Susman Godfrey, the nation’s premier trial firm, is taking a unique approach to 2L summer associate hiring. BigLaw has been pushing hiring decisions earlier and earlier, forcing students to choose where they want to spend their 2L summer—and beyond—with only a single set of classes under their belts. This may work well for law firms, but it does not work for law students. Susman Godfrey is different. The firm will accept applications for its 2027 four-week 2L summer program through June 30, 2026, and will not review any applications until after that date. All applications must include a complete set of first-year grades.
Under Susman Godfrey’s application process, there will be no exploding offers, no race to apply while balancing classwork, and no decisions based on partial records. Instead, law students will have the opportunity to complete their first year of law school before making decisions that can shape the trajectory of their legal careers. Because Susman Godfrey is not afraid of the competition, the 2L summer program is designed to be split.
The firm’s reasoning is simple: Susman Godfrey is selective because it needs to be. The firm tries—and wins—some of the largest and most complex commercial cases in the country. And it provides an associate experience unlike any other firm. Associates cross witnesses at trial, take and defend key depositions, and argue at case dispositive hearings in both trial and appellate courts. Susman Godfrey needs lawyers who have demonstrated high academic performance and genuine interest in trial work. By evaluating complete records on a broader timeline, Susman Godfrey is aligning its hiring process with the needs of law students who are still developing their professional goals, rather than participating in BigLaw’s rushed recruiting cycle. That’s a win for everyone.
Susman Godfrey couples its unique associate program with top-of-the-market compensation, including industry-leading year-end bonuses and clerkship bonuses of $180,000 for one federal clerkship and $200,000 for two or more federal clerkships. Supreme Court clerks receive additional bonuses and partnership credit.
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