Your Career at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

Discover Fried Frank

As a summer associate at Fried Frank, you will work at a global law firm that offers cutting-edge legal experience alongside valuable training and mentorship programs. Our clientbase comprises the world’s largest investment banks and financial institutions, Fortune 500 companies and other multinational industry leaders.

Fried Frank is committed to supporting its attorneys as they develop their legal skills and build their careers, and that commitment begins with our summer associates. The summer program is our primary tool for recruiting talented attorneys who will thrive at Fried Frank. Our goal is for each summer associate to receive and accept an offer of permanent employment.

Uncovering Your Own Path

The summer program at Fried Frank is built on the importance of experiencing different aspects of Firm life. Summer associates are encouraged to explore a variety of practice areas as they receive assignments from an array of departments. Fried Frank encourages summer associates to take advantage of their time at the Firm to figure out what area(s) most interest them. No matter the area of focus, we are committed to giving summer associates client interaction and the opportunity to play an active role in the market-leading matters regularly handled by Fried Frank attorneys. 

We want our summer associates to leave with a true understanding of what it’s like to work at Fried Frank. Our summer associates take on significant responsibility and meaningful and varied work assignments typically given to first- and second-year associates. Summer associates also become familiar with the firm’s culture by attending departmental, practice group and associate meetings.

Practicing law at Fried Frank is more than sitting behind a desk—our summer associates are encouraged to get out of the office. Summer associates are offered opportunities to shadow Fried Frank partners and see the best in the industry in action. They frequently attend court appearances, depositions, witness preparation sessions, client meetings, negotiation sessions and corporate closings with Fried Frank attorneys.

Put Some Service into Your Summer

Public service is an essential part of our practice at Fried Frank. Summer associates are offered a variety of public interest projects to choose from. Some of the dynamic organizations and programs that we work with include:

• Sanctuary for Families’ Court Room Advocates Project (CAP)
• Volunteers of Legal Service Training Program (VOLS)
• Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
• Human Rights First
• National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (NLCHP)

In addition, a few summer associates have the chance to travel to Texas for 1-2 weeks to work with the Pro Bono Asylum Representation project (through the American Bar Association), or serve as externs at public interest organizations such as the Legal Aid Society, the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Center for Reproductive Rights and Brooklyn Legal Services.

Emphasis on Learning and Mentoring

Above all, your time as a summer associate at Fried Frank is a learning experience, and our attorneys are there to provide guidance and support along the way. Each summer associate is paired with three mentors: a partner and two associates. These mentors help summer associates navigate their way at Fried Frank. In addition, summer associates build their legal skills and take advantage of informal mentoring opportunities by working alongside Fried Frank attorneys in multidisciplinary teams.

Fried Frank believes in transparency when it comes to performance evaluations. Not only do summer associates receive informal verbal feedback throughout the summer, but they also receive two performance reviews, one in the middle of the summer and one at the end of the summer. These reviews are based on evaluations from attorneys who supervise the summer associates’ work.

While gaining legal experience is critical, we also encourage our summer associates to learn as much as they can about the firm and its culture. Summer associates participate in an in-depth orientation upon their arrival at the firm in May, followed by several training programs and in-house seminars conducted by partners, associates and alumni.

Social Engagements

Summer associates also have ample opportunities to get to know our partners, counsel and associates through an active schedule of social events. Our 2012 summer associates in New York City participated in activities including a tour of One World Trade Center, a tour of the MoMA followed by dinner at the museum, Theatre Night at Imperial Theatre and a bowling event. Our DC-based summer associates participated in events including a Nationals baseball game, a wine-tasting, Casino Night and hiking in Catoctin Mountain Park. Summer associates also have opportunities to learn more about Fried Frank and its attorneys through informal lunches and dinners at some of the most acclaimed restaurants in Manhattan and Washington, DC.

To read more about a career at Fried Frank, please click here.