Description
About the Position
Warner Norcross + Judd LLP is accepting applications from current 1L and 2L law students for its 2027 Summer Associate Program. Summer associates will work on substantive client matters with attorneys across the firm, receive structured training and mentoring, and build foundational skills while gaining meaningful insight into a long-term career at Warner.
The 10-week program will be based in our Detroit or Grand Rapids offices. Through the firm’s “Job Jar” work-assignment system, summer associates receive assignments across multiple practice areas. This broad exposure is designed to help summer associates explore their interests, develop practical skills, and gain a realistic understanding of associate life at Warner.
For this recruiting cycle, the firm’s primary focus is on current 1L students interested in a two-summer experience with Warner during both Summer 2027 and Summer 2028. A limited number of opportunities may also be available to exceptional current 2L candidates based on their credentials, office and practice-area alignment, and the firm’s business needs.
For current 1Ls: selected candidates may receive an offer to join the firm for both their 1L and 2L summers. This two-summer experience is intended to provide meaningful exposure to the firm, its attorneys, and allow candidates to continue exploring their long-term interests.
What You’ll Do
- Research and analyze legal issues and communicate practical recommendations
- Draft memoranda, pleadings, motions, briefs, agreements, client communications, and other legal documents appropriate to assigned matters
- Support discovery, due diligence, negotiations, closings, hearings, depositions, and client meetings, depending on the matter and practice area
- Manage assignments and deadlines with attention to quality, efficiency, and client service
- Collaborate with attorneys, associates, and professional staff across offices and practice areas
- Participate in training, mentoring, pro bono, community, social, and firmwide opportunities
Who We’re Looking For
- A current 1L or 2L law student expected to earn a JD from an ABA-accredited law school
- A strong record of academic achievement; Warner considers the full academic, professional, and personal record and does not use class rank as an automatic cutoff
- Excellent research, writing, analytical, and oral communication skills
- Sound judgment, initiative, attention to detail, and the ability to manage competing priorities
- A collaborative approach grounded in teamwork, collegiality, integrity, and client service
- A genuine interest in exploring a long-term legal career in Michigan and working regularly from the assigned Warner office
Application Timeline
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis during November and December 2026. Candidates are encouraged to submit a thoughtful application at any point during that time period. Interviews will begin in January 2027.
Application Materials
Please be prepared to submit the following materials with your application:
- A resume
- A cover letter outlining your interest in building a legal practice in Michigan
- Your law school transcript, if available. Current 1Ls should submit an undergraduate transcript if a law school transcript is not yet available.
- A writing sample
About Warner
By providing discerning and proactive legal advice, Warner Norcross + Judd builds a better partnership with its clients. Warner is a full-service corporate law firm with 220+ attorneys practicing in nine offices throughout Michigan: Bloomfield Hills, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Holland, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Macomb, Midland and Muskegon. To learn more, visit www.wnj.com, or connect with us on LinkedIn or Facebook.
Our Culture
Warner’s cultural motto is “Fun, Pride + Profit...in that Order”. We believe that if you have fun at work, take pride in the accomplishments of you and your colleagues, that profit will naturally follow. We build A Better Partnership through:
- Teamwork – Warner’s lockstep compensation model encourages teamwork, and distinguishes us from our competitors. Partner and associate salaries are set based upon seniority, not total hours worked, encouraging client legal projects to be routed to the most knowledgeable person in the firm. Our team approach to compensation yields better legal representation for our clients and lays the foundation for a fun culture without internal financial competition. We have a team atmosphere where people like working together and supporting each other.
- Diversity – A diverse group of 30 firm members serve on Warner’s DEI Action Committee and contribute over 2000 collective hours annually to drive diversity, equity and inclusion through initiatives such as firm-wide town hall meetings, employee resource groups and hiring processes. Our DEIAC focuses on Warner’s “one firm” approach that embraces everyone in the firm. We celebrate differences with the same energy we honor our commonalities. When all firm members feel safe being their authentic selves and all barriers to opportunity are eliminated, it’s a better partnership for everyone.
- Balance – Our culture of balanced personal and professional lifestyle allows us to maintain a 94% attorney retention rate. Attorneys throughout Michigan, the region and beyond are choosing Warner as their forever home – and because of our dedicated focus on living balanced lives, our attorneys’ families are fully supporting these important decisions.
- Community – Warner’s time-honored community engagement initiatives include financial contributions to 150+ nonprofits, scholarships and paid time off for all firm members to engage in community initiatives that are meaningful to them.
Closing Statement
Warner hires top talent at every point in our organization. We are seeking dedicated professionals with diverse backgrounds who strive to support the firm and its goals. Our collegial culture attracts people with diverse skills and backgrounds who are dedicated to teamwork and client service.