Summer Associate Programs Become Strategic
 February 2, 2005

Traditionally law firms used summer programs as a means of finding the best talent available. The function was basically to recruit, select and hire, sorting out what the firm did with the people later. This year, “firms are definitely hiring to staff projects and staff work,” according to the Executive Director of NALP. He says that “firms are getting more strategic in their hiring.” This means that many summer associates will work on a specific matter and then be hired to fill a specific role on that same or a similar matter upon graduation. Many of our clients tell us that the economy continues to be too uncertain to hire in anticipation of need and hope the work will be there two years down the road.

Early results from recruitment programs seem to show that summer offers are up this year but acceptance levels are down slightly. The net result will probably be summer class at about the same size as last year. As benchmarks, Skadden Arps will have 184 summer associates this year compared to 164 last year and Latham & Watkins will have 216 summer associates compared to 164 in 2004. On the other hand Morrison & Foerster will have 95 students in its summer program compared to 88 last year and King & Spaulding has 118 acceptances, slightly less than its 126 summer associates in 2004.