Sullivan's Summer Associate Programs provide extraordinary opportunities for growth and development. There are two pathways for Summer Associates at Sullivan with each program described below.
The 1L Transactional Summer Associate Fellowship
The 1L Transactional Summer Associate Fellowship reflects our recognition that to provide clients with world class legal service, diversity of ideas, backgrounds and experience are essential. The Fellowship is open to all 1L students enrolled in an ABA Accredited law school who are interested in the corporate or real estate work in the real estate industry and have demonstrated commitment to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in our legal community. By embracing and celebrating a culture of legal excellence and inclusive belonging, we strive to create an environment that offers opportunities, without discrimination or bias, for all our people to grow, develop and excel.
The 1L Transactional Summer Associate will spend half of the summer working in Sullivan’s Boston office and the other half working in the legal department at the client’s offices in the Greater Boston area. The 1L Transactional Summer Associate will be a member of the Sullivan summer associate program and will receive the same compensation and participate in the same social activities as other Sullivan summer associates. 1L Transactional Summer Associates who successfully complete the program will receive offers to participate in Sullivan’s Summer Associate Program following their 2L year and will be considered for a permanent position following graduation from law school.
1L Transactional Summer Associates accepted into the program will also be eligible to earn an additional $15,000 as follows:
- $5,000 will be awarded upon successful completion of the program; and
- $10,000 will be awarded upon returning for and successfully completing the 2L Summer Associate Program.
Selection Criteria:
- Open to All Law Students Enrolled in an ABA Accredited Law School
- Demonstrated Academic Achievement
- Demonstrated Commitment to Promoting Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Legal Profession
- Demonstrated Leadership Attributes
- Strong Interpersonal Skills
- A Sincere Interest in Practicing at Sullivan after Graduation
Application Materials:
- Complete Online Application (please note the application window for 2026 is now closed)
- Resume
- Official Law School Transcript
- Official Undergraduate Transcript
- Writing Sample
- Personal Statement of 500 words or less describing (i) your interest in practicing transactional real estate or corporate law focusing primarily on real estate companies, and (ii) how you have supported and would help support diversity, equity and inclusion in your legal community or the legal profession
Get Hands-On Experience at Sullivan with our 2L Summer Associate Program
Our Summer Program gives our summer associates a realistic sense of the working environment they'll experience and the culture that they’ll be a part of as full-time attorneys. Each summer associate is provided with several second- or third-year associates to help ease the transition from law school to law firm and offer guidance and feedback. We offer our summer associates the opportunity to choose assignments from a variety of practice areas, so they can explore their interests – and sometimes discover hidden talents along the way. We do our best to provide a mix of practical and analytical projects, as well as opportunities to participate in negotiations, drafting sessions, closings, depositions and other hands-on activities.
The size of our Summer Program also lends itself to getting to not only know other lawyers within the firm, but the bond that is created among the summer associate group is unparalleled.
But don't just take it from us, here are some thoughts our associates shared with us about our Summer Program.
Why did you choose Sullivan?
“The biggest selling point for me was Sullivan’s first-year associate program. Like many law students, I did not have a clear idea of what I wanted to do after my 1L year. Sullivan’s summer and first-year programs gave me the opportunity to rotate through departments and work in different practice areas before committing to one.”
“I felt that Sullivan would be a great place to grow professionally and personally and saw that demonstrated in several partners who had been at the firm for their whole careers.”
“I liked the fact that Sullivan combined the resources of a bigger firm, including an international presence, with the individual attention on associate development of a smaller firm. That balance made Sullivan unique among the firms that I considered.”
Has your experience been what you expected?
“The work has been more interesting and challenging than I ever could have expected. Due to the relatively small size of the firm and its practice groups, I have had significant hands-on experience working with partners and clients since I was a junior associate.”
“During the summer program, I liked how I got to know lots of different people from different departments and feel like this has helped me succeed in the Corporate Department.”
“Yes, but in some ways, it’s been better. The partners I’ve worked with have sincerely enjoyed working with associates and appreciate our input and thoughts on cases. The collegiality and warmth I’ve experienced have exceeded my expectations.”
“One concern I had coming into the summer was whether I would get along well with coworkers. Advice from upper year students had indicated that getting along with senior attorneys can be akin to walking on eggshells. However, this expectation was completely overturned during my summer. The people during the program were friendly, open, very forthcoming with advice and the desire to talk further, and were each willing to contribute their unique perspectives.”
Click here to apply for a 2L position at Sullivan.
