Your Journey Starts Here

Where and how you spend your law school summers can have a big impact on your legal career. If you are looking for a firm that values academic excellence, leadership, curiosity, and innovation consider DWT. As a summer associate, you’ll experience diversity in your work and engage in stimulating assignments. Your mentors will be industry leaders who are invested in your growth and success. The Summer Associates Program is rich with activities and trainings designed to integrate you into the fabric of the firm.

Apply Now

2L Spring 2022 Energy Law Clerkship

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP has an exciting, paid opportunity for a diverse 2L Law Clerk for its Energy Practice Group! This Clerk will work remotely with a chance to visit either the San Francisco or Washington, D.C. office during the Spring 2022 term of the student’s academic year.

The Law Clerk will mainly be responsible for supporting DWT’s Energy Practice Group by writing blog posts and conducting legal research regarding developments in energy law and regulatory policy. This Group is working on numerous cutting edge and innovative issues in the energy sector affecting our country and our world, including climate change, emissions reduction, renewable energy development, sustainability, and environmental justice. The Law Clerk will report to the Energy law partners and associates.

Candidates must be highly organized, able to work independently and collaboratively, in fast-paced environment and meet deadlines. Must have great communication skills, both written and verbal. An interest in exploring Energy law is required. We will work with the candidate to accommodate school schedules.

The online application site opens on December 1, 2021. Applications must be received by 11:59 PST on December 31st, 2021.

Criteria

The 2L Diversity Spring Energy Law Clerk opportunity is available to all second-year law students of diverse* backgrounds who:

  • Have an interest in Energy law;
  • Attend law school in either San Francisco/Bay Area or Washington, D.C
  • Are able to commit to 5-10 hours of virtual work each week during Spring semester in 2022.

*Diversity at DWT includes women, people of color, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and veterans.

To Apply

We require the following application materials:

  • Current resume (please omit GPA information);
  • Cover letter addressed to Hiroko Peraza, Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition & Inclusion (indicate your interest in Energy law)
  • List of two or three references, one of whom should be a person qualified to comment on your law school work.

2L Reception

TBD –Virtual Energy Law Event presented by DWT Energy DEI Committee

2L Opportunities/On-Campus Interviews

We have concluded our 2L Summer Associate recruitment for the Summer 2022. Please return to this page in June 2022 to learn about Summer 2023 opportunities.

We are excited to be participating virtually in the On-Campus Interviews and Job Fairs below.

  • Bay Area Diversity Career Fair – July 24, 2021
  • Lavender Career Fair – July 30, 2021
  • UCLA – July 30, 2021
  • University of Chicago School of Law – August 3, 2021
  • University of Washington School of Law - August 4, 2021
  • WRBLSA Annual Job Fair – August 7, 2021
  • Seattle University School of Law – August 9, 2021
  • Howard – August 24, 2021
  • Stanford Law School – August 10, 2021
  • Lewis & Clark Law School – August 16, 2021
  • University of Oregon School of Law – August 17, 2021
  • Willamette University School of Law – August 17, 2021
  • Northwest Minority Job Fair – date to be determined

To Apply

We only accept applications online, and our application site will be open until Saturday, July 31st at 11:59 pm PST. Click here to apply.

To ensure you have a complete application packet, we ask that you include the following information:

  • Cover letter
  • Current resume
  • Copy of your law transcript (unofficial is fine)
  • Copy of your complete undergraduate transcript (unofficial is fine). You may still apply if you have yet to receive your grades. Simply upload once you have them.
  • List of three references, one of whom should be a person qualified to comment on your law school work.
  • Writing sample, unedited by a third party (5-10 pages)

1L Diversity Scholarships

Our 1L Diversity Scholarship Program is one significant way to help us advance diversity in the legal profession. We are offering six scholarships in the following offices in 2022: Bellevue (1), Los Angeles (1), New York (1), Portland (1), Seattle (1), and Washington, D.C. (1). As a 1L Diversity Scholarship recipient, you will receive a paid position in our Summer Associate Program and $15,000 for your second year tuition and expenses.

Our online application site for the 1L Diversity Scholarships opens December 1, 2021, and your application must be received by 11:59 pm PST on January 4, 2022 to be considered. Our Bellevue scholarship application opens December 15th, 2022 and will close at 11:59 pm PST on January 13th, 2022. We will review and interview candidates on a rolling basis. To apply, you must submit your documents online via our application site (we will not accept applications via email). Please see more details about our scholarships below.

