The Role: 2027 2L Summer Associate

Location: San Francisco, California

Looking for a summer that will launch your litigation career? At Clyde & Co’s San Francisco office, you’ll do more than observe. You’ll actively contribute to complex insurance, aviation, and commercial matters that span industries and jurisdictions around the world.

As a Summer Associate in San Francisco, you’ll work alongside attorneys who are deeply experienced in excess and complex coverage litigation, general liability, aviation, marine, and professional practices work for global carriers and the London Market. Our team defends and advises insurers and reinsurers in high-stakes coverage actions and arbitrations, offering you hands-on exposure to a wide array of sophisticated matters.

You’ll gain experience across insurance and aviation/aerospace law, including professional liability, media and entertainment, health care, environmental issues, and aviation product liability. Our San Francisco lawyers routinely handle matters with international dimensions, drawing on experience across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.

In addition to coverage litigation, you’ll see how our team approaches complex dispute resolution for major industry clients. The San Francisco office serves as a key link for Asian clients doing business in the United States and represents some of the world’s leading corporations, including Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies.

The office is known for its collaborative, supportive environment, where Summer Associates are trusted with substantive work and encouraged to develop practical, real-world skills through meaningful case involvement. From research and drafting to strategy discussions, you’ll gain experience that will help build the foundation of a successful litigation career.

If you’re passionate about litigation and eager to work on complex, globally connected matters, the San Francisco office offers an exceptional opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.

What to Expect as a Summer Associate

• Work on meaningful projects involving legal research, drafting, and analysis for real client matters.
• Join attorneys at depositions and other legal observational opportunities and take part in professional networking events.
• Build your skills through our legal training curriculum, which covers research, writing, negotiations, and practice-specific topics.
• Receive personalized mentorship and feedback, including a structured mid-summer check-in to support your growth.
• Connect with peers and professionals through social and networking opportunities designed to help you build lasting relationships.

What We’re Looking For

Ideal candidates are those interested in litigation and eager to begin their career at Clyde & Co in San Francisco, in addition to meeting the following requirements:

• Currently enrolled in a J.D. program with an expected graduation date between December 2027 and June 2028
• Proven academic and professional record
• Participation in law journal, moot court, leadership roles, or other extracurricular activities is advantageous
• Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills
• Strong communication skills for working effectively with clients and colleagues
• An inclusive mindset and openness to diverse perspectives
• Ability to commit to a minimum of nine weeks with the firm as a summer associate

Belonging at Clyde & Co

We recognize creating a positive culture is vital to the success of our business. It is crucial our people feel happy, respected, and able to be their whole selves at work. Having a workforce that brings a variety of backgrounds and experiences will help us harness the power of different perspectives to better innovate, problem solve, and drive change.

Summer Associate Scholarship

Clyde & Co is proud to offer the Summer Associate Scholarship, the goal of which is to support students who bring a unique perspective to Clyde & Co based on their life experience, resilience and cultural understanding.

Application Process

We are currently collecting applications ahead of our interview process. Applications will be accepted through January 30, and after that date we will continue to accept and review submissions on a rolling basis until the position is filled. A complete application includes:

• Resume
• Cover letter (Tell us why Clyde & Co interests you, what excites you about our work, and how your experiences have prepared you for this opportunity)
• Undergraduate transcript (unofficial copy is fine)
• Law school transcript (can be uploaded later when available)
• Legal writing sample

Please apply to one position/office only. If you’re interested in additional offices or practice areas, you’re welcome to note that in your cover letter.

• Interviews are expected to begin on February 2, 2026.

Questions? Contact naearlycareers@clydeco.com

Compensation: $2,885/week

The Firm

Clyde & Co has grown to become a leading global law firm in our core sectors. With a headcount of over 5,000 staff operating from over 70 offices and associated offices across six continents, we offer a comprehensive range of legal services and advice to businesses operating at the heart of global trade and commerce.

From developed to emerging markets, we aim to support our clients by putting the power of our globally integrated firm at their disposal with a range of seamless and efficient services and the very best, commercially minded, legal advice.

This, together with our sector expertise and regional understanding, allows us to help clients identify and manage risk and liability, navigate challenges, harness commercial potential and achieve sustained growth in today's complex and volatile business environment.

We are committed to being a responsible business which means taking responsibility for the impact we have on the environment and seeking to reduce it as much and as quickly as possible. It means taking responsibility for giving back and being a positive contributor to the communities in which we operate. And it means taking responsibility for fostering a truly diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace so that all our people can flourish and fulfil their highest potential, for the benefit of them, the firm and our clients.

Our Values

Our values are the principles that guide the decisions we make, unite us in our endeavors and strengthen our delivery, for our clients and our firm. We:

• Work as one We are a globally connected team of talented people who act with a firm-first mentality to achieve success
• Excel with clients We aim high and challenge ourselves to deliver unique excellence for our clients, keeping them at the center of everything we do
• Celebrate difference We help each other to be at our best and believe our differences result in greater achievement
• Act boldly We seek new opportunities, take action and learn as we go, recognizing that curiosity drives our development and contributes to growth

Clyde & Co is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. Our core values encourage us to support fairness, celebrate diversity and prohibit all forms of discrimination in the workplace to allow everyone to excel at work. Therefore, we welcome and encourage all applications from suitably qualified individuals, regardless of background or identity. Let us know if you need us to make adjustments or changes to the interview process to help you best demonstrate your suitability for the role. We will do our best to accommodate your request. Find out more about the interview process and examples of adjustments we can put in place.

Please take a moment to read our privacy notice carefully. This describes what personal information Clyde & Co (we) may hold about you, what it’s used for, how it’s obtained, your rights and how to contact us as a data subject.

This is the job description as constituted at present; however, Clyde & Co reserves the right to reasonably amend it in accordance with the changing needs of the business.

Application deadline:
Sunday, 8 March 2026 at 04:59 (UTC)
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