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Summer Program Stats

No. of Summer Associates (2022): 57 total (48 2Ls; 9 1Ls)

No. of 2L Offers (2021): 36 out of 36

Summer Associate Salary:

Not disclosed.

Summer Program Length:

10 weeks

Summer Program Contact

Please see McGuireWoods’ website for the appropriate contact person for each office.

Our Survey Says

  • “The work was very substantive. I was at a client's site the second day assisting a partner with a witness interview. This kind of substantive work was the norm for the rest of the summer.”
  • “The firm did a great job of bringing us into work assignments quickly and making us feel like valued members of the firm. We had a week full of training to get us acclimated to the firm and the culture.”
  • “The firm has an open work flow system. I felt like I handled a number of substantial assignments that were beneficial to me as a first-year associate.”
  • “The program was packed with social gatherings, luncheons, and after-work events that allowed us to quickly get to know many attorneys in a wide variety of practice areas.”
  • “The social aspects were satisfactory to me. I did not feel overwhelmed by the amount of time we needed to spend, but they provided the opportunity to meet people within the firm. They were certainly secondary to the work and learning facets of the summer program.”
  • “The firm planned very nice events and there was a good sense of comradery among the summer associates. In DC specifically, attendance by the partners could have been better.”
  • “My experience as an associate has matched my positive experience as a summer associate. Though the workload is obviously a lot heavier than what you're exposed to as a summer, I feel just as valued and appreciated as a second-year associate as I did when I was a summer. The vast majority of partners still show an interest in my career development and experiences.”
  • “It has not differed greatly from my expectations. Attorneys at the firm were very open that practice is very different from the summer program, so I should enjoy it and take advantage while I could. There is obviously more work in my usual practice and less variety, but I have not been disappointed or surprised by the reality.”
  • “I’ve been able to work on a wider array of cases than I thought I would, and with a wider array of attorneys (including in different offices). I have also been given bigger assignments than I thought I would my first year, such as drafting motions, client communications, etc.”
  • “Tour of the Supreme Court in DC and meeting Justice Thomas”
  • “Summer associate retreat in DC, food tour of different restaurants in Dallas, and Topgolf.”
  • “Baseball game, weekly softball games, and brewery tours.”

The Firm Says

As a summer associate, you will participate in events that give you a chance to meet other lawyers and summer associates. You will be assigned at least one mentor to introduce you to the firm, the lawyers in the office, and the city where you’ll be working. Rather than rotating formally through firm departments, you’ll be encouraged to work on projects in all areas of practice. Assigning lawyers will evaluate your work, and you will receive regular feedback. The program balances work, training, and social activities to provide a realistic snapshot of associate life at McGuireWoods. At the end of the summer program, we make offers based on the quality of your work and on the hiring needs of the office. Offers are made for a specific office, and the firm makes every effort to accommodate your practice-area interests.