Closing Date: 31st March, 2026

Description:

Benesch's exploratory 1L + 2L Summer Associate Program is designed to provide a realistic view of a career in private practice including client interaction, courtroom activities and teamwork with Benesch attorneys. Summer Associates will spend both their 1L and 2L summers with Benesch, gaining a deep understanding of the firm's work, culture, and clients — and preparing for a strong start to their legal careers. Note that 1L+2L Summer Associate Program opportunities are limited, and applicants will also be considered for our 2L 2027 Summer Associate Program.

This Selective Two-Summer Program Offers an Exceptional Opportunity To:

Gain hands-on experience across all Benesch's core practice areas and various niche specialties
Develop meaningful relationships with attorneys and mentors throughout the firm.
Participate in tailored training and development programs designed to strengthen legal and professional skills.

Our exploratory program offers firsthand insight into law firm practice through client interaction, participation in business deals, strategy and negotiation sessions, courtroom activities, and collaboration with Benesch attorneys. Our Summer Foundations Professional Development series, along with mock negotiation and deposition trainings, complement this hands-on experience.

Summer Associates engage in firm operations—attending department meetings, firm updates, and special events such as the Summer Associate Retreat. They receive varied assignments across practice areas and meaningful feedback, both in the moment and through formal performance reviews. Each Summer Associate is paired with a partner mentor and an associate buddy for guidance and firm integration.

Financial Compensation
This is a paid position in our Cleveland office with financial compensation of $3,846.15/week. In addition, 1L + 2L Summer Associates receive the following bonus amounts:

$5,000 upon acceptance of the 1L + 2L Summer Associate position
$10,000 upon completion of their first summer in the program

Criteria
Candidates must be full-time first year law students or part time law students enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school, with an expected graduation date of December 2027 or May 2028. Our recruiting committee will evaluate all applicants and consider the following factors:

Exceptional law school and undergraduate academic performance
Outstanding leadership abilities and on campus involvement
Strong writing and analytical skills
Strong communication and interpersonal skills
A commitment to client service
A commitment to community service
A desire for a long-term career in Cleveland, OH
Permanent authorization to work in the United States
Completion of the Suited candidate assessment within three days of application submission

How to Apply:
Candidates may apply to and be considered for only one Benesch office. Please submit your resume, first semester law school transcripts, undergraduate transcripts, and a cover letter via our careers page here. If your ties to Cleveland, OH are not evident from your resume, please describe your interest in working long term in Cleveland, and any connections to the city which might be helpful for our evaluation. Candidates must also complete the Suited assessment within three days of application submission. If any of these five required components are missing, the application will be considered incomplete.

Suited Candidate Assessment: Click here to complete

Benesch has partnered with the predictive candidate screening platform Suited to help us better understand applicants. Our goal is to make the recruiting process as fair and seamless as possible, so we matriculate candidates who will be fulfilled in their roles and complementary to our culture. In addition to your academic background and experience, the traits and competencies captured by these assessments have been proven to be both highly relevant and predictive of on-the-job success as a law associate, while reducing bias in the evaluation process.

Completion of the Suited assessment is a required part of our application process. Please complete the Suited candidate assessment within three days of your application submission date using this link. To request a reasonable accommodation for the assessment, click here.

Note that if you have already completed the Suited assessment for another firm, you will not need to do so again. Rather, you may share your assessment results with Benesch by using the same above link.

For more information about Suited, click here.

Timeline:
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis upon full completion of the application process, including the resume, cover letter, first semester law school transcripts, undergraduate transcripts, and completion of the Suited assessment.

For questions regarding the application process, please contact the law school recruiting team via email at lawschoolrecruiting@beneschlaw.com