Through our summer associate program, we provide a select and diverse group of law students from around the country the opportunity to participate actively in a broad and exciting range of legal matters. Through immersion into our practice, summer associates are exposed to Covington’s enduring cultural values — the values that shape our delivery of the highest quality service to our clients and our service to the public interest through extensive dynamic and precedent-setting pro bono legal work.
To learn more, download the Summer Associate Program Brochure.
We participate in the 1L LCLD Scholars Program. Application instructions can be found here.
Assignments and Mentoring
The centerpiece of our summer associate program is our unique assignment system. We carefully match assignments with each summer associate’s interests, thereby offering summer associates a real opportunity to explore the firm’s work in their preferred areas. Moreover, the assignment system draws upon the informal and flexible nature of our practice groups, enabling summer associates to explore a variety of substantive assignments in diverse practice groups. As summer associates get to know the lawyers and practices during their time with us, we tailor their assignments to reflect the evolution of their interests. We ensure that each summer associate gets a real chance to work closely with multiple partners and associates and to receive the kind of individual attention that is often key to a successful summer associate experience.
All summer associates are assigned both a senior and a junior mentor who facilitate their introduction to the firm, advise on work assignments, and provide insight into life at Covington. We pride ourselves on providing summer associates with constructive feedback on their work throughout the summer. We also help summer associates develop their writing, research, and advocacy skills as the summer progresses.
Education and Training
Covington’s commitment to educating and training new lawyers begins with the summer program. Our summer associate program aims to provide an accurate picture of what it is like to be an associate at Covington. Summer associates have significant responsibility and regularly attend client and internal strategy meetings, depositions, transaction negotiations and closings, settlement negotiations, and court hearings. Our summer associates also participate in regular corporate and litigation training programs and meet frequently with partners and associates to discuss current matters of interest within each practice group.
Summer associates also attend luncheons that focus on various aspects of the firm’s management, practice groups, pro bono work, diversity and inclusion, and practical issues such as career guidance and professional development. Finally, depending on office, summer associates may have the opportunity to participate in our intensive, hands-on deposition and negotiation skills training programs.
Social Events
The summer program, while full of extraordinary professional opportunities, is not all work. The important social component of our program ensures that our summer associates get to know our lawyers and the vibrant cities in which we practice through a range of fun and exciting activities. A sample of typical events are highlighted below.
Los Angeles: The summer program, while full of extraordinary professional opportunities, is not all work. The important social component of our program ensures that our summer associates get to know our lawyers and our beautiful city through a range of fun and exciting activities.
New York: Typical events have included private art museum tours, baseball games, NYC neighborhood walking tours, and Broadway theater evening.
Palo Alto: The summer program, while full of extraordinary professional opportunities, is not all work. The important social component of our program ensures that our summer associates get to know our lawyers and our vibrant peninsula through a range of fun and exciting activities
San Francisco: Wine-tasting trips to Sonoma and Napa Valley, Giants games, jazz and karaoke nights, formal and informal dinners at chic restaurants or partners’ residences, and cooking classes.
Washington: Wine and whiskey tastings, movie night, weekly softball games with the “Hurling Burlings,” Top Golf, concerts, and sporting events.
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