Law School Recruiting

Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP regularly accepts applications for summer associate candidates from all law schools, and we encourage all qualified law students to submit a cover letter, resume, and current transcript to [email protected] or through your law school’s on-campus program, if applicable. Our firm’s summer program and our attorney ranks have historically been represented by a wide array of law schools, some of which are listed below (see bottom of page). Our firm conducts on-campus interviews for summer associate positions at major local law schools such as Albany, Syracuse, Buffalo, and Penn State, and we strongly encourage students of those schools to submit an application through their respective on-campus programs. Our summer associate recruiting period runs from late June through the beginning of September.

In addition to the firm’s summer associate program, we extend offers to select third-year students to join our firm as associates following graduation. We seek candidates with solid academic credentials, outstanding communication skills, and superior interpersonal abilities. We want people who are individually motivated but who can operate as part of a team. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply for an associate position.

Summer Associates

Traditionally, Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP has hired second-year law students as summer associates. During the summer, the attorneys in the firm provide our summer associates with meaningful “real life” legal work. Instead of “busy work” or banishment to the stacks of the library, a summer associate mayfind him/herself involved in the research of a cutting edge legal issue for a memorandum, or assisting a trial attorney in court, or drafting an agreement. To ensure a breadth of experience, each summer associate normally works in every major practice area of the firm.

Unlike many firms, C&G provides each summer associate with a mentor attorney, usually a partner, who monitors the associate’s work load, and who provides timely feedback on the quality of the work turned in by the summer associate. We find that the mentor relationship is an excellent way for the summer associate to maximize his or her potential.

Additionally, there are many formal and informal social occasions during the summer. Binghamton is a fun place to be in the summer. Summer associates are encouraged to participate in or attend events such as softball league games, firm golf tournaments, Community and Bar Association events, the firm’s Annual Summer Picnic, lunches, and professional sporting or cultural events.

Although summer employment does not guarantee a position upon graduation, it has been the primary source of the firm’s attorney recruitment. It also gives the student an excellent opportunity to learn about our firm and the Binghamton area.

Although most summer associate positions are extended to students at law schools where the firm interviews, we do extend offers to qualified law students from other schools. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply for an associate position.

Partial List of Law Schools Historically
Represented in C&G Summer Program and Attorney Ranks