2026 Summer Program Opportunities – 2L | McDermott Will & Emery
Build your big career with the Firm that does Big Law, Better. McDermott Will & Emery is a leading global law firm that brings together more than 1,400 lawyers and 1,200 business professionals. We celebrate excellence, collaboration and community and have been recognized as a top workplace by USA Today, Fortune, The American Lawyer, Vault and the Human Rights Campaign, among others.
At McDermott, we don’t just invest in your future, we accelerate your career – wherever it may lead. That includes supporting you both in and outside of the office, through personalized guidance, structured mentorship, and confidential career coaching.
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McDermott Will & Emery is seeking 2L summer associates to join us for our 10-week 2026 Summer Associate Program. Our program offers summer associates a realistic introduction to the practice of law and day-to-day life as a McDermott associate. The summer associate program provides meaningful responsibility and feedback that is consistent with a junior associate experience.
As part of the application and interview process, applicants are asked to indicate their primary practice area(s) of interest. Throughout the summer program, associates will primarily receive assignments from their designated practice area but will also have the opportunity to explore assignments from other groups. With the exception of our Intellectual Property group, McDermott does not hire summer associates into specific practice areas. However, our first-year associates are placed into practice areas. Therefore, we seek to align summer associates’ general practice interests with local office practice representation.
In 2026, we will host formal summer programs in our Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC offices. Below is an overview of the general practice areas which we expect to place our 2026 summer class in as first year associates.
Chicago: Antitrust & Competition, Corporate Advisory (Finance, M&A/Private Equity, Real Estate, Restructuring), Employment Litigation, Health & Life Sciences, Litigation, Privacy & Cybersecurity, Private Client (Trusts & Estates), U.S. & International Tax
Applicants are asked to submit the following materials:
2026 Summer Associates will receive weekly compensation of $4,325, less applicable taxes and withholdings.
As part of McDermott’s longstanding commitment to promoting a more equitable & inclusive law firm, we are proud to offer our 2L Inclusion Fellowship Program. The fellowship is in addition to the opportunities offered to our summer associates, which include substantive work experience, extensive training and development opportunities, mentoring, networking and social events.
2026 Inclusion Fellows will receive a $25,000 stipend, less applicable taxes and withholdings. Half of the stipend will be paid out upon completion of the 2026 Summer Program and the remaining half will be paid out upon joining McDermott as a full-time associate.
Eligibility & Application Process
The 2L Inclusion Fellowship is open to all second-year law students that apply and will be awarded on a competitive basis.
To be considered, the candidate must:
