FAQs
Americas
United States
Is Mayer Brown hiring 1L Summer Associates for 2026? 
Yes, we are accepting first-year law student applications for 1L Summer Associate positions in our Charlotte, Chicago, Houston, New York, Northern California (Palo Alto), and Washington, DC offices.
Is Mayer Brown accepting 2L applications?
Yes, we are accepting first-year law student applications for 2L Summer Associate positions in our Charlotte, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Northern California (Palo Alto), Salt Lake City, and Washington, DC. Please only apply to one office. If you are interested in more than one office, please mention the other office in your cover letter.
When should I apply for the 2027 Summer Program?
We are accepting applications on a rolling basis now and will begin reviewing applications in January 2026. First-year law students are encouraged to visit our website for 2L application guidelines and visit our Flo Foward account to find events and opportunities to meet our lawyers. Please only apply once to the office of your choice.
Should I apply for 1L and 2L Summer Programs together?
We are accepting separate applications for our 2026 1L Summer Associate position and our 2027 Summer Associate position. If you are interested in applying to both positions, please submit an application for each.
Who can I reach out to about my application status?
Please reach out to USStudentRecruitmentTeam@mayerbrown.com for application inquiries. In your email let us know what office your application is for.
How do I request an accommodation related to the application and/or interview process?
To request a reasonable accommodation related to the application process and/or job interview, please email USStudentRecruitmentTeam@mayerbrown.com.
How do I update my application materials?
Please email updated application materials to the designated contact in the office you’re applying to:
Charlotte: JTaylor3@mayerbrown.com
Chicago: CGnadt@mayerbrown.com
Houston: MGoldwait@mayerbrown.com
Los Angeles: JDevitt@mayerbrown.com
New York: AEliane@mayerbrown.com
NorCal: LRolovich@mayerbrown.com
Salt Lake City: DStoker@mayerbrown.com
Washington, DC: ZKeshk@mayerbrown.com
Multi-office inquiries: UStudentRecruitmentTeam@mayerbrown.com
What should I expect during the callback and interview process?
If selected for a callback interview, you should expect to meet about four lawyers (a mix of partners, counsel and associates) either virtually or in-person. The local recruiting team will provide you with details when they schedule your callback with us. The hiring committee meets often during callback season and extends offers on a rolling basis.
How long is the summer program?
Our summer program runs for 10 weeks and typically starts in late May. Our 2026 Summer Program will start on May 18th and conclude on July 27th.
What is the salary for Summer Associates?
Summer Associate compensation is based on the annualized salary of a first-year associate, which is currently $225,000. Summer Associates are paid $4,327.00 per week.
Will I be paired with mentors during the summer?
All Summer Associates are paired with a group of mentors. Mentors check in with the Summer Associate and offer guidance and support for the entirety of the 10-week program.
How are Summer Associates assigned work during the program?
Summer Associates receive work assignments typically from work assignment lawyers and directly from lawyers during the summer program. We utilize a system to track status and progress on your assignments.
Summer Associates have the ability to sample and complete work assignments from the practice areas they’ve expressed the most interest during the recruitment process and from a variety of practice groups in their office.
Are Summer Associates encouraged to get involved with pro bono projects during the summer?
Yes, the firm strongly encourages Summer Associates to get involved with pro bono projects throughout the summer and work closely with our pro bono team for assignments. For more information on the firm’s pro bono program, visit here.
When will I receive feedback on my assignments?
Our summer program typically offers two formal evaluation periods, one in mid-summer and one at the end of the summer program. Summer Associates also receive real-time feedback upon completion of each assingment from the lawyers they are working with.
What opportunities will I have to build relationships with lawyers at the firm?
We encourage all of our Summer Associates to meet as many lawyers as possible over the course of the summer. To help with that, we plan a variety of fun and interactive social events, including events that are hosted by practice groups. Your mentors will also facilitate introductions throughout the summer so that you can meet attorneys in practice areas you are interested in.
What is the Summer Program Academy?
The firm hosts a Summer Program Academy to bring together our US Summer Associates for a few days of training and networking events. This gives Summer Associates the opportunity to get to know one another and meet additional lawyers across the firm.
Americas
Brazil
What is the salary for interns?
Intern compensation is based on your school year, so there isn’t a standard amount. Annual salaries range from R$18.000 to R$31.200,00
When does the Intern Program start?
Our interns start in February or August..
How long does the program last?
According to the Brazilian Legislation, students are welcome to stay with us until they complete 2 years of internship contract, or until they graduate, whatever occurs first. If the supervising partner recognizes potential in a student, they will be invited to continue with us for as long as the partner offers.
As an intern, how many practice areas will I work in?
Our interns are generally allocated to one practice area, considering their main interest.
Are the Internship Program events mandatory?
Yes, we advise that you attend our program events. These events, both formal and informal, are a great chance for you to get to know our people, practice areas and clients, as well as the other interns.
How well integrated are the offices? Do lawyers collaborate across offices on deals?
We are a global law firm with a ‘one-firm’ culture. With a powerful transatlantic and transpacific platform, our practices operate on a global basis, enabling us to respond to our clients’ unique needs and opportunities.
How will Mayer Brown support my professional development as a new lawyer?
We have a robust training and professional development curriculum that covers legal and non-legal skills for all levels of lawyers. This curriculum includes training on business development, networking and marketing, leadership and business acumen.
Will I receive mentoring and guidance as a junior lawyer at Mayer Brown?
Every junior lawyer here is assigned a mentor when they join. Your mentor provides guidance and support that is critical in the early stages of your career. Furthermore, you will develop a number of informal mentors over time as you work and interact with other lawyers.
What is the dress code?
Traditional business attire is expected in the Brazil offices at all times.
Europe
United Kingdom (London)
Do you run any open/insight days?
Our annual open days will take place on 23 and 30 October 2025, and run 11:00am to 06:00pm. Applications will open on 1 September.
You can register to attend on our website www.apply4law.com/mayerbrown/.
What is the vacation scheme salary?
Vacation scheme participants will receive a salary of £550 a week for completing the two week scheme.
What are the dates of your Vacation schemes?
Our Vacation Schemes run for 2 weeks. The dates for our 2026 Spring and Summer Vacation Schemes are as follows:
Spring: 13 April to 24 April 2026
Summer: 22 June to 3 July 2026
When do applications open?
Applications for our Training Contract, Vacation Schemes, and Open Days all open on 1 September 2025.
When is the deadline for applications?
The deadline for our Vacation Schemes is 16 December 2025. Applications to our Training Contract close on 31 March 2026. This year, the deadline for our open days is 8 October 2025.
We review all applications on a rolling basis.
Where can I find the application form?
You can access the application form via www.apply4law.com/mayerbrown/
Am I eligible to apply for a place on a Vacation Scheme?
Our Vacation Scheme is open to penultimate-year law, final-year law and final-year non-law undergraduates, and graduates. For more information please see the ‘Vacation Scheme’ section on this website.
Does it matter if I don't meet your minimum grade requirements?
We take all relevant information into consideration and look at your application as a whole. We do not have a minimum A-level requirement (or equivalent qualification) for our Training Contracts and Vacation Schemes, and if you didn’t reach the minimum requirement for a 2:1 in your degree or equivalent, we ask that you provide any mitigating circumstances surrounding this in the relevant part of the application form.
When should I apply for a Training Contract?
If you are in your penultimate year of a law degree, you should submit your application after you have received your first term module results.Non-law undergraduates should submit an application in the final year of their degree. All other graduates can submit their application at any point in the recruitment cycle. All applications open on 1 September each year. However, we recommend that you apply for a Vacation Scheme rather than directly for a Training Contract; the majority of our Training Contracts each year are offered to high-performing participants on our Vacation Schemes.
I have a disability. However, I am concerned that if I disclose this that it will impact my application. Does the firm support applications from candidates with disabilities?
We would strongly encourage you to apply and detail the support you may need on the relevant part of the application form. We also ask that you contact our graduate recruitment team at grecruitment@mayerbrown.com to discuss the support you require further. It is important we can ensure appropriate adjustments are made when necessary during the recruitment process.
How long will I have to wait before I hear back after submitting my application?
Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automatic generated response to confirm we have received it. We aim to communicate decisions as soon as possible.
Are secondments available during the Training Contract?
Trainees may be able to complete a secondment during their Training Contact. A secondment could take you to one of our international offices. If you don’t want to stray too far, you may have the opportunity to complete a client secondment in London instead.
What benefits does the firm offer for trainees?
We offer a range of benefits including an on-site GP and counsellor, 25 days’ annual leave, subsidised canteen and gym membership, access to life insurance and automatic enrolment to the firm’s Contributory Pension Plan.
Do you sponsor/provide maintenance for the PGDL and SQE?
Once you’ve accepted a training contract with us, we’ll pay your course fees for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) and the Law Conversion Course (PGDL) during the year of study. We also provide a maintenance grant of £20,000 for the SQE and £15,000 for the PGDL.
Note: All those who have accepted a training contract with us before starting the PGDL/SQE must complete it at BPP Law School in London.
How do I contact the graduate recruitment team?
You can contact the graduate recruitment team via email at grecruitment@mayerbrown.com. We endeavour to respond to all queries within 5 working days.
Europe
Germany
How do I apply for a job or a program?
If you’d like to apply for one of our Intern Programs, a legal clerkship or for a position as a lawyer, please submit your application by email to: career@mayerbrown.com. Be sure to include your CV, cover letter, references and certificates.
Do you employ interns all year round or only recruit at certain times of the year?
We are open to employing legal interns at any time throughout the year. However, our Summer Internship Program runs in August and our Winter Internship Program runs in March. To find out about our current opportunities outside of the Summer and Winter Internship Programs, please visit our careers page.
Will I have an induction?
Yes, new joiner inductions start with a basic introductory session, as well as training on our IT systems. To ensure you have the support you need, we also offer a mentoring program.
Will I be allocated to one specific practice area or do I change departments during the Internship Program?
We employ legal interns based on specific business needs, which means you’ll be firmly integrated into your practice group from day one.
Are there opportunities for an international secondment?
Yes, we offer the chance to work on projects in one of our other global offices. Each secondment is judged on a case-by-case basis and depends on business needs. Once you have sufficient experience, we also offer secondment opportunities to work in our clients’ legal departments.
Do I need to earn my LL.M in an English-speaking country?
We believe an LL.M. program in an English-speaking country will help you acquire the ability to handle legal English and give you an understanding of different cultures. From day one, you’ll do a large part of your work in English, and, more broadly, we find that people who have experienced different cultures from living abroad quickly settle into our ‘one-firm’ global culture in which we continually collaborate with our international clients and colleagues. In general, an LL.M. is very welcome but is not a hiring requirement.
Are there alternatives to an LL.M. program?
Yes, you can also learn legal English by spending time abroad. For example, you can choose to complete an internship or a stage of your clerkship abroad, where you will gain valuable experience and learn about other cultures.