The summer associate program is the firm's principal method of recruiting new lawyers, and each year a considerable percentage of the new attorneys hired are former summer associates. The purpose of the summer associate program is to provide a realistic view of the practice of law at Phelps Dunbar. Summer projects are assigned through a pooling system, and students are allowed to move among the practice areas based on their interests and work preferences. Within each practice group, an associate project manager monitors the assignment of projects to ensure that work is equally distributed and that each summer associate receives substantial contact with the attorneys in the group. Specific partners act as mentors to provide informal evaluations and advice. In addition, an attorney liaison is assigned to each summer associate to help acclimate the summer associate to the firm, practice group, and office.
Realizing that the ultimate goal of a summer associate is to make an informed career decision, we encourage involvement in the active, day-to-day practice of the firm's attorneys, including depositions, investigations, hearings, motions and trials, and corporate and commercial closings. The firm sponsors a number of social and professional functions to provide opportunities for attorneys and summer associates to become acquainted on a personal basis.
For the summer of 2006, the summer associate salaries are as follows: $1,400 for
New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Jackson, Tupelo, Gulfport and
Tampa; and $1,800 for Houston.
Please send a cover letter, resume, and transcript to the Phelps Dunbar Legal Recruiting Department. Also, please view our On Campus Interview Schedule. Please note that excellent academic credentials are required (top 25%). Moot Court and Law Review preferred.
All offices encourage summer associates to dedicate a minimum of 6 weeks to the summer program. Summer associates in the Tampa office will typically spend the entire summer with the firm.
Yes. Summer associates are assigned one partner mentor and one associate liaison based on their initial practice group interest. Partner mentors and associate liaisons serve as guides to help familiarize the summer associates with the procedures of the firm and the specifics of the summer associate program.
Summer associates typically prepare memos, perform research, review discovery, and draft client letters and motions. The firm strives to actively involve summer associates in the day-to-day activities of a typical associate at Phelps Dunbar.
Summer associates participate in a wide variety of work-related activities. With client permission, summer associates are allowed to attend trials, depositions, shipboard investigations and client meetings. In addition, summer associates are encouraged to participate in firm-sponsored client presentations and associate training lunches.
Yes. Social functions at Phelps Dunbar are designed to allow the summer associates to meet attorneys in a relaxed atmosphere. Examples of social functions include golf tournaments, partner parties, bowling, happy hours, lunches, baseball games and trips to other offices.
The majority of entry-level associate hires for Phelps Dunbar have participated in the summer associate program. The number of offers are determined based on the particular needs of the firm, practice areas, and office.
For the summer of 2006, the summer associate salaries are as follows: $1,400 for
New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Jackson, Tupelo, Gulfport and
Tampa; and $1,800 for Houston.
Yes, all summer associates are assigned to their own offices.
