Careers

Our employees are people who thrive in a collaborative and fast-paced work environment. Taft’s lawyers and professional staff believe strongly in the value of our legal work. We believe that client service is our first, and most important, job. At Taft, success is measured in more than billable hours. This philosophy allows us to be active participants and leaders in our communities. Taft can help you create a long, rewarding, and meaningful career.

In addition, Taft is a signatory to the American Bar Association Well-Being Pledge, designed to support mental health and overall well-being for Taft’s attorneys and professional staff through education, firm policies, and intentional workplace culture.

We integrate inclusion into the fabric of what we do. We look for talented, dynamic, and innovative thinkers for our legal team. If you’re interested in joining our team, we encourage you to review our open positions and learn more about our firm.

Summer Associate Program

Details:

Applications for 2027 1L positions will open on January 1, 2027, applications must be submitted by March 1, 2027.

Applicants for Taft’s Summer Program must be enrolled in a J.D. program at an accredited U.S. law school as a first-year law student. Applications will be accepted beginning January 1 each year, but final decisions will not be made until first semester grades are received.

1L summer associates who are extended an offer, complete their 1L summer with Taft and accept an offer to return to Taft as a second-year summer associate will be awarded a one-time $10,000 bonus paid on Taft’s next regularly scheduled payroll after their acceptance of the 2L offer.

The following application materials should be submitted:

• Completed application form
• Cover letter
• Resume
• Unofficial law school transcript

Overview:

The summer associate program at Taft is the lifeblood of our firm.  Our summer associates often share with us the impact the program has on their professional development, and most join us as attorneys after law school. We look for students who have outstanding academic credentials as well as maturity, a friendly demeanor, demonstrated leadership, strong communication skills, and common sense.

Taft’s goal is to provide every summer associate with a realistic experience of what it is like to practice law. Summer associates work on a variety of actual client matters. You will attend depositions, hearings, closings, conferences, and trials as well as perform the careful research expected of all our lawyers. You will learn about as many of our practice groups as possible through client work and learning sessions highlighting our areas of practice. Summer associates are evaluated throughout the summer on an informal basis and will also have formal mid-summer and end-of-summer updates.

You will be assigned at least one associate mentor, who is available to assist as you become integrated into the firm. To help ensure you have the best experience possible our recruiting team is hands on in all aspects of the program from summer associate hiring to summer program planning and work assignment allocation – we have a strong team in place. We are here to help you be successful!

We believe that one of the firm’s biggest assets is our people, and we want you to meet as many of them as possible. Our recruiting team will provide you with many opportunities to do so from lunch and learns to practice group meetings and social events. We arrange a variety of activities intended to help you become knowledgeable about our firm, our people, and our communities.

We staff our summer program based on our need for incoming associates the following year. On a firm-wide basis, we typically hire approximately 40 summer associates per year.

The summer associate program is engaging, fast-paced, and rewarding. It is our desire that you fully experience the firm during your time with us and that you reach the same conclusion that we have – Taft is a great place to work!

Summer Associate positions are available in the following offices. Salaries for the 10-week summer program are as follows:

• Atlanta:  $41,350
• Chicago: $41,350
• Cincinnati: $33,650
• Cleveland: $35,555
• Columbus: $33,650
• Dayton: $33,650
• Denver:  $38,460
• Detroit: $33,650
• Indianapolis: $33,650
• Minneapolis: $38,460
• Phoenix:  $38,460
• Washington, D.C.: $41,350
• West Palm Beach: $38,460

Applications for 2027 1L positions will open on January 1, 2027, applications must be submitted by March 1, 2027.

Interested law students should apply online on Taft’s website: Click here to apply!

If you have additional questions on the summer program at Taft, please contact the recruiter assigned to your preferred office below.

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Why do lateral attorneys choose to join Taft? In a word, opportunity. Taft is always looking to complement our capabilities in current practice areas and to diversify effectively into new areas. If you have a record of excellence in your legal work and client service, we would like to talk with you. We are proud of the depth and breadth of our client services and of the collegiality in all of our offices.

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Thank you for your interest in Taft. We have always believed that there is much more to being a law firm than simply providing legal services. We believe in the value of hard work, the value of teamwork, and the value of collegial, productive relationships. We know how to turn your experiences, goals, determination, and attitude into a successful career. We understand that we simply cannot provide effective legal services without our great professional staff.

We are always looking for talented people to help us deliver. If you are a team oriented, ambitious individual interested in working in a fast-paced, challenging environment, please submit your resume to Jennifer Pitts, jpitts@taftlaw.com.

^{Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP participates in E-VERIFY.}