New York Summer Program

See Yourself at Sidley. Take a Virtual Tour of our New York office.

Sidley opened its New York office more than 100 years ago in 1914 and is now one of New York City’s largest law offices, with approximately 500 lawyers.

Sidley’s New York lawyers offer critical advice to clients in wide-ranging industries, including financial services, technology, life sciences, consumer products, and numerous others. Sidley’s New York office counsels many of the world’s Fortune 500 companies, sovereign governments, banks, and multinational corporations as well as private entities and funds. Many of our lawyers bring a wealth of experience from prior government service and leadership in key organizations including senior positions with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the U.S. Department of Treasury, and FINRA and as assistant U.S. attorneys.

The New York office has highly regarded practices that handle capital markets , investment funds, tax, finance, private equity, corporate reorganization and bankruptcy, M&A, real estate, litigation, antitrust, white collar, and FCPA matters. Our practitioners also have extensive experience in the life sciences, insurance, and financial services industries.

Sidley’s New York lawyers also are dedicated to building stronger communities through local partnerships that make a difference in the lives of people around the world. In addition to our Pro Bono efforts, Sidley launched its Social Responsibility program in 2010 featuring volunteer initiatives throughout New York City, including Sidley Service Day. From mentoring diverse students to empowering underprivileged women to pursue their career goals, our Social Responsibility Program provides our professionals with many opportunities to use their talents to serve those in need in our communities.

Our summer program offers law students the opportunity to be a member of a team of lawyers handling complex transactional and litigation matters at one of the premier law firms in New York.

Work Assignments

Summer associates in the New York office can experience firsthand how groundbreaking matters are handled. You will work with former prosecutors and leading practitioners on litigation, FCPA, and anticorruption matters that regularly relate to front-page financial and business news, and with transactional lawyers who advise clients on high profile strategic transactions, mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, initial public offerings, and fund formations.

Summer associates are given assignments that range from deposition outlines and witness prep to drafting motions and briefs, and from drafting corporate agreements to working on deal closings. Many summer associates get to experience our lawyers in action at hearings and client meetings. You will also be able to participate in some of our pro bono matters, including asylum cases, nonprofit organizations’ issues, uncontested divorce cases, immigration matters, and other projects being handled by our lawyers.

Professional Development

Our New York office is dedicated to the individual development of each of our summer associates. Here, you will find a supportive network of Sidley lawyers and professionals to guide you as you explore your areas of interest. Each summer associate is assigned a partner and associate mentor who serve as a resource and sounding board throughout the duration of the program.

Our summer training program will help you further develop your legal research, writing, and networking skills. We provide opportunities to participate in a number of training seminars, which historically have included a negotiation, deposition, and/or writing workshop, as well as communication and networking programs. Summer associates can also attend practice-specific presentations and other educational workshops.

Summer Life

An important part of your summer experience is building relationships with your future colleagues and exploring the great city of New York. Throughout the summer, you will be invited to attend a mix of social events, as well as firmwide and office-wide programming. These events will give you a chance to get to know our lawyers and your fellow summer associates both personally and professionally.

Past summer associate events in New York included:

• Building friendships with fellow summer associates on a private cruise down the Hudson River
• Participating in a team-building cooking competition with associate mentors
• Networking with women Partners and Counsel of SidleyWomen at a rooftop reception
• Volunteering in community service projects with nonprofit organizations such as Riverside Park Conservancy, City Tutors, and New York Common Pantry
• Mingling with lawyers at a reception hosted by our Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee
• Attending a private small group tour of the MoMA
• Attending receptions and coffee chats with lawyers across the New York office
• Sweating it out in a group fitness class with Rumble Boxing
• Refining your bowling skills with associates at our annual bowling night
• Taking part in one of New York’s quintessential activities seeing a Broadway show
• Celebrating a successful summer with the entire New York office from an iconic New York landmark with unparalleled views