Simpson Thacher

• “Simpson Thacher really tried to provide opportunities to gain appropriate experience doing work junior associates would ordinarily perform. Additionally, other attorneys really took the opportunity to let summers observe interactions with clients and counsel for other parties and often followed up to explain some of what was observed.”
• “The summer associate program emphasizes hands-on training and mentorship to help associates develop core legal skills. Training includes workshops, practice-specific sessions, and guidance from experienced attorneys. Assignments are diverse, meaningful, and designed to expose associates to real-world cases while receiving constructive feedback to foster growth.”
• “During the summer program, I had the opportunity to work on a wide variety of matters and often worked a full 40-hour week. The work was meaningful and mimicked the type of tasks typically assigned to a junior associate.”
• “One aspect I remember is that the summer coordinators really worked hard to find you the type of work that you wanted. I really wanted to try capital markets work, and despite the fact that the practice area was slow, they managed to find an investment grade bond deal for me to be on. I also remember that the lawyers were good about giving me feedback on the work I did do.”

• “The summer associate program fosters strong connections through a variety of social events, ranging from informal gatherings to more structured activities. These events provide opportunities to build camaraderie among associates and interact with attorneys across all levels in a relaxed, collegial environment. Yankees game.”
• “The events were great. Events included a nine-hole par-three golf event, a skeet-shooting outing, and a Houston Astros baseball game. Firm attorneys made efforts to get out to the events, and the summer associates got along well.”
• “We were provided with ample opportunities to get to know attorneys at all levels and to get to know our summer class. At times, I felt almost stressed out because there were so many events and it felt wrong to miss them, but the firm never forced us to go or indicated it would be bad if we did not.”
• “The summer program at Simpson Thacher is genuinely social and welcoming. There’s a steady stream of events that make it easy to connect with attorneys and other summers. People show up, partners included, and conversations feel relaxed and real. The group of summers was tight, and it was easy to build friendships. The Yankees game was a favorite—great energy, good turnout, and a fun way to spend time with folks outside the office.”

• “Similar, just higher in responsibilities and work streams. Summer was more relaxed, but the reality of the associate experience was very clearly communicated across the board.”
• “There are no negative surprises. I've been pleasantly surprised at how whenever I vocalize that I want to do certain types of matters, I receive those assignments.”
• “Responsibilities are quite similar, but expectations are higher for associates (e.g., responsiveness & attention to detail).”
• “I have found my experience as an attorney to be significantly less social than my experience as a summer (which is to be expected), and I am given far more substantive work as a junior associate.”

Being part of the summer associate program at Simpson Thacher presents an unparalleled professional and social experience. Our summer associates become part of the firm upon arrival and are active team members on our most challenging and complex matters. Summer associates experience firsthand how Simpson Thacher attorneys work collaboratively alongside our clients to achieve their goals. The summer is filled with professional development opportunities, including mentoring programs and a comprehensive training curriculum. We are committed to integrating our summer class in every way possible and supporting our summer associates as they begin to immerse themselves in the culture of Simpson Thacher. There are too many social events to list, but there is undoubtedly something for everyone—from the Broadway lover to the ultimate foodie. Summer associates depart for their third year of law school having sampled various practice areas and knowing what being a Simpson Thacher lawyer really means.