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Careers

United States—Summer Associate Program

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About the summer associate role

Former summer associates comprise a significant portion of the new associates hired each year at Ashurst Perkins Coie. Summer associates receive meaningful, substantive work—research, drafting, analysis, and client-facing projects alongside skilled lawyers and mentors. A tailored professional development curriculum and a robust social calendar are mainstays of our summer program and help summer associates build lasting relationships across the firm. Hearings, client meetings, depositions, deal closings, and pro bono matters are just a handful of activities our summer associates engage in throughout their summer.

Summer associates work on a wide range of legal assignments during the 10-week summer program, including legal research, analysis, and drafting, which closely mirror the substantive work typically assigned to junior associates. Supervising lawyers provide both informal and formal feedback on these assignments, ensuring that summer associates receive timely and constructive input on their work.

Our summer associate program is hiring for both 1L/2L dual summer 2027/2028 positions and 2L summer 2028-only positions. In our 1L/2L dual-summer program, our 1L summer associates return for a second summer, building on their first-year experience with increased responsibility, deeper client engagement and relationship building, and further development of core legal skills.

1L and 2L summer associates are assigned to a specific practice for the summer. The assigned practices depend on the needs of each office. The job postings for each office will indicate what practices are hiring but may include:

  • Complex Litigation
  • Corporate
  • Patent Litigation
  • Patent Prosecution
  • Projects, Energy, Environment & Resources
  • Real Estate

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Application process

All first-year students in good standing at an ABA-accredited law school are encouraged to apply. Ashurst Perkins Coie is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability status, or any other identity.

Please submit the following materials:

  • Resume
  • Cover letter (include information regarding your area of interest and geographic preference)
  • Undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) school transcripts
  • Law school transcript (unofficial versions are acceptable; if not available at the time of application, one must be provided as soon as available)
  • Legal writing sample (maximum 10 pages)

We evaluate all applications and consider the following factors:

  • Academic achievement: A demonstrated record of academic achievement and excellent writing and interpersonal skills, as well as experience that will contribute to a successful career in the legal field.
  • Perspective: Life experiences that have shaped your perspectives and professional goals.

For our dual-summer positions, if you would also like to be considered for our Inclusive Leaders Fellowship, a highly selective opportunity offering mentorship, leadership development, and a financial stipend, please select "yes" in response to the related question in the application and include a personal statement with your materials. To learn more about our fellowship, the requirements for the personal statement, and the financial stipend, please see Inclusive Leaders Fellowship page.

Start date: Applications will open on November 2, 2026, for the dual-summer 2027/2028 and the 2L summer 2028-only positions.

Application materials should be submitted in PDF form and will be considered on a rolling basis.

 

Summer 'trackers’

Trackers coordinate work assignments and monitor the type, quality, and amount of work assigned to each summer associate. Summer associates are also encouraged to seek out assignments directly from senior associates and partners.

Supervising lawyers provide informal feedback to summer associates after each assignment and submit written formal evaluations to the office hiring committee. These evaluations become part of each summer associate's midsummer and final evaluations.

What we can offer you

  • Career development and training

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  • Global focus

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  • Pro Bono

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  • Globally recognized expertise and culture

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Benefits and wellbeing

We strive to create a workplace in which our people receive the resources they need to excel in their work and their everyday lives. That's why we offer a competitive remuneration and benefits package, including health and well-being, family, financial, and lifestyle benefits.

We are a global firm, and as such our benefits may differ according to office location. We effectively support the needs our people while taking into account their location. For specific details of benefits, please visit our Applicant Resource Hub.

Anchorage
Allie Erstad she/her/hers
Legal Recruiting Manager, allie.erstad@ashurstperkins.com

Austin
Deidre Sparks she/her/hers
Senior Legal Recruiting Manager, deidre.sparks@ashurstperkins.com

Bellevue
Allie Erstad she/her/hers
Legal Recruiting Manager, allie.erstad@ashurstperkins.com

Boise
Allie Erstad she/her/hers
Legal Recruiting Manager, allie.erstad@ashurstperkins.com

Chicago
Sarah Hayden she/her/hers
Legal Recruiting Manager, sarah.hayden@ashurstperkins.com

Dallas
Deidre Sparks she/her/hers
Senior Legal Recruiting Manager, deidre.sparks@ashurstperkins.com

Denver
Michelle Morris she/her/hers
Legal Recruiting Manager, michelle.morris@ashurstperkins.com

Los Angeles
Michelle Morris she/her/hers
Legal Recruiting Manager, michelle.morris@ashurstperkins.com

Madison
Sarah Hayden she/her/hers
Legal Recruiting Manager, sarah.hayden@ashurstperkins.com

New York
Tonya Gaskins she/her/hers
Senior Diversity Recruiting Manager, tonya.gaskins@ashurstperkins.com

Palo Alto
Deidre Sparks she/her/hers
Senior Legal Recruiting Manager, deidre.sparks@ashurstperkins.com

Phoenix
Michelle Morris she/her/hers
Legal Recruiting Manager, michelle.morris@ashurstperkins.com

Portland
Allie Erstad she/her/hers
Legal Recruiting Manager, allie.erstad@ashurstperkins.com

San Diego
Michelle Morris she/her/hers
Legal Recruiting Manager, michelle.morris@ashurstperkins.com

San Francisco
Deidre Sparks she/her/hers
Senior Legal Recruiting Manager, deidre.sparks@ashurstperkins.com

Seattle
Allie Erstad she/her/hers
Legal Recruiting Manager, allie.erstad@ashurstperkins.com

Washington, D.C.
Sarah Hayden she/her/hers
Legal Recruiting Manager, sarah.hayden@ashurstperkins.com

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Applicant Resource Hub

For answers to all of your FAQs and information on application and interview tips, the benefits we provide, life at Ashurst Perkins Coie, our L&D programs and our commitments to diversity, inclusion, and opportunity for all.

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Diversity, Inclusion & Opportunity

We have deep and enduring commitments to diversity, inclusion, and opportunity for all.

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Agencies

Agency submissions and candidate introductions will only be accepted with prior approval from a member of the Ashurst Perkins Coie Talent Acquisition team. To submit or introduce a candidate, an agency must have valid agreed terms of business in place with Ashurst Perkins Coie. Any agency submissions or candidate introductions made without prior approval or without the agreed terms of business in place will be considered invalid.