Summer Associates

Covington & Burling Owns the Summer

By  
on

We have chronicled Biglaw firms that are taking drastic measures to reduce the money they spend on summer associates and recruiting. This spring, McDermott Will & Emery cut salaries of its summer associates. This week, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius canceled its entire 2010 summer program. And, in between, current summer associates and future summer associates have suffered all kinds of indignities.
But folks at Covington & Burling must be happier than a nerd in a library. The firm reached the Final Four in our Safest Firm tournament this past March. Now it’s telling current summer associates that the firm’s strong finish was no fluke.
After the jump, let’s all be jealous of the good fortune of those working at Covington & Burling.


Covington sent around a memo to all of its summer associates, assuring them that it’s a great thing to work at Covington. First, the firm acknowledged the financial struggles seen throughout the legal industry:

Some firms have recently announced that their current summer associates will only be eligible for offers with start-dates deferred until 2011. Other firms are limiting their fall on-campus interview programs and their summer programs. In light of these events, we thought it would be appropriate to reiterate Covington’s plans for summer offers and fall recruiting.

Sure, it’s bad all over. But at Covington & Burling, the future is so bright, they have to wear shades:

We have no plans to defer start dates. Offers to our current summer class will be for employment for the fall following graduation from law school for those not clerking, or following the completion of a judicial clerkship.

If you want to work at Covington next summer, they’ll still be coming to a law school campus near you:

With respect to fall recruiting and next year’s summer program, we are planning to pursue a typically robust schedule of on-campus interviews in anticipation of conducting our customary summer associate programs in the firm’s U.S. offices.

Naturally, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to speak with any of the members of the Management Committee, our hiring partners or summer program co-chairs.

Sponsored

Covington & Burling summers sit at the head of the class.
Earlier: Salary Cut Watch: Summers at McDermott Get Pinched
Morgan Lewis Cancels 2010 Summer Program
ATL March Madness for Law Firms, Round 4: The Final Four

Sponsored

Topics