relationships with colleagues. I also met multiple partners at these events who were among the first to give me work when I returned to the firm. …”

• “I have found that the summer program aligns pretty well with the first-year associate experience. Of course, you do not work over the summer as much as you do as a first-year associate.”
• “There was a better focus on family and work-life balance than I expected from BigLaw.”
• “I would say my experience as a summer has been virtually identical to my experience as an associate. The only major difference is that the office has moved to a new location since I summered, and the new office is spectacular (the old one was very nice too).”
• “Practicing at the firm has aligned with the expectations I had when I was a summer. I got to know a few partners who indicated they would give me work when I returned, and that has helpfully come to fruition. One pleasant surprise is that I am doing very substantial work as a junior associate. I am drafting briefs and motions, and I am on a small trial team. I was not expecting such substantial responsibility so early, but I really like the challenge.”

Our summer associates bond at baseball games, comedy shows, and city-specific events (from architectural boat tours to Broadway shows), but the real value of the summer program comes from the opportunity to learn the “Jenner way” and see firsthand what makes our firm so special. As an organization filled with smart people who take their work—but not themselves—seriously, we welcome our summer associates with handpicked assignments and the chance to explore our different practices—from cybersecurity and blockchain to voting rights, antitrust, and government investigations (to name a few). Summer associates play an integral role across the firm by drafting briefs, preparing for depositions or trials, and doing the legal research and analysis we need to guide our clients. We don’t yet know which legal issues our next summer associates will be tackling, but we can promise that the work, like that for everyone at Jenner, will be substantive, interesting, and engaging.