Summer Program
Our summer program immerses you in the life of a Cleary associate.
From day one, you will work alongside our lawyers on complex matters, build lasting connections, and discover where your career can take you. We host summer programs at our offices in New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Washington, D.C.
Cleary U.S. Summer Opportunities
The application period for 1L students for the 2026 and 2027 summer programs has concluded.
To sign up to be notified about future Summer Associate opportunities, please register here.
U.S. Summer Program Events
Training and Development | Mentoring | Work Assignments | Overseas Rotation | Frequently Asked Questions
Training and Development
Cleary Gottlieb Summer Academy (CGSA) is a two-week intensive training and onboarding curriculum designed to support seamless integration for all summer associates. The program emphasizes skills-based development and firm education and offers a comprehensive array of training opportunities, including:
- Corporate Training
- Introduction to Cleary’s corporate practice; gives an understanding of the Firm’s transactional practice areas and the skills required to succeed.
- Litigation Training
- Introduction to Cleary’s litigation practice, including writing and research, nuts and bolts of legal research, filings and submissions, and taking depositions in a hybrid environment.
- Cleary Core Skills
- A roadmap to practical professional skills, led by our attorney development team, including managing workflow, communicating effectively with clients, and building leadership skills.
- Practice Group Presentations
- Partner and associate led overviews of practice areas, our clients, and day-to-day work.
- Who’s Who on Wall Street
- An overview of key players in the financial landscape that you may encounter during your deals.
- Technology Trainings
- AI @ Cleary
- Effective Communication
- Email Management
- Microsoft Office
- Professional Skills and Development
- Firm Metrics & Client Service
- Time Management
- Your Impact on Others
- Professional Brand & Presence
- Additional Development
- Comprehensive in-house miniMBA program designed to familiarize lawyers with a range of business and financial topics
- Internal online learning tools and resources, including hundreds of training modules with forms, deal outlines, and case summaries
- Access to external programs and CLE courses that will further your development as a lawyer
Mentoring
Mentoring is considered a cornerstone of legal practice at Cleary. In addition to mentoring our lawyers to develop technical legal skills, we are committed to mentoring our lawyers to develop into world-class international lawyers.
- Summer associates are provided with multiple levels of mentorship during the Summer Program, including junior associate ‘siblings,’ mid-level associates who are members of the Summer Program Committee and senior lawyer mentors. In addition, each summer associate is mentored by one of our Summer Program Co-Chairs, who monitors the summer associate’s experience and progress over the course of the summer.
- In our corporate and litigation groups, individual mentoring is complemented by group mentoring in our Attorney Development Teams, which brings partners, senior lawyers, and associates across a range of seniority together for bonding, socializing, and substantive conversations around critical topics for career development.
- All of our associates are assigned senior lawyer mentors who meet 1:1 with our associates.
- Our first year corporate transaction associates enjoy our Corporate Associates Foundation Initiative, a program to bring group mentoring, partner mentors, trainings on vital topics and social events geared towards building relationships to our new class of corporate associates to integrate into the firm.
- Most of our practice groups offer Office Hours – time to meet with senior lawyers to ask questions and discuss the latest goings on.
Work Assignments
Summer associates may request assignments from among all of our practice groups and can try their hand at a wide variety of pro bono work. Work is assigned based on your practice area preferences and the current needs of our clients. Since there are no formal rotations, you may explore different practices without being required to rotate among groups. You will receive detailed reports on your performance in the middle and at the end of the summer, as well as informal assessments from associates and senior lawyers throughout your time working with them. There are opportunities for summers to participate in a two-week internship program at a leading investment bank or public interest organization.
Overseas Rotation
We offer summer associates the opportunity to spend four weeks during the summer in one of our overseas offices, provided that it is safe to do so. One of the goals of our overseas rotation program is to allow summer associates a chance to experience the work of our overseas offices and assess the possibility of a future rotation. Summer associates can express their interest in spending time abroad, and placements are made based on the needs of each overseas office as well as language ability and practice area interest, among other factors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Recruiting:
When do summer associate applications open?
- We anticipate applications will open on November 1.