1L Diversity Scholarship

Our Diversity Scholarships are open to all first-year law students of diverse backgrounds who:

  • Are committed to civic involvement that promotes diversity and will continue that commitment upon entering the legal profession; and
  • Are committed to practicing in the location in which they are applying.

Although demonstrated need may be taken into account, applicants need not disclose their financial circumstances.

TO APPLY FOR THE 1L DIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP

Our online application site will open on December 1, 2021, and your application must be received by 11:59 pm on January 4, 2022 PST.

  • Current resume
  • Cover letter (indicate which office you are applying for and your connection or serious interest in the region)
  • One-page personal statement (Please see FAQ's for more information)
  • Copy of your complete undergraduate transcript
  • Copy of your grades from the first semester of law school (if your law transcript is not available at the time you apply, you will receive an automated email from us by mid-January with a link and instructions on how to submit it online. An unofficial copy is acceptable.);
  • Legal writing sample that is not heavily edited by a third party; and
  • A list of three references, one of whom should be a person qualified to comment on your law school work.

1L Receptions

October

  • Gregoire Fellows Welcome Reception – Wednesday, October 27th
  • USC SALSA Event – Thursday, October 28th

November

  • Duke Law: Sharing our Affinities – Tuesday, November 9th
  • NYU Diversity Forum – Tuesday, November 9th
  • Columbia Diversity Career Fair – Wednesday, November 10th
  • UCLA – November 9th and 10th
  • Oregon Law Schools Virtual Roadshow – Friday, November 12th
  • Seton Hall Law School – Monday, November 22nd
  • SALRA Diversity Reception – Wednesday, November 17th

TBD

  • NEBLSA Event
  • UW & Seattle U BLSA Event

1L Patent Scholarship

$15,000 1L PATENT DIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP

We offer one patent prosecution scholarship to a diverse individual in our Seattle office, which consists of a paid summer associate position and $15,000 for the student’s second-year tuition and expenses. The online application site opens on December 1, 2021. Applications for summer 2022 must be received by 11:59 PST on December 30, 2021.

The 1L Patent Diversity Scholarship is open to all first-year law students of diverse backgrounds who:

  • Are historically underrepresented in the patent and technology field;
  • Have a technical background and an interest in patent prosecution;
  • Are patent bar eligible with an electrical engineering, mathematics, or computer science background;
  • Are committed to practicing in the Pacific Northwest after law school; and
  • Have work experience with electrical and/or software engineering in the software industry (a plus).

*Note: the focus of this scholarship is patent prosecution only and all projects this summer will come from that group.

Application details to be determined.

Application materials typically required:

  • Current resume;
  • Cover letter (please indicate your connection to or serious interest in the Pacific Northwest);
  • Copy of your unofficial undergraduate transcript;
  • Copy of your grades from the first semester of law school (if your law transcript is not available at the time you apply, you will receive an automated email from us by mid-January with a link and instructions on how to submit it online. An unofficial copy is acceptable.);
  • Legal writing sample not heavily edited by a third party; and
  • List of two or three references, one of whom should be a person qualified to comment on your law school work or technical expertise.

1L Receptions

October

  • Gregoire Fellows Welcome Reception – Wednesday, October 27th
  • USC SALSA Event – Thursday, October 28th

November

  • Duke Law: Sharing our Affinities – Tuesday, November 9th
  • NYU Diversity Forum – Tuesday, November 9th
  • Columbia Diversity Career Fair – Wednesday, November 10th
  • UCLA – November 9th and 10th
  • Oregon Law Schools Virtual Roadshow – Friday, November 12th
  • Seton Hall Law School – Monday, November 22nd
  • SALRA Diversity Reception – Wednesday, November 17th

TBD

  • NEBLSA Event
  • UW & Seattle U BLSA Event

Summer Associate FAQ

When and how do I apply for a summer associate position?
We are currently accepting applications online for Portland and Seattle offices where 2L positions are available. We will begin accepting applications for 1L’s starting on December 1st for our 1L Diversity Scholarship. We participate in some virtual on-campus interviews this season, but aren’t able to visit every law school. If DWT seems to be a good fit for you, we encourage you to apply online (please do not email us your application). Typically half of our summer class is made up of students who have sought us out directly. Please make sure your contact information is current and that your voicemail can receive messages.
For the Diversity Scholarship, what are you looking for in my personal essay?
The purpose of the essay is to learn more about you and topics can vary widely. Some suggestions might include:
What kind of challenge have you overcome and what have you learned from the experience? What is it about diversity that drives you? How might you contribute to our community in the future? What would you like us to know about you that is not in your resume?

