Law Student and Patent Engineers
Professional experience and personal satisfaction begin the first day you walk through the door.
Spending your summer with us means more than stacks of briefs and endless document review. It means exposure to cutting-edge legal issues and high-profile matters, connections and engagement, community service, professional development, camaraderie, leadership, and much more – all starting on day one.
To view current openings, click the Apply to Join Our Team button below.
Summering At Foley
We aim to introduce our summer associates to life as a Foley associate. Throughout the summer, you’ll receive real-world, practical experience; both informal feedback and formal reviews; networking opportunities with our attorneys and clients; and comprehensive mentoring and training.
Our summer program typically runs for 10 weeks, from May through July. During that time, we encourage you to explore a variety of practice areas and to get involved in pro bono projects. You’ll be doing real work, on real matters, for real clients.
Your summer will also include a multiday summer associate retreat in Chicago, IL. This event brings together all of our summer associates from across the firm and provides an opportunity to learn more about Foley, meet with firm leadership, connect with peers, and enjoy some of the sights in the Windy City.
2025 Summer Program By the Numbers
76
law students hosted
41
law schools represented
19
offices participated
10
weeks of programming
36
trainings offered
1,297
projects completed
As a summer associate, you’ll receive:
- Salary commensurate with our starting associate salary.
- A dedicated mentor who will provide you with guidance and support, and who is available to answer your questions and serve as a general sounding board.
- Dedicated summer program coordinators — attorneys who are charged with running the summer program and ensuring your successful integration into the firm.
- Firmwide, dedicated training programs and activities that introduce you to our culture, practice areas, and strategic goals to develop and strengthen your professional skills.
- Detailed and specific feedback on each of your projects, as well as formal reviews at the midpoint and end of the summer.
- Social events to help you meet a broader network of attorneys and business professionals and get to know the city in which you will launch your legal career.
- Travel expenses from/to law school.
Foley Fellowship
Open to all, Foley’s Fellowship program is awarded during 2L summer, providing a $50,000 fellowship to law students who demonstrate, through a written personal statement, how they would contribute to the diversity of perspectives at the firm. Each fellow receives a weekly salary throughout the 10-week program, plus a $50,000 fellowship, which is paid in two installments: $20,000 following successful completion of our 2027 Summer Associate Program, and $30,000 within 30 days of joining Foley as an Associate/Law Graduate.
Hear From Our People
Our popular podcast, The Path & The Practice, highlights the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives our attorneys bring to the practice of law. Each episode shares touching personal and professional stories in the guest’s own words. Take time to listen to a few, and enjoy learning things about our attorneys that you won’t find on their professional bios!
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to learn more about joining Foley? Here are answers to some of the questions we hear the most. If you don’t find the information you need, please reach out to the recruitment contact listed for the office you’re applying to.
A. Candidates can apply through our Careers Page by selecting a practice group that aligns with their interests. If applying for multiple positions, separate applications are required. Applicants are asked to rank their top three office preferences and upload a resume, cover letter, undergraduate transcript, and a current law school transcript when it becomes available. Updates to the application can be made using the link in the confirmation email that is sent upon application submission; in case of technical issues, applicants should contact Legal Recruiting Assistant, Holly Yeager, and include updated materials.
A. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Callback interviews are typically conducted in-person, and last about 3-3.5 hours, though timing may vary by office. Due to the high volume of applications, status inquiries cannot be accommodated, but candidates facing offer deadlines from other employers should contact the recruiter for the office to which they applied.
A. Yes, the Foley Fellowship Program is awarded during the 2L summer and provides a $50,000 fellowship to students who demonstrate, through a personal statement, how they would contribute to diversity of perspectives at the firm. Fellows participate in the 10-week Summer Associate Program. To apply for the Foley Fellowship, please click here.
A. The program runs for 10 weeks, typically from mid-May through late July, and is conducted in-person. It offers opportunities to work on substantive assignments through an open-market system, participate in professional development sessions such as Foley Academy trainings and legal writing workshops, and networking opportunities including local office events and a firmwide summer associate retreat.
A. Summer associates receive a wide range of assignments, including real client work through the open-market system as well as and pro bono matters, which the firm strongly encourages. Typical assignments may involve legal research, drafting documents, attending depositions, interviewing inventors for patent applications, and shadowing attorneys during hearings or client meetings. Assignments are selected by summer associates based on their interests, and are evaluated by supervising attorneys, with feedback provided throughout the process.
A. Yes, formal feedback is provided during mid-summer and end-of-summer meetings and supplemented by ongoing informal feedback from supervising attorneys and mentors.
A. Summer associates have access to Foley Academy training sessions on legal research, writing, technology tools, and professional responsibility. Additional resources include workshops to strengthen core skills, panels with firm leaders, and guidance for long-term growth such as career development and Bar exam application support.
A. Yes, the open-market assignment system allows summer associates to select projects across multiple practice areas. While most work is tied to the assigned office, collaboration with attorneys in other offices is common.
A. Summer associates receive a salary of $225,000 per year, pro-rated for the 10-week duration. This temporary role is not eligible for benefits.
A. Applicants should contact the Legal Recruiting contact for their applied office. To figure out who the contact is for your office, please see below the list of contacts.
Recruiting Contacts
- Kasey Alarcon
- Firmwide
- Shanti Muddappa
- Intellectual Property
- Denver, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Silicon Valley
- Lindsay Butts
- Boston, Jacksonville, Miami, New York, Orlando, Raleigh, Tallahassee, Tampa, Washington, D.C.
- Sarah Kastelic
- Chicago & Detroit
- Kerri Klippel
- Madison & Milwaukee
- Courtney DeWilde
- Austin, Dallas, Houston, Nashville
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