Does Cleary have a minimum GPA or other requirements?
- Hiring decisions are based on many factors, including, but not limited to, prior work experience, outstanding judgment, interpersonal skills, and demonstrated high academic performance in legal and undergraduate studies. We do not rely primarily on a minimum GPA requirement.
Are applications reviewed on a rolling basis?
- Yes.
How do I update my application materials?
- Use the link in your confirmation email to update your materials at any time.
Are interviews conducted virtually or in person?
- Screener interviews are virtual. If you receive a callback, you can choose to interview virtually or in person.
What is the format of a callback interview?
- You’ll meet with four attorneys, each for 30-minutes, with a possible 15-minute break after the first two. Virtual callbacks can be scheduled across multiple days, if needed.
What expenses does the firm reimburse for in-person callbacks?
- We reimburse all reasonable travel, meal, and hotel expenses. Our in-house travel department can help you with arrangements.
How does expense reimbursement work if I’m visiting multiple firms?
- Book your travel and hotel through your designated “host” firm, which will coordinate billing with the other firms you visit. Keep receipts for any additional costs (e.g., taxis, meals, parking) and submit them with the NALP Travel Expense Reimbursement Form to your host firm.
When can I expect to hear back after my interview?
- We aim to provide decisions as quickly as possible. Because we are a consensus-based firm, we solicit and value feedback from all attorneys who meet with you before making an offer decision. This process may take up to two weeks.
- If you applied for a 1L + 2L position and do not receive a dual offer, you will automatically be considered for a 2L offer.
What if I still have questions after I receive an offer?
- You are welcome to schedule an in-person or virtual second visit to meet additional attorneys and follow up on any outstanding questions. We are also happy to provide contact information for partners and associates, and you can always contact the Legal Recruiting team with questions.
Summer Program:
How long is the Summer Program?
- 10 weeks.
Which offices have formal Summer Programs?
- New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Each office hires summer associates directly.
What is the salary for a summer associate?
- U.S. summer associates are compensated on a prorated first-year associate salary, currently $225,000.
What kind of work will I do during my summer?
- You’ll work across all of Cleary’s practice areas. There are no formal rotations, and you’re not locked into one group. You choose the areas you want to explore and request assignments based on your interests. Expect to contribute to high-profile deals, depositions, international transactions, pro bono matters, and more.
How are summer associates staffed?
- Cleary uses a centralized staffing system. Our Attorney Development Managers assign work to summer associates based on practice area preferences and current client needs.
Can summer associates work on pro bono assignments in addition to billable work?
- Absolutely. You are strongly encouraged to take on pro-bono matters. In addition to the valuable hands-on experience, your pro-bono hours count toward bar admission requirements.
Can I do a rotation at one of Cleary’s international offices?
- Yes. You may spend up to four weeks working in one of our international offices. Broaden your perspective, build cross-border experience, and explore a new city. Express your interest in the spring before the program begins. Placements are based on the needs of each office, language ability, and practice-area interests, among other factors.
Can I split my summer between Cleary’s U.S. offices?
- Yes, provided that you interviewed with and received an offer from both offices during the recruiting process.
What is the policy on splitting the summer with another organization?
- You may split your summer with another firm or organization. You must start on Cleary’s start date and spend at least seven consecutive weeks at the firm.
What training opportunities are available to summer associates?
- The Cleary Gottlieb Summer Academy (CGSA) is a two-week intensive onboarding program designed to help you hit the ground running. The curriculum blends skills-based training with firm education, covering corporate and litigation, core skills, practice group presentations, technology, and professional development.
What mentorship is available during the Summer Program?
- You’ll have multiple levels of mentorship during the summer, including junior associate “siblings,” mid-level associate members of the Summer Program Committee, and senior lawyer mentors. You’ll also be paired with a Summer Program Co-Chair, who monitors your experience and progress over the course of the summer.
What social events does Cleary offer over the summer?
- From day trips and outdoor excursions to sporting events, live entertainment, cultural outings, and partner-hosted lunches and dinners, there’s no shortage of ways to connect with your colleagues, peers, and firm lawyers outside the office.
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