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Law360 (April 24, 2020, 10:02 PM EDT) -- Williams & Connolly LLP on Friday became the latest firm to make adjustments to its summer associate program, pushing the start date back to June 1 and planning to have associates start remotely in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the virtual start, the firm hopes that summer associates will be able to transition to in-person work before the program ends, and has guaranteed that associates slated to work for the entire program will be paid for the intended duration of 11 weeks. Williams & Connolly also plans to make offers to summer associates as it usually would.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, law firms across the country have been making adjustments to their summer associate programs, with some, such as Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, announcing early that the program would move forward, and others deciding to cancel or delay the program.
On Thursday, seven firms, including Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP, Paul Hastings LLP and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC, confirmed that they would push back the start date for their programs, while one firm, Edelson PC, said it will not delay or reduce its 10-week program, though it will be offered remotely.
While most firms have been choosing to delay the start of their summer programs, some have also chosen to scrap the program entirely for 2020. Arent Fox LLP, Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, Greenberg Traurig LLP, Pepper Hamilton LLP, Schiff Hardin LLP and Troutman Sanders LLP have all canceled or suspended this year's programs, but have also promised to provide offers to be first-year associates to those accepted.
Some firms have also come up with more creative approaches, such as Husch Blackwell LLP, at which half of its summer associates will participate in the program for the first five weeks, while the other half will then participate during the second five weeks. McDermott Will & Emery LLP, meanwhile, has swapped its usual program out for an optional two-week "virtual boot camp."
--Additional reporting by Aebra Coe and Xiumei Dong. Editing by Alanna Weissman.
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