United States
Located in eight major cities across the country — Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Palo Alto, Washington, D.C. and Wilmington — our U.S.-based attorneys advise our clients on many of their most important and complex matters.
Our attorneys across our corporate, litigation and regulatory practices work together to advise on industry-specific matters, focusing on issues unique to each sector, including accounting, communications, energy and infrastructure, environmental, health care, insurance, media and entertainment, and real estate.
Explore Opportunities
At Skadden, you will have the opportunity to carve your path. Our attorneys work on the world’s most complex matters — the types of deals and cases that make headlines, move markets and shape the law. Known for our innovative approach, we work together as a team to deliver the highest-quality advice and best outcomes for our clients.
Our Summer Associate Program — one of the most comprehensive available — is a direct pathway to a career at Skadden. As a summer associate, you will learn firsthand about our extensive range of practices and have access to a wide array of resources to support your professional growth.
Applications for our 2026 and 2027 summer programs are open! Learn more about the application process and what it means to carve your path as a summer associate at Skadden.
Program Overview
As a summer associate at Skadden, you will gain an inside view of what it is like to practice at the firm. Highlights include:
Substantive, Hands-On Work Experience: Summer associates at Skadden gain experience comparable to that of our junior associates, including attending client meetings, traveling to client locations and assisting senior attorneys on matters. For corporate projects, summer associates can expect exposure to drafting and negotiation sessions, while those working on litigation matters will gain familiarity with depositions and court proceedings. Nearly all of our summer associates also work on pro bono matters. In 2025, our summer associates contributed more than 4,500 hours working on more than 200 pro bono matters.
Personalized Mentorship: To ensure personalized attention and support, summer associates are paired with mentors. You will receive informal feedback on your everyday work, as well as formal feedback during mid-summer and exit meetings. Summer associates also have the opportunity to complete self-assessments and optional upward reviews.
Extensive Training: From the moment you join Skadden, we are committed to promoting your growth and career advancement. Summer associates work in different areas of law, strengthening lawyering skills and gaining insight into the firm in general. The training received during the summer lays the foundation for Skadden’s professional development efforts. Examples of workshops and presentations that may be offered over the summer include:
- Contract writing
- Writing strategies
- M&A negotiation workshop
- Banking training
- Complex litigation & trials training
- Capital markets workshop
- Practice area presentations
- Financial literacy
- Research and knowledge management
- Writing strategies and coaching
- Collaboration and communication
Opportunities to Build Connections: We hold numerous social events to help you become acquainted with your fellow summer associates and attorneys at the firm. In addition, in some offices, summer associates share office space with practicing lawyers, which offers additional opportunities to meet colleagues and also fosters professional development.
A Global Platform: Our attorneys work across 21 interconnected offices around the world. Given our global platform, we typically accommodate requests for splitting summers between two offices.
Summer Program Locations: Full summer associate programs are offered in Boston, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, Palo Alto, Tokyo, Toronto, Washington, D.C. and Wilmington.
Salary: The annual salary for this position is expected to be $225,000. Summer associates are paid on a semi-monthly basis during employment. Visit Associate Salary Information for compensation details.
While Skadden’s new associate class primarily consists of its prior summer associates, we recruit third-year law students and LL.M. students for post-graduate employment for specific practice areas. Students may register to interview through their schools’ career services office if we are participating in one of their interview programs, or applications may be submitted directly to us online. Applications should include a resume, transcript and cover letter indicating the practice area(s) of interest indicating the preferred office location and practice area(s) of interest.
When new associates join the firm, they typically attend a retreat in New York and participate in our full-time Associates’ Comprehensive Education (ACE) program, which provides Skadden-specific legal- and business-skills training across the firm’s practice areas as well as a multi-session writing course. At the conclusion of the program, the new associates join their practice areas.
Learn more about professional development opportunities and attorney benefits at Skadden. The starting base salary for this position is expected to be $225,000 annually. Actual salary will be determined based on prior legal experience and other job-related factors, consistent with applicable law. Visit Associate Salary Information for compensation details.
Former judicial clerks play a vital role throughout the firm, particularly in our litigation-based practices, which consistently rank among the best in the industry.
Our litigators are based in our offices across the world and represent clients in federal and state trial and appellate courts, before administrative tribunals, and in arbitrations, mediations and other dispute resolution procedures. We frequently are involved in the most complex cases, handling high-profile matters across a broad range of litigation disciplines.
At Skadden, we recognize and highly value the practical experience judicial clerks gain from working within the court system and closely with their judges. As a result, we’ve recruited and hired judicial clerks from the U.S. Supreme Court, every federal appellate court and many federal district courts throughout the country, as well as from the highest appellate court in various states.
The starting base salary for this position is expected to be between $225,000 to $260,000 annually. Actual salary will be determined based on prior legal experience and other job-related factors, consistent with applicable law. Associates who clerk for one year are treated as members of their graduating classes for seniority and salary purposes. Those who clerk more than one year or have prior experience are treated on a case-by-case basis. Skadden also provides a starting bonus for judicial clerks. Visit Associate Salary Information for compensation details.
In addition to supporting summer associates who wish to pursue clerkships before joining the firm as associates, we actively recruit judicial clerks who did not participate in our Summer Associate Program. Those clerks should apply directly using our online application. Candidates should include a transcript, resume and letter indicating the office location and practice area(s) in which they are interested.
Learn more about professional development opportunities and attorney compensation and benefits at Skadden.
Why Skadden?
Hear from attorneys and summer associates on the most meaningful aspects of our programs, initiatives we undertake to support our attorneys and promote our core values, and what drove candidates to ultimately choose Skadden.
Frequently Asked Questions
Applications for our Summer Associate Program are now open!
- 2026 1L Summer Associate Program: The following offices are currently accepting applications for summer 2026 from 1L candidates only: Chicago, Houston, Palo Alto and Toronto. Combined offers will be extended for both the 2026 and 2027 summer for these offices.
- 2027 2L Summer Associate Program: The following offices are currently accepting applications for summer 2027: Boston, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, Tokyo, Washington, D.C., and Wilmington. Current 1Ls are welcome to apply.
While clerks are welcome to apply year-round, clerks interested in joining the firm in the fall should apply in the winter prior.
Associates who clerk for one year are treated as members of their graduating classes for seniority and salary purposes. Those who clerk more than one year or have prior experience are treated on a case-by-case basis. Skadden also provides a starting bonus for judicial clerks.
While Skadden’s new associate class primarily consists of its prior summer associates, we recruit third-year law students and LL.M. students for post-graduate employment for specific practice areas. Students may register to interview through their schools’ career services office if we are participating in one of their interview programs, or applications may be submitted directly online.
Contact Us
Contact a recruiter if you have a question about the application process or if you are interested in learning more about a specific opportunity.
Chicago
Chicago, IL 60606
Houston
Houston, TX 77002
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA 90067
New York
New York, NY 10001
New York
New York, NY 10001
Washington, D.C.
Washington, DC 20005
Wilmington
920 N. King St.
Wilmington, DE 19801