Highlights
Our fundamental goal is to provide you with the highest-quality training, early responsibility, and the opportunity to work on challenging and cutting-edge matters in a collaborative and friendly environment where people genuinely get along.
What does Willkie offer you?
- A friendly, collaborative and supportive culture.
- Top-notch training and the opportunity to tackle complex legal problems for a range of sophisticated clients.
- An inclusive environment in which we celebrate diversity in all forms.
- The opportunity to make a positive difference in the world through our award-winning pro bono program.
About Us
We have a well-deserved reputation for our friendly, open-door culture and work hard to maintain that atmosphere. In the latest Vault rankings, Willkie has been ranked among the top 10 best firms to work for and best summer associate programs.
Our Market-Leading Practices
With our New York roots and strong U.S. presence we are one of the preeminent firms in North America. We provide our clients with assistance across all of our practice areas, and call upon our network of European offices when cross-border support is needed. Keep up with our latest news here.
Our Diverse Backgrounds
We actively work to recruit, retain and promote people of all backgrounds and cultural experiences. Our clients, many of whom conduct business on a global scale, expect a workforce as diverse as today’s global marketplace, making for a stronger team that is more adept at creative problem-solving.
The Diversity and Inclusion Committee is involved in summer law clerk orientation, takes an active role in mentoring, hosts several summer events, and seeks to involve summer law clerks in our affinity groups and broader diversity and inclusiveness program.
Our Women’s Professional Development Committee (WPDC) also participates actively in the summer program. The WPDC typically hosts a networking event for summer law clerks, participates in mentoring, and includes summer law clerks in ongoing programming.
We reinforce all of this effort through partnerships with law-school affinity groups including sponsoring receptions, career nights, mock interview programs, moot court competitions, and seminars with these groups.
Our Commitment to Helping Others
Willkie has a long-standing commitment to serving the underprivileged and promoting social justice, evidenced by the myriad awards and recognitions our firm and lawyers have received.
The firm has partnered with organizations on numerous pro bono efforts that address many of today’s most critical issues, including transgender rights, religious freedoms, gender, disabilities, ethnicity and social mobility. Some of our notable recent representations have addressed issues ranging from reproductive rights in minority communities to voting rights for Texas residents. Our firm has also undertaken a number of initiatives to support our communities and help those impacted by the COVID-19 virus.
Willkie is a signatory to the Pro Bono Institute’s Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® and the Pro Bono Declaration for the Americas. Additionally, Willkie is a member of the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA), in which we have pledged to contribute significant pro bono resources in a coordinated private/public sector effort to identify and dismantle structural or systemic racism in the law.
Our Commitment to You
Our culture emphasizes giving associates real responsibility from the outset – which we think provides the best professional development opportunities. From day one, you will have the opportunity to take on substantive work and contribute to real results, gaining meaningful experience that will help propel you in your career.
You will also have access to a wide array of exceptional training, professional development and mentoring programs, all of which will help you further integrate into the firm and support you in reaching your fullest potential.
Mentoring and Summer Integration Groups
On the first day of your Summer Associate orientation, you will be assigned to a mentor group, consisting of partners, counsel and associates. This will give you the opportunity for frequent touch points to stay connected, meet people in various practice groups, and socialize with a few individuals in a small-group setting, all while learning more about the firm.
In addition, you will be assigned to a slightly larger Summer Integration Group or SIG, also comprised of partners, associates and other summer associates. Your SIGs will meet weekly, offering a forum to discuss your workload, trainings, professional development opportunities and the intricacies of the summer program. This is also a place where you can share your department and assignment interests.
As you advance in your career, there will be ample opportunities for continued mentoring, both formal and informal. Learn more about our programs here
Training and Professional Development Opportunities
You will be presented with myriad training and professional development opportunities from day one. As a summer associate, you will have the opportunity to take part in interactive workshops that will expose you to the firm’s departments and practice areas, as well as fundamental skills-focused training seminars. We bring all first-year associates back together mid-way through their first year for seminars and workshops focused on business acumen and professional skills, and offer more sophisticated training on these topics for mid-level and senior associates. The Firm’s training programs are designed to help develop well-rounded, highly competent attorneys at every level. Learn more here.
Firm Sponsored Social Activities
During the summers, you will have plenty of opportunities to get to know us and the other summer associates. Willkie offers a wide range of social activities during the summer to experience the best of what each city has to offer. Some of the summer highlights have been Sunset Sailing Cruises, Museum Tours, Baseball Games, Concerts, Cooking Classes, Ping Pong Tournaments, Magic Shows and Trivia Nights.