Closing Date: 1st July, 2026
Description:
Office Location: Green Bay or Appleton, WIOur Summer Associate Program is our most important tool for hiring new associates. The goal of the program is to give summer associates the opportunity to experience life working as an associate at Godfrey & Kahn. You will develop tangible skills and gain valuable experience, and you will leave with a realistic view of what it is like to be a part of the team at Godfrey & Kahn. Most of our summer associates go on to become successful attorneys - many of them at Godfrey & Kahn.
Godfrey & Kahn, a business law firm with nearly 200 attorneys, is recruiting 2L students (JD 2028) to join our 2027 Summer Associate Program.
We've designed our program to give you a genuine sense of what it will be like to begin your legal career as an associate at Godfrey & Kahn, so that, when you do, you are ready to hit the ground running. We do this in three ways.
First, we provide summer associates meaningful work. The assignments you receive reflect our broader philosophy – we judge our success by the success of our clients. Our associate attorneys do not do busy work, and neither will you. Summer associates work on active client matters, including business transactions, litigation, regulatory matters, and pro bono cases such as landlord-tenant disputes and civil rights matters. We expect to incorporate your work into our final product. That is only possible when we provide the same substantive opportunities we give our associates.
Second, we help you explore your practice interests. Your assignments will typically span multiple practice areas so you can experience the breadth our of business-focused work. As your interests take shape, we work with you to gain deeper exposure, increased responsibility, and closer collaboration with specific teams.
Third, we invest in mentorship. A strong summer program is not the finish line - it is the starting point for your career. You will build relationships with attorneys and professional staff across the firm through one-on-one coffees, small-group lunches, structured feedback, written evaluations, “101” lunches, and social events. Each summer associate is paired with two attorney mentors who guide you throughout the program. Our goal is that, if you return as an associate, you will already feel connected and supported across the firm.
Our summer associate program has a demonstrated record of success and is our primary pathway for hiring new associates. By the end of the summer, you will have gained substantive legal experience and a clear understanding of what a career at Godfrey & Kahn can offer. We are proud that most of our summer associates go on to build successful careers with us.
We are currently accepting applications from litigation-focused 2L students (JD 2028) for our 2027 Summer Associate Program with opportunities in our Green Bay or Appleton, Wisconsin offices. This position will allow the student to work in our Appleton and Green Bay offices, while also traveling to Milwaukee for team events and training opportunities throughout the summer. Students should have a demonstrated interest in litigation and a genuine commitment to building their practice in Northeastern Wisconsin following graduation. Please submit a cover letter indicating your office location preference; resume; undergraduate transcript; and unofficial law school transcript.
