Careers

Our 2028 summer associate program is open to students who will have completed their second year of law school by that summer.  Applications will be processed in accordance with the firm’s posted recruiting schedule.

The Hiring Committee meets as quickly as possible after the completion of each school’s screening interviews to identify those applicants the firm wishes to invite for additional interviews.  Once callback decisions have been made, the screening interviewer will contact you to extend an invitation to interview with more of our lawyers. Callback interviews for summer associate positions usually consist of virtual or in-person meetings with five to six lawyers.

For any questions about summer associate hiring, please email [email protected].

Our associates have some wonderful things to say about us.  Recent quotes in Vault surveys include:

Firm Culture

• “The small teams and the fact that everyone is located in the same office contribute to developing close professional and personal relationships with your coworkers.”
• “The work is topnotch, the environment is pleasant, and the people are both brilliant and friendly.  It’s hard to imagine a better place to litigate.”
• “Partners and senior associates genuinely care about getting opportunities for younger lawyers…there is no sense of scarcity/competition for substantive, interesting work.”

Hiring Process

• “The firm is looking for someone with great credentials, but great credentials are not enough… Because we get all our partners from within, the goal is to find associates who we can imagine as future partners at the firm.

Associate/Partner Relations

• “I have found partners to be very supportive and willing to ‘get in the trenches’ on the nitty gritty work with associates, as well as willing to distribute substantive opportunities.”

Quality of Work

• “Cases are leanly staffed, so associates are heavily involved in cases and can find many opportunities to be key point people on teams.”
• “The work is consistently engaging and intellectually rewarding, the people are friendly and interesting, and the firm’s commitment to excellence inspires you to do your best work.”

Wellness Efforts

• “The firm has been focusing more on mental health support and resources, which is a great thing. [A]ll of the partners I have worked with prioritize wellness… and have been incredibly supportive of associates and staff whenever someone needs to take time to focus on personal or family wellness issues.”

Training & Mentoring

• “[B]ecause of the small case teams and lack of hierarchy, even brand new associates work directly with senior partners.”
• “You would have to go out of your way to avoid developing mentor relationships with the partners and senior associates at this firm.”

Career Outlook

• “Promotion to partner seems very realistic for those who choose to stay and want to make partner.  Our partner-to-associate ratio is 1.5:1, and it’s not unusual for us to make five or six partners a year.”
• “It’s telling that very, very few associates leave for other law firms in our region.”

Pro Bono Commitment

• “The firm encouraged me to pursue pro bono opportunities and freely allowed me to take on a pro bono appointment to represent an indigent client in his appeal to a United States Court of Appeals.  The firm allowed me to be the principal drafter of the briefs in that case and will allow me to present oral argument.”

Diversity Efforts

• “There is a huge focus on diversity—the firm doesn’t just pay lip service to diversity issues but takes concrete action.  We have a chief diversity partner who leads our diversity and inclusion committee, regular speakers and events, an associate mentoring program, etc.  The diversity committee weighs in on many aspects of firm life (including the associate review process).”

Williams & Connolly seeks exceptional applicants with outstanding academic records, whose demonstrated desire to succeed, background, life experiences, interests and achievements can contribute to our firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Eligibility:

Williams & Connolly values the different perspectives that come from a workforce from different backgrounds and experiences and takes steps to create and maintain an inclusive, non-discriminatory workplace. The Firm is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity, and complies with all relevant federal, state and local laws. We encourage individuals from all backgrounds, ethnicities, national origins, sexual orientations, and gender identities to apply, including individuals with disabilities, military veterans, and those who are the first in their families to attend college or law school. Applications for the scholarships are open to all.

This scholarship is merit-based and will be awarded on a competitive basis. Financial need may also be a consideration. To be considered, an applicant must:

• Be enrolled and in good standing as a second-year law student at an ABA accredited law school;
• Have a record of outstanding academic achievement;
• Not be a recipient of another scholarship from another law firm paid for the summer of 2027;
• Receive an offer to be a 2L summer associate at Williams & Connolly and successfully complete the firm’s 2027 summer associate program; and
• Have a demonstrated commitment to the firm’s values, including diversity and inclusion.

Application Requirements:

• Resume;
• Transcript (unofficial transcripts are acceptable if you do not have first semester grades when you submit your application. Official transcripts will ultimately be required as part of the selection process);
• Personal statement, up to 500 words, telling us about yourself, your achievements, and your desire to work at Williams & Connolly.

Application Timing:

An application for the scholarship must be submitted by February 16, 2026 to Natasha Zech, Chief of Attorney Talent, at [email protected].

The $25,000 award (less applicable taxes and withholdings) will be made in two parts; $12,500 paid when the applicant completes their summer at Williams & Connolly, and the balance is paid contingent upon the applicant joining the firm as an associate at Williams & Connolly.

For any student group requesting sponsorship, please email [email protected].  A member of the recruiting team will contact you if sponsorship is possible.

We are no longer accepting applications for summer 2027 positions.  Our recruiting schedule for summer 2028 positions will be updated here later this fall.

Before applying for a summer associate position, please consult our summer program recruiting schedule.

If selected for an interview, you will be contacted by a member of our recruiting team.