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Applying To Our Summer Program

We seek talented and motivated individuals who share our well-known commitment to excellence. We assess candidates for summer associate positions based on an overall evaluation of their background and strengths. This evaluation includes, but is by no means limited to, academic distinction in law school and undergraduate education. We also look for students with strong motivation and initiative, the ability to take on responsibility, and enthusiasm for private law practice. The firm has long been committed to the highest standards of the profession and public service, and we look actively for new lawyers to continue in that tradition.

1L Applicants

We anticipate that 1L applications for Summer 2026 will open on November 1, 2025. Please check back for a link to our applicant portal.

LCLD: We partner with the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) to hire 1L summer associates. The 1L Scholars Program gives law students the opportunity to work side-by-side with attorneys from Covington and a partnering client in select offices. This position is available in our Los Angeles, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, and Washington Offices.

LCLD 1L Scholars – Job Posting

 
Patent Litigation: Our 1L Patent Litigation Summer Program offers aspiring patent litigators the opportunity to receive in-depth training and tailored mentoring from lawyers in our award-winning Patent Litigation practice. This position is available in our Los Angeles, Palo Alto, New York, San Francisco, and Washington Offices.

1L Patent Litigation – Job Posting

 
Life Sciences: Our 1L Life Sciences Summer Program offers interested law students the opportunity to work with our lawyers on a broad and exciting range of matters in the life sciences industry. This position is available in our Boston office.

1L Life Sciences – Job Posting

 
Life Sciences Transactions: Our 1L Life Sciences Transactions Summer Program offers interested law students the opportunity to work with our lawyers on a broad and exciting range of transactional matters in the life sciences industry. This position is available in our Washington office.

1L Life Sciences Transactions – Job Posting
  
  

2L Applicants

We anticipate that 2L applications for Summer 2027 will open in 2026. Please check back for timing updates and a link to our applicant portal. Sign up to be notified when 2027 2L applications open.

The firm conducts interviews with law students through various law school-sponsored interview programs and job fairs. In addition, candidates may submit direct applications via our applicant portal. We encourage current law students to submit a cover letter, resume, current law school transcript, legal writing sample, and list of references. If you wish to apply to more than one office, please submit a separate application for each location. You can learn more about our reference policy in the FAQs.

At Covington, we strive to maintain the highest standards of integrity to ensure the commercial success and reputation of our firm. One means by which we do this is through conducting routine background checks, which is a requirement of joining Covington. The standard pre-employment background checks we may conduct on prospective partners, lawyers, and employees include checks relating to public social media presence, criminal records, education, and employment history. Additional checks may be undertaken appropriate to the requirements of the role. All background checks are conducted in accordance with applicable local laws.


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