Parker Poe - General Summer Associate Inquiry

Become part of the Parker Poe team that – for more than a century – has represented many of the Southeast’s largest companies and local governments. We are a tight-knit firm that values the person beyond the lawyer or professional. Because of this, in addition to structured integration efforts, you will find that mentorship, professional development, and internal referrals happen organically. If you want to join a collaborative team providing sophisticated legal services – without losing sight of our calling to give back to our communities – this is the place to be. About the Summer Program Parker Poe has a vibrant Summer Associate Program designed to give law students real-world experience as a practicing attorney. Our Summer Associates get the opportunity to explore a variety of Parker Poe’s practice areas as they work on projects that are comparable to those assigned to first and second-year associates. This broad exposure helps Summer Associates narrow down potential areas of focus as they chart their legal paths. Our Summer Associates work on a variety of challenging projects alongside attorneys to meet the complex legal needs of some of the largest businesses and local governments in the Southeast. In some cases, they present directly to clients. The Recruitment Process Parker Poe participates in various on-campus interview (OCI) programs and resume collections. Decisions are typically made before the end of August. Please contact your career services office to inquire about opportunities to meet with our attorneys. If you have any questions, you can contact Margaret Cart, manager of attorney recruitment, or Sarah Hutchins, chair of the firm’s Recruiting Committee. Parker Poe’s Summer Associate Program is typically comprised of 2L and 1L students. From time to time, we select 1L students for specific office needs to participate in our experiential program. Work Assignments Our Summer Associates work with different attorneys throughout the firm and are supported by one attorney in their home office who helps manage their workload and provides guidance. Projects are assigned based on the Summer Associate’s interests and practice group needs. It is our goal to provide well-rounded and substantive assignments across practice areas. Each of our Summer Associates also receives informal feedback throughout the summer, as well as formal midsummer and end of the program reviews. Mentorship All of our Summer Associates are paired with a mentor group, which is comprised of a partner, an associate, a legal professional assistant, and a Recruiting Committee member. This team of mentors helps coordinate work, social activities, and administrative needs, and team members are available to answer any and all types of questions. Personal Engagement Our attorneys and staff want to get to know our Summer Associates on a personal level and introduce them to their cities. We host a variety of social activities over the summer to cultivate a sense of community, including annual associate and partner dinners, as well as an event for all Summer Associates to meet and connect with our diverse attorneys and firm leadership. Program Size Parker Poe keeps its Summer Associate Program targeted. We only bring in as many Summer Associates as we would be able to give permanent offers to at the end of the summer. Our goal is to transition our Summer Associates to skilled, dynamic lawyers who are part of the Parker Poe family. Program Length Our Summer Associate Program typically lasts eight weeks, beginning in mid-May. Recognizing the importance of varied experiences, we allow Summer Associates to spend the second half of their summer with another firm. For those who wish to split their summer experience, we require a minimum of 6 weeks with Parker Poe, running from the start of our summer program. Parker Poe is an Equal Opportunity Employer and makes recruitment, employment, promotional and all other personnel decisions without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Job Type: Full-time