The Summer Experience

The Summer Associate Program is an 8 week long training ground and an opportunity for law students to learn about our Firm while performing real legal work. We review each summer associate on his or her abilities and demonstrated growth throughout the summer. We select the number of summer associates for our program that is consistent with our anticipated entry-level attorney needs.

Assignments

Projects are distributed with a view toward providing each summer associate exposure to various substantive areas. We strive to balance the workload among the summer associate class and to provide exposure to areas of particular interest to each summer associate. While a large part of your time will entail research and writing, you will have the opportunity to attend hearings, trials, depositions, closings, negotiations, client meetings and the like.

Mentors & Feedback

You will have a mentor who will monitor your progress, provide advice, and be available to answer any questions. In addition to your mentor, feedback is provided by each attorney who assigns you work. You will receive two formal evaluations of your progress: one at the mid-point and one at the end of the summer.

Social Events

Work is not our only interest! During the summer we want you to enjoy participating in social events with each other and with members of the Firm. Some of the events include Orioles games at Camden Yards, an Inner Harbor boat cruise, bowling tournaments, golf lessons, a feast on Maryland crabs, and the Firm's Summer Picnic. We also arrange a lunch speaker series featuring trial and appellate judges.

Summer Associate Salary

During the Summer of 2009, summer associates were paid $1,920 per week. The Firm will pay all fees and expenses related to Bar Review courses, Bar Exams and Bar Applications for any summer associate who receives and accepts an offer for an entry-level associate position.

WTP offers a compensation package that is competitive in the marketplace. In addition, we offer associates an opportunity to earn an array of performance and discretionary based bonuses. Benefit packages for entry-level associates are described in "Associate Life."

Judicial Clerkships

Whiteford, Taylor & Preston is supportive of judicial clerkships for prospective associates who have participated in the Firm's Summer Associate Program. It is expected that prospective associates will notify and consult with the Firm regarding their interest in applying for and accepting a judicial clerkship. It is the Firm's policy to hold open an offer for an associate position made at the end of the Firm's Summer Associate Program to a prospective associate who has accepted or intends to accept a judicial clerkship (for a length of up to two (2) years), provided that such individual accepts the Firm's offer no later than November 1 of the year in which the offer was given. The Firm retains the right to rescind any offer made to a prospective associate who has accepted a judicial clerkship if the judicial clerkship is not completed or is otherwise performed in a less than satisfactory manner.