Fitzpatrick is now accepting applications from upcoming second year law students for the 2017 summer associate program. To apply, please send your resume, transcripts and writing sample to our Director of Recruiting, Nicole Cohen at ncohen@fchs.com.

The bulk of our attorney hiring flows from our Summer Associate Program. The Summer Associate Program at Fitzpatrick allows students to experience associate life, gain-in depth exposure to our practice and perform real legal work on actual matters.

Application Process
We encourage second year law students to sign up for our on-campus interview program. If we do not interview at your school, or you are unable to secure a slot, you can send your resume, transcripts and writing sample to our Director of Recruiting. First year students should submit their resumes between December 1 and January 1.

The Interview Process
After the initial screening on campus, qualified candidates are invited in for a call back interview. We offer four interview slots per day - two in the morning and two in the afternoon. Morning slots allow the candidate to meet with two partners, followed by lunch with two associates. Afternoon interviews permit the candidate to meet two partners and two associates. We also offer a full day of interviews on one Saturday in August.

Each one-on-one interview is scheduled for 30 minutes, and lunches range from 1 ½ - 2 hours. Interview schedules are typically arranged five days prior to one's interview, although they can be arranged more quickly when necessary. Please keep in mind that interview schedules may change at any time. We make every effort to schedule candidates to meet with attorneys who practice in the specialty areas of the candidate's interest, allowing them to learn as much as possible about that specific practice area and the work involved.

After the interview and once the file is complete (including all transcripts and a writing sample), the Recruiting Committee will make a decision quickly, typically within a week or two.

Work Assignments
Summer associates perform real legal work on real matters. Writing briefs and other court papers, performing legal research, drafting materials for submission to the Patent & Trademark Office, and conducting factual research in connection with a lawsuit are all examples of typical work assignments. Virtually all summer associates will have the opportunity to attend depositions, client meeting, court hearings or trial.

Each summer associate receives a primary assignment (such as being assigned to a litigation team) intended to account for approximately 50% of his or her time. Remaining time is split between different projects. This structure affords each summer in-depth and meaningful work experience, while at the same time exposing the student to a broad cross section of our lawyers and practice areas.

Firm Life
Since its inception, Fitzpatrick has maintained a friendly and collegial work environment. Summer associates participate in all aspects of firm life, such as practice area meetings and training programs. The summer calendar also includes a number of social events, generally one per week. These events allow the summer associates to meet other partners and associates they may not work with during their stay, and to get to know all of our attorneys on a personal level.

Pro Bono
Summer associates may, at their option, work on a pro bono project. Some organizations that we have worked with in the past include: Sanctuary for Families, The Housing Court, and BLS Legal Services for the Elder Care.

Mentor Program
Each summer associate is assigned to a partner and an associate mentor. We match summer associates with their mentors by common interests or special bonds built during the interview process. Common interests might mean similar backgrounds, schools, experiences or interests. The mentors contact the summer associate before their arrival to introduce themselves and, once they arrive, help to integrate them into the firm. Mentors frequently take their mentees to lunch throughout the summer, and may also assign small projects to their mentees.

Feedback and Performance Evaluations An important part of the summer learning experience is to receive feedback. Summer associates receive feedback on an ongoing basis from the attorneys for whom they are working. In addition, each summer associate receives a formal mid-summer and end-of-summer review with members of the Recruiting Committee.

Training
Training is an important component of our summer program. We provide formal training through seminars, a legal writing course, a fact investigation course and deposition workshop.

Events Schedule
The events are a great way to learn more about the people you work with and about life in New York City. Some events we've had in the past are:

Community Service Day
Bowling
Dinner cruise
Cooking
Yankee game
Private tour of the MOMA
Movie Night

Previous SA by Schools
We pride ourselves on the large number of schools from which we recruit, and consider it a strength of our Program. In the past few years, our summers have hailed from the following schools:

American
Benjamin N. Cardozo
Boston University
Catholic University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Duke University
Emory
Fordham
Franklin Pierce
George Mason
Georgetown
George Washington University
Harvard
New York University
Notre Dame
Pace
Rutgers
Seton Hall
St. John's University
UCLA
University of Chicago
University of Michigan
University of Pennsylvania
University of San Diego and Santa Clara
University of Southern California
Vanderbilt University
William & Mary

Program Duration
We have a ten week summer program starting in May and ending the last week in July.

Split Summers
Requests to split are considered on a case-by-case basis, but are discouraged, and generally denied.

Compensation
Based upon the salary of our first-year associates, commensurate with the top firms in New York and across the country.

Housing
In early February, summer associates can expect to receive an information package on housing. The mailing will include a list of reliable websites to find summer sublets, reservation information for New York University and Cooper Union housing (where the majority of our summer associates from out of the city stay), and housing information at other local college campuses.