Summer Program DescriptionArentFox Schiff LLP is accepting applications from second-year law students to join the Real Estate Group in our Washington, DC office as part of the 2027 Summer Program. We strongly encourage students with a demonstrated interest in real estate law to apply. Summer associates will work on active matters for real clients, collaborate closely with attorneys at all levels, and gain practical experience across a broad range of real estate transactions.
Examples of summer associate assignments include:
- Transaction Shadowing: Summer associates may have the opportunity to follow deals from inception through closing by attending client calls, participating in negotiations, and joining internal meetings. These experiences provide valuable insight into how real estate transactions are formulated, negotiated, and executed.
- Drafting and Document Review: Working alongside attorneys at all levels, summer associates may assist with reviewing, revising, and drafting transaction documents (for example, purchase and sale agreements). These assignments allow summer associates to develop substantive real estate knowledge while demonstrating critical thinking, attention to detail, and analytical skills.
- Due Diligence and Deal Support: Summer associates may help review title commitments, surveys, zoning materials, organizational documents, and other diligence items that are critical to evaluating and closing real estate transactions. These assignments provide a practical understanding of the issues that arise in real estate deals, and the solutions attorneys develop to address them.
- Research and Writing: Summer associates research various legal and business issues and prepare a variety of written work product for both attorneys and clients. We carefully review all written product prepared by each summer associate and provide feedback from multiple sources in order to foster development of the summer associate's legal research and writing skills. We have a dedicated legal writing coach on staff who works one-on-one with each of our summer associates, and she and the assigning lawyers provide feedback to foster the development of legal research, writing, and advocacy skills.
Through these experiences, summer associates gain meaningful exposure to the practice of real estate law while building the skills and confidence necessary to succeed as transactional attorneys.
Candidates may apply to only one practice group. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Hiring Criteria: We look for candidates with varied backgrounds and experiences who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement; a record of leadership and achievement in school, work, and extracurricular and community activities; strong analytical, interpersonal, and communication skills; the ability to work independently and on a team; and the drive to gain experience and succeed in a client service business.
Applicants should have excellent research and writing skills and be committed to working in a large Washington, DC law firm following law school graduation. Prior work experience is a plus. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and must attend an ABA-accredited law school in the United States with an anticipated graduation date of Spring 2028. Please include a cover letter, resume, law school transcript and legal writing sample.
You may only apply to ONE (1) Summer Associate position. If the position you are applying to is open in multiple offices, please note in your cover letter which additional offices you are in interested in, if any. The good faith base salary range for this position is $4,327 per week.
* The job description is a general summary of the major duties. It may not specify all duties, tasks, and assignments associated with a job. It does not limit or in any way modify the right of management to direct, assign, and control the work of employees in a unit. Accuracy, attention to detail, ability to work effectively in a team environment, and ability to work in an atmosphere of multiple projects and shifting priorities are requirements of all jobs at ArentFox Schiff LLP. Additional job-related qualifications may be specified for some openings. Job descriptions are subject to periodic review and modification.
