We appreciate your interest in Miller Canfield. The selection process for summer 2025 has been completed. We hope that you will consider Miller Canfield for the 2026 summer program. Please take a few moments to become familiar with our rich history, our culture, our commitment to diversity and our ongoing attorney development programs.
We know that we are only as good as our people, so we strive to identify and hire the best and brightest legal talent to join us. When you join Miller Canfield, you’ll enjoy the many benefits we offer:
- The opportunity to work with ambitious, hard-working and focused colleagues
- Succession planning throughout your career
- Work life balance
- Opportunities to grow and accelerate your career
- Real, hands-on, challenging work assignments and excellent supervision and guidance
- Robust pro bono program and community involvement to enhance our attorneys’ careers and personal satisfaction
- Formal mentorship program
- Business development coaching and a clear path to advancement
Becoming a Miller Canfield attorney is more than an opportunity to develop your legal skills and expertise; it is a chance to be part of a team that values hard work and shares a common goal of achieving excellence in every aspect of our professional lives.
Do you want to become a Miller Canfield attorney? Reach out to one of our recruitment contacts and refer to the following Frequently Asked Questions below.
FAQ: U.S. Summer Associate Program
How are law students selected for the program?
We recruit for our summer program by conducting on-campus interviews at law schools and accepting resumes submitted via our website. We extend invitations for in-office interviews once the on-campus interview process completes. During in-person callback interviews, candidates usually meet with five to six attorneys, some individually, and often in a small group setting (usually lunch). Candidates interviewed virtually meet with four attorneys individually over a video platform.
What do you expect Miller Canfield's hiring needs will be for the current year?
We choose our summer associates carefully and try to hire in anticipation of upcoming needs for entry-level attorneys. Our summer associate classes primarily consist of second-year law students; we also offer a limited number of spots to first-year law students. We work to size the program so that summer associates don't feel that they need to compete for offers of permanent employment.
May a summer associate split the summer with another law firm?
We consider requests for split summers on a case-by-case basis. Generally, we require a summer associate to be with us for a minimum of ten weeks. First-year students invited to return after their second year may receive special consideration and accommodation for splitting the second summer.
Will I be expected to work with just one practice group, or may I accept assignments from a wide range of practice groups?
We encourage summer associates to accept assignments from all practice groups, but our program also allows the flexibility to select assignments. Summer associates are encouraged to seek out particular projects from firm lawyers that align with their interests to provide both the summer associate and the firm a complete picture to comfortably make an employment decision.
What training programs are available to summer associates?
We provide summer associates a wide variety of training, including writing, practice development, informal gatherings with local judges, and exposure to depositions, hearings and other informational events. We encourage our summer associates to attend training in substantive areas like business and litigation, as well as non-legal classes on topics like understanding financial reports, using technology, and communication skills. They attend practice group meetings, seminars and webinars where Miller Canfield lawyers speak. We plan special activities to give summer associates additional exposure to certain practice groups.
We teach summer associates about the administrative, historical and professional organization of the firm. They learn the internal structure of the firm, have the opportunity to engage with the Managing Directors and receive training on the firm's technology systems and research tools.
What about social activities?
A summer at Miller Canfield is not all work. In addition to challenging assignments, summer associates have the opportunity to get to know our lawyers and each other at frequent social events. These activities have included kick-off receptions and farewell dinners, lunches with the CEO, the Detroit Fireworks, Detroit Tigers games, Detroit experience tours, canoe trips, picnics and informal gatherings at attorneys' homes.
Which of the firm's offices take part in the summer associate program?
Our summer program is conducted primarily from the Detroit office with participation by our offices in Michigan, Chicago, Washington, DC and Ohio. We generally honor requests to work in other offices based on the needs of each particular office.
Will I have a mentor?
Each summer associate is assigned an associate and principal mentor. Mentors work with their mentees to answer questions, provide guidance, socialize, and if requested, review written work.
What is the time frame for the program and the compensation?
The typical length of our program is ten weeks, from mid-May to the end of July. We pay our summer associates $2,692.31 per week.
How are hiring decisions made and what is the timing around starting at the firm as a first-year associate?
Our Summer Associate Committee, who actively interviews during the on-campus interview season and serves as principal mentors to summer associates, collectively decides to extend offers to summer associates and first-year associates. Employment as a first-year associate generally begins in the Fall after the student has taken the bar exam. We may give special consideration to summer associates who will begin federal or state Supreme Court clerkships upon graduation and generally leave offers open for federal or state Supreme Court clerks for most of the duration of the clerkship. We may also give credit for compensation and principal-consideration purposes for time spent as a federal or state Supreme Court clerk.
Canadian Summer Student and Articling Student Program
Inquiries about Canadian summer student and articling student programs can be made to Marco Dolfi.