Your personal statement should be no more than one page, single-spaced, and 12-point font. Please include your name but do not address your personal statement to anyone.
Which offices participate in the summer associate programs?
We will have summer associates in most of our offices this year: Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Portland, OR; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; and Washington, D.C. All of these offices will have a 1L Diversity Scholar, but only Portland and Seattle offices will recruit for 2L Summer Associates this season.
How does the interview process work?
  • Initial: A candidate will meet with one or two people via video and the meeting will take up to an hour.
  • Callbacks/Second round: Pre-COVID, these took place in our office and usually involved meeting 6-8 people. Currently, we will conduct second round interviews by video and they may last up to 3 hours with a few breaks in between.
What should I wear?
Even in the more relaxed remote world, the dress code for interviews is still business professional though attorneys with whom you meet may be dressed more casually. Once you are a summer associate, we adhere to business casual.
How long will it be before I hear from DWT?
Due to the shift to winter OCIs, response times will vary. We are currently reviewing applications and will begin initial interviews in December with second round interviews starting in January. The Hiring Committee makes every effort to contact candidates soon after the callback interview. This committee meets on a regular basis during the recruiting season, but because we have so many applicants, the wait time can be a couple of weeks during the high season. If you have completed the second round of interviews, we welcome periodic check-ins on the status of your candidacy. We strongly encourage you to keep us informed of any timelines for offer decisions that you may have. We try to be flexible and it helps if we know you have a deadline coming up.
What is the length of the summer program?
Typically 10 weeks and runs from June to August. In 2020 we had a six week virtual program with great success. We will confirm the length of 2021 program in the spring and coordinate with the summer class to determine exact start and end dates.
Can I split my summer with another firm?
In order to give you the best possible chance at an offer, we do not recommend splitting your summer with another firm.
What kind of work will I get?
If the work is there and you want to try it, it’s yours! We do not have a rotation so you are able to take any work that is available from any group. However, please note that our 1L Summer Associate in the San Francisco office will focus on Energy Law and our Patent Scholar will focus on patent prosecution. We pride ourselves on offering you with opportunities that give you a real glimpse of what it is like to practice at DWT. Some summer associates have assisted with trial prep, attended client meetings, worked directly with partners, attended depositions, etc. We also encourage summer associates to work on pro bono projects, which often results in direct client contact and courtroom experience.
What kind of training will there be?
Impactful! You will gain exposure to each practice group, attend litigation writing and transactional drafting seminars in addition to having access to a writing advisor and your mentors. Additionally, summer associates are invited to attend various training programs delivered by our Professional Development department as well as training and meetings hosted by practice groups. And of course, you will also learn a great deal of on-the-job training by collaborating in small client teams doing real work and getting real feedback.
Will I have a mentor, secretary and an office?
We will assign an associate and a partner mentor for you over the summer as well as an assistant. If we are in-person, you will also be assigned an office, though some of our locations are nearing capacity, so we ask for your flexibility. Growth is a good problem to have!
What kind of summer associate events do you offer?
Social events vary by office and whether the program is in-person or virtual, but a few events from year’s past include: riddle trivia night, sailing, baseball games, group dinners, Puzzle Escape, karaoke, concerts, happy hours, a cooking party, and lots of coffee dates!
Who are we looking for?
We value great writing skills and academic excellence, but know that true success is determined by personal characteristics that cannot be taught. We want the right person. Someone who contributes to our increasingly diverse, friendly and hard-working culture – someone who doesn’t take themselves too seriously, but who will do what it takes to put forth their best work. Someone who can get back up again and who will accept the help of a colleague and offer help in return. We want people who will be active in our communities, both inside and outside of the firm. Our culture is special, and we think it’s worth finding the right person for.
Who can I contact with additional questions?
For New York, Portland and San Francisco
Hiroko Peraza
Sr. Manager of Lawyer Recruiting & Inclusion
hirokoperaza@dwt.com

For Los Angeles, Seattle and Washington D.C.
Brook Dormaier
Law Student Recruiting Manager
brookdormaier@dwt.com

Job Opportunities