Dearest Gentle Reader, The Summer Associate Hiring Season Is Upon Us

Originally published by Mahta Talani on 02.19.26
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The summer associate hiring season is upon us (which feels like a very Bridgerton-esque sentence). Just like how the ton (English high society) comes back to London in the summers to attend the social season and secure a marriage match, in law we have OCI's. A lovely time for law students vying to secure a match (a law firm match not a marriage match). And frankly, in both worlds, for the individuals directly engaged in the match making, it can be very stressful. 

Funny how this comparison is weirdly accurate: they promenade, law students attend social events; they get called on the day after a ball to reinforce interest, law students get call backs and invitations for more interviews...is OCI's secretly copying Bridgerton? Fortunately, we don't have lady Whistledown but I think Linkedin announcements do a fairly good job of creating buzz and gossip. Ok back to more practical advice.

It feels like all the recruiters at law firms are currently drowning in summer associate hiring so I thought this one may be timely. Interviews are in full swing and for many law students, this is when the legal profession starts to feel real.

Callbacks, offers, firm events, conversations with recruiters. It can feel like everything is happening at once.
 
Before you get swept up in rankings, peer comparisons, and offer timelines, here is what actually matters during this stage.
 
 

Interviews Are About More Than Credentials

    • By the time you're interviewing, your resume already did its job.

      Now firms are evaluating different things:

      1. Can they trust you with clients?

      2. Are you someone partners and associates want to work with?

      3. Do you communicate clearly and confidently?

      4. Do you seem curious and coachable?

      Prepare thoughtfully. Research who you are meeting. Understand their practice areas. Be able to speak clearly about your experiences without sounding rehearsed.

      But remember that professionalism, presence, and self awareness carry just as much weight as credentials. More tips on interviewing in this blog post.
 

You Likely Won’t be Asked to Pick a Practice Area

 
In all likelihood, you won’t know what type of law you want to practice after 1.5 years of law school and firms know this. This is totally normal and most firms won’t expect you to have your path set in stone. BUT if you are going to claim an area of law as the only one for you…make sure you have a very good reason. It’s always helpful to draw on past experience and knowledge to demonstrate specific desires to practice one type of law.

If you fall in the majority: you do not actually know what day to day practice looks like in different areas. You might have enjoyed a class or moot court, but that does not always translate into enjoying the practice itself.

The summer is not about having everything figured out. It is about gathering information. Pay attention to:
 
  • 1. The type of work you are given
  • 2. The pace of different groups
  • 3. How partners and associates interact
  • 4. Whether you enjoy drafting, researching, negotiating, or arguing

    Very few people make a perfectly informed decision at this stage. Give yourself permission to learn. I’ll add that this advice is generalized with the assumption you are interviewing at a full service firm. If you’re interviewing at or joining a firm with a specialty, you should be able to demonstrate interest in that specialty.
  •  
  • Choosing the Right Firm Is Only One Piece of the Puzzle


Prestige and rankings often dominate conversations, but they are only part of the equation.

When evaluating firms, consider:

 
Work exposure
What kinds of matters do juniors actually work on? How early do they get responsibility?
 
Assignment systems
Is work assigned centrally or through a free market model? Each has advantages and drawbacks.
 
Culture and expectations
Do people seem collaborative? Do they speak openly about mentorship and development?
 
Long term flexibility
Where do associates go once they become mid-levels? Is there a good path to in-house or partnership? Do those paths align with what you might want?
 
These are all questions you can even ask during interviews. There is no universally “right” firm. There is only what aligns best with your goals and temperament. When I was doing OCI’s, I got the advice that generally starting at a bigger firm is the best option. And this is good advice in most scenarios. Big law leaves many doors open. But I chose to go to a smaller firm because at the time that aligned with my future goals.
 
 

How to Transition Into the Summer Successfully

If you secure an offer, how you show up matters.

1. Be responsive and organized.
2. Ask thoughtful questions.
3. Turn in clean, polished work.
4. Be pleasant and easy to work with.
5. Take feedback seriously and adjust quickly.

You are not expected to know everything. You are expected to be reliable, coachable, and professional. Reputations form quickly, especially in smaller offices.


Manage the Comparison Trap

It is easy to measure yourself against classmates. Who got which firm. Who got multiple offers. Who is going to New York versus DC.

This season can feel like a scoreboard and it will wreak havoc on your mental health if you let it.

Try to focus on your own trajectory. Legal careers are long. Summer outcomes do not determine your entire future. A summer job is a starting point, not a final destination.

TL;DR

Summer associate season is important, but it is also a learning process. Prepare well. Stay curious. Choose thoughtfully. And remember that uncertainty is normal at this stage. Don’t get lost in the noise and focus on what you want.

You do not need to have your entire career mapped out right now. You just need to take the next step with intention.

And as always, shoot me a message if you need a sounding board. mahta@whistlerpartners.com

 

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Topics: Career Advice, career coaching, Law Firm, Blog, Mahta Talani, 2026, OCI