A Commitment to Our Summer Associate Program
Every summer for more than forty years, we have hired law school students from around the country to participate in our Summer Associate Program. Our recruiting efforts are exhaustive and deliberative — and with good reason. We hire our summer associates with the expectation that they will excel in the Program and join us as first-year associates after completing law school. We’re not just hiring bodies to fill our Summer Associate Program — we’re hiring colleagues who will thrive at the firm and become valuable members of one of our diverse practices.
The goal of our Summer Associate Program is to provide our summer associates with a realistic sense of what it is like to work as an attorney at Hodgson Russ. We provide our summer associates with opportunities to work on actual client matters, to participate in training programs alongside our associates, and to get to know one another at our Summer Associate Program social events.
The application period is now closed for 2026 Summer Associate positions.
Please contact Amy Hayes Atkinson, Manager of Attorney Recruitment, at aatkinson@hodgsonruss.com with any questions regarding your application for the 2026 Summer Associate Program.
Click here to apply for our summer associate program
Join the Hodgson Russ Summer Associate Group on LinkedIn:
Mentