Memorial Day has come and gone, and within the authorized occupation, that implies that summer season affiliate season is almost upon us. Quickly, scores of regulation college students will descend upon the most important companies throughout the nation to expertise the very best of what Biglaw has to supply. These companies spare no expense to impress their would-be associates with enjoyable instances — and enjoyable work, too.
However what issues most to summer season associates, and which companies did they like finest heading into the summer season?
The 2025 Summer time Associates Survey, performed by Law360 Pulse, consists of a lot of insights into the summer season affiliate world, and what appears to be on the prime of regulation college students’ minds is job safety. Similar to final 12 months, summer season associates stay extremely involved about not receiving a proposal, with 28% of survey respondents reporting that as their greatest fear. On the brilliant facet, that’s down from 37%, which was the priority stage on being no-offered Law360 logged in 2024.
College students are additionally fairly nervous about their potential to attach with colleagues and obtain acceptable mentoring (23%), in addition to their potential to handle their workload (23%). Whereas we all know it’s simpler stated than performed, regulation college students don’t have to be this anxious — you may be okay, and we’re pretty assured that the overwhelming majority of you’ll exit your summer season affiliate applications with a job provide in hand.
Now, earlier than we get to the “dream” agency rankings, let’s focus on the methodology utilized by Law360 Pulse. Legislation pupil survey respondents — made up of 55% 1Ls, 42% 2Ls, and about 3% 3Ls, part-time, or night college students — ranked companies by geography, variety of apply areas, agency repute, tradition, private match, billable hour expectations, partnership prospects, and alumni networks.
With out additional ado, listed here are the highest companies on the Prime 25 “Dream” Agency listing:
1. Kirkland: 76 mentions
2. Latham: 52 mentions
3. Sidley: 26 mentions
4. Holland & Knight: 24 mentions
5. Jones Day: 23 mentions
6. Morrison Foerster: 22 mentions
7. Skadden: 21 mentions
8. White & Case: 20 mentions
9. Gibson Dunn: 19 mentions
9. Greenberg Traurig: 19 mentions
9. Norton Rose: 19 mentions
9. Vinson & Elkins: 19 mentions
Click on here to see the complete listing.
Congratulations to the entire companies that earned the respect and appreciation of this season’s summer season associates. Better of luck to those regulation college students as they take the primary steps into their budding careers.
What Do Summer Associates Want? These Firms [Law360]
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Legislation, the place she’s labored since 2011. She’d love to listen to from you, so please be at liberty to email her with any suggestions, questions, feedback, or critiques. You possibly can observe her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or join together with her on LinkedIn.
