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Summer Associate Program
Based in our Milwaukee office, our Summer Associate Program serves as the cornerstone of our recruiting process and provides the Summer Associates with insights into practicing law at Reinhart. Through mentorships, social events and hands-on work experience, our program is designed to expose law students to our practice areas, attorneys, staff, culture and communities.
Interview Process
The interview process for 2L Summer Associate positions begins in late May. We will attend some on-campus interview events at the law schools and career fairs noted below, but we also encourage all interested candidates to directly submit their applications for consideration through the link below. Our interview process will include both virtual and in-person interview options.
Recruiting Schedule:
In addition to direct application through our website, which we encourage, we also typically partner with the schools and job fairs listed below. Information regarding OCI plans will be available via Symplicity or 12twenty. Please check with your career services office for additional information regarding application deadlines.
Chicago | Chicago-Kent | DePaul | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Loyola-Chicago | Marquette | Michigan | Michigan State | Minnesota | Northwestern | Notre Dame | Ohio State | Washington University | Wisconsin | Loyola Patent Law Interview Program | Cook County Bar Association Minority Job Fair
First Year Law Students
Reinhart offers opportunities for 1L students to join Reinhart’s Summer Associate Program. The students participate in our Summer Program like our 2L Summer Associates, working on projects offered by a variety of practice groups, attending social events, and taking part in practice activities. Summer associates are evaluated just like our 2Ls participating in the Summer Program, and this position can lead to an offer to join Reinhart’s Summer Associate Program the following summer.
Reinhart selects students from diverse backgrounds who have strong academic records, demonstrate a commitment to excellence, are personable and dedicated to providing truly excellent service to our clients.
Our Summer Associate Program is run exclusively out of our Milwaukee office.
We typically hire 10-12 Summer Associates, with four being first-year law students.
Salaries are competitive with other large firms and are reviewed on an annual basis. Current Summer Associate weekly pay is available on our NALP form.
Our Summer Associate Program is 9 weeks long and runs from mid-May to the end of July.
Yes, we are committed to making your move to Milwaukee as easy as possible. We provide housing options for you, including property/unit descriptions, costs and contact information.
In addition to administrative orientation, we conduct an ethics seminar, two writing seminars, a legal research training session and a DEI overview. In addition, each assignment is reviewed by the Summer Associate’s reader and the assigning attorney. The Summer Associate receives in-depth feedback on each assignment.
The Summer Program Chair will monitor your progress on an ongoing basis and conduct weekly assignment meetings. You will have an attorney “reader” to review all assignments and provide timely feedback. In addition, the assigning attorneys will review your work. We strive to provide “real-time” feedback on work so that you can take that feedback and incorporate it into future assignments. The summer provides significant opportunity for growth, and we are committed to helping you learn and grow as much as possible.
Each Summer Associate has a formal mid-summer review that discusses the Summer Associate’s progress and allows them to provide feedback on projects or opportunities they would like to have in the second half of the summer. The Hiring Partner, Program Chair and the Summer Associate’s reader all attend this meeting.
Yes. In addition to your reader, you are assigned a “buddy” who will function as an informal mentor. Your assigned buddy is typically a first- or second-year associate and has no input into hiring decisions.
Hiring decisions are communicated during your exit interview on the final day of the Summer Associate Program.
Work Experience
The Summer Program Chair oversees the Summer Associates and distributes work assignments in a group setting. This collaborative atmosphere helps establish rapport and fosters an open, supportive environment. Summer Associates typically receive a mix of work assignments from various departments, allowing them to explore multiple areas of interest and/or emphasize a particular practice area.
Mentorship Program
Shareholder “readers” are paired with Summer Associates to provide in-depth feedback and help refine their legal writing skills. In addition, junior associate “buddies” introduce Summer Associates to the firm and serve in an informal mentoring role. All Summer Associates receive midsummer reviews to gauge their progress and provide constructive feedback.
Summer Associate Social Activities
Reinhart balances the Summer Program’s hands-on work experience with many opportunities for social interaction and fun. We invite Summer Associates to participate in departmental outings and other activities to foster relationships and ensure a memorable summer. In the past, these have included an overnight retreat for Summer Associates and buddies, a tailgate and Brewers game, a Madison/Supreme Court visit, a Buddy Day and our Grand Finale Dinner.
Reinhart Bridges Program
We know that our clients benefit from solutions that reflect the integration of diverse experiences and perspectives, and we believe that our workplace is richer when it more closely reflects the makeup of our communities. Reinhart created the Bridges Program to promote access to opportunities for growth and development among candidates from diverse backgrounds. This series of initiatives and outreach reflects our commitment to building and sustaining greater diversity within our profession. Our goal is to provide resources and opportunities while simultaneously expanding our talent pipeline.
At Reinhart, we see possibilities in people
We are one of the nation’s 200 largest law firms, with more than a century of experience in complex legal work and delivering positive results for our clients. And while our history is rich, we know that our future success lies in the talented professionals who have yet to join our ranks.
That is why we invest so heavily in the Summer Associate Program, which serves as the cornerstone of our recruiting process. We make it a priority to mentor Summer Associates, introduce them to real-world experiences and support their development as attorneys.
As associates progress, we provide resources and guidance for their professional journeys. We believe that the best thinking comes from diverse perspectives, orientations and backgrounds, and we fully embrace a philosophy of inclusion. All are welcome in our quest to provide clients with exceptional and innovative legal solutions to their business needs.