Job Description: Purpose: The Milwaukee Bar Association and Michael Best & Friedrich have teamed up to provide a unique and prestigious opportunity of a paid Summer Associate position with Michael Best and a separate Summer Clerkship in the federal court. The goal is to provide summer judicial and legal internship experience for law students disadvantaged or historically marginalized backgrounds who may be unable to take an unpaid summer clerkship. This program strives to provide an opportunity to demonstrate particular care for people of diverse experiences and backgrounds to reflect that Milwaukee is a community where a person regardless of their background will be accepted, welcomed, and promoted. The experience from this program will provide an advantage to the participant in choosing their desired career path. It is also a goal of this program that those selected will choose to practice in Milwaukee and continue to enrich the community with their talents and serve as a role model for others. What We Offer: Through our program, you will receive: Challenging work assignments and exposure to substantive legal areas, including litigation and corporate while working as a summer associate and summer clerk Opportunities to learn and develop skills necessary to work in a law firm or in the courts Active mentoring Formal goal setting and evaluations Generous pay and a stipend Opportunity to take ownership of your projects Networking events and social activities designed to get to know colleagues and leaders throughout the Milwaukee legal industry With mentorship from highly skilled attorneys, we will help you to further develop your practical knowledge, drafting acumen, and become well-versed in the latest legal trends. You will be assigned an expert attorney to guide you, help you set goals, and ensure you have access to all of the tools necessary to be successful and benefit from your time spent at Michael Best and the Federal Court. Application: Applications will be accepted beginning November 1 and ending January 15. The selected applicant(s) must be available in the summer to work full-time at Michael Best for six weeks and subsequently in chambers for five weeks. Applicants should prove strong work ethic, show improvement in skills and knowledge, and demonstrate excellence in their studies and related activities. The Company This is an opportunity to work with the Best. We are Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP, a full-service law firm with more than 350 lawyers and technical professionals who work in collaborative, interdisciplinary practices to serve clients around the world. We work with companies in all kinds of industries, as well as trade associations, nonprofits, educational institutions, governments, family trusts, and high-net-worth individuals. Since our firm’s founding in 1848, we’ve continuously evolved to meet our clients’ changing needs and expectations. One thing remains the same: For generations, clients have relied on Michael Best for exceptional legal service and business acumen. The Location We have offices in Wisconsin (Milwaukee, Madison, Manitowoc, Waukesha); Illinois (Chicago); Utah (Cottonwood Heights, Salt Lake City); Colorado (Denver, Broomfield); Texas (Austin); and North Carolina (Charlotte, Raleigh, Wilmington); and Washington D.C. Our contemporary offices spaces are ideal for concentration and collaboration supporting our culture of working together to make great things happen for our Clients. Our Summer Associates can be located in our Chicago, Denver, Madison, Milwaukee, Salt Lake City/Cottonwood Heights and Raleigh offices. Job Requirements: Criteria: Applicants will be evaluated using the following criteria: Academic performance Outstanding leadership skills Full time enrollment in an ABA-accredited law school and in good standing at the time of application Attends a Wisconsin law school, has substantial Wisconsin ties, or is a native resident of Wisconsin Intention to practice in Milwaukee after graduation Financial hardship that would preclude accepting an unpaid summer clerkship A US citizen or otherwise authorized to work in the United States Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, Michael Best Strategies LLC, and Michael Best Consulting LLC (collectively known as "Michael Best") are steadfastly committed to providing equal employment opportunity and maintaining a workplace for employees and applicants for employment that is free from discrimination based upon age, race, religion, color, disability, marital status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact our Recruiting team at 414.225.4999 or careers@michaelbest.com to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. For Colorado applicants only (as required by the Colorado Equal Pay Act): The starting salary for Summer associate positions in our Denver office is $3,654 per week. Pay is determined based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, depth of experience in the practice area. Associates are eligible to participate in Michael Best’s associate bonus program, subject to the program’s conditions and restrictions. This position is considered full-time and is therefore eligible to participate in employer-sponsored benefits, including: medical, dental, vision, as well as elective/voluntary life, disability, and accident coverage. All full-time employees are eligible to participate in the firm’s 401k plan.