Summer Program Stats
No. of Summer Associates (2024): 45 total (42 2Ls; 3 1Ls)
No. of 2L Offers (2023): 50 out of 50
Summer Associate Salary:
$4,327/week
Summer Program Length:
10 weeks
Summer Program Contact
Donovan Hunter
Firmwide Manager of Entry-Level Recruiting
(415)774-3227
dhunter@sheppardmullin.com
1L Summers: Yes
Assigned to Specific Practice Area: Case by Case
Split Summer with Another Firm: Case by Case. Touchbacks with 1L firms only
Split Summer with Another Office: Case by Case
When Does Firm Begin Accepting Resumes for Summer Program: After second semester grades
Offices with a Summer Program
- Century City
- Chicago
- Dallas
- Del Mar
- Houston
- Los Angeles
- New York
- Orange County
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- Silicon Valley
- Washington, DC
Schools Firm Visits for OCI
- Berkeley Law
- Columbia Law School
- Fordham University School of Law
- Georgetown Law
- George Washington University Law School
- Harvard Law School
- Howard University School of Law
- Northwestern University
- NYU Law
- UC Irvine School of Law
- UCLA School of Law
- University of San Francisco School of Law
- USC Gould School of Law
- Vanderbilt Law School
Career Fairs Attended
- Bay Area Diversity Job Fair
- Lavender Law Career Fair
- Patent Law Interview Program
Our Survey Says
- “Work assignments for summer associates are managed well and tailored for an appropriate level. Many of the opportunities are immersive and engaging.”
- “All work assignments I received as a summer associate were substantive—it was real work attorneys needed to be done. Now, as an associate, any work that I assign to a summer associate is work that I otherwise would be doing myself.”
- “Interesting and varied assignments ranging from administrative to quite substantive.”
- “The first week or so includes all of the relevant training. Work assignments were very substantive and indicative of what a first-year associate would be doing.”
- “The summer events were incredibly fun and spanned a range of activities and interests. They were also expertly coordinated and developed.”
- “Everyone at the firm was down-to-earth and great to work with. The environment was very welcoming. The social events were fun and exciting.”
- “Sheppard had regular summer events with great turnout. Not only did I meet the majority of attorneys at the firm at the events, but I had the chance to get to know them and build relationships.”
- “The social events, interaction with firm attorneys, and camaraderie among summer associates were nice. The social aspects of the program were the best aspects.”
- “The summer associate role produced great expectations for what my experience practicing at the firm has been. The work as a first year has built upon the foundation created as a summer with increases in responsibilities and assignments.”
- “While practicing as an associate, you have much more work and less social time than when you are practicing as a summer associate, but that was to be expected.”
- “I don't think that my experience practicing has differed from my expectations I had as a summer. I do think that things are different in terms of having responsibilities at home and at work. I think adjusting to working full time after being a student and having time off between taking the bar and coming to work made the adjustment a little difficult, but I think my firm has done a good job ensuring that the transition went as smoothly as possible.”
- “Truthfully, not that different. We were preselected for a certain practice group, and that is the group I am in. I am working with the same associates and partners I worked with over that summer. I received substantive work (e.g., brief writing) the second week after I started and chaired a trial at the start of my second year.”
- “Cooking class. Kayaking.”
- “I enjoyed dinners with the partners and our summer trip to Catalina with the other Los Angeles office and its summers.”
- “Magic Castle event and Highland Park bowling event.”
- “My favorite events were attending a Padres baseball game, poker night, and cooking class.”
The Firm Says
Our Summer Associate Program reflects our commitment to attracting high-achieving law students from a wide array of backgrounds. The program kicks off with the Summer Associate Academy in California, offering a blend of training and networking opportunities before summer associates return to their home offices.
Summer associates will work alongside partners and associates on real client matters and meaningful pro bono work, gaining hands-on experience and enhancing their legal skills. We also provide additional formal training opportunities throughout the summer to further enrich their knowledge. Social events encourage bonding among summer associates as well as with lawyers and the broader firm, promoting our unique community.
Summer associates will return to law school having gained an in-depth understanding of the breadth and caliber of the firm’s work, structure, and culture, and most importantly, a realistic insight into life as a first-year associate.