Akin's summer associate program is an important part of our hiring process and we expect to fill our first-year associate positions from the ranks of our summer associates. Although we encourage students to spend the entire summer program with us, we do consider split summers for 2L summer associates on a case by case basis. Akin Gump offers 10 week summer programs in our Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. offices.

Akin offers a Summer Pro Bono Scholars Program, a two-summer program for top law students who show a strong interest in making pro bono an integral part of their Akin careers. The Pro Bono Scholars are first year law students who work both at the firm and at a public interest organization during the summer. The following year as second year law students, the Pro Bono Scholars take part in the firm’s regular summer associate program.

The Strauss Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship Program provides top first year law students with the opportunity to work in the legal industry and engage in diversity and inclusion efforts.  The program spans two summers, with the Strauss Diversity & Inclusion Scholars working both at the firm and at a firm client during the first summer (as rising 2Ls).  The next summer (rising third year), the Strauss Diversity & Inclusion Scholars join the firm as participants in the firm’s general summer associate program. In recent years, the firm expanded the Strauss Diversity & Inclusion Scholars Program to include practice-specific diversity & inclusion scholarship programs: Financial Restructuring (Bankruptcy) Diversity & Inclusion Scholars Program, Corporate Diversity & Inclusion Scholars Program, and Intellectual Property Diversity & Inclusion Scholars Program.

We select our participants each year from among many highly qualified candidates. High academic achievement, extra-curricular activities (Law Review, Moot Court, other journals), initiative and strong motivation are the criteria we consider. We also look for other indicators of likely success such as demonstrated leadership skills, strong interpersonal skills, good judgment, willingness to assume responsibility, maturity, non-academic experience, and the ability to work well with others. The Intellectual Property practice of Akin Gump’s Philadelphia office seeks candidates who have earned advanced degrees in the Life Sciences (e.g., Biology, Chemistry, Immunology, Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, etc.).

Loyola PLIP, Lavender Law

The firm’s Pro Bono Scholars Program and the Strauss Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship Program require a personal statement as part of application materials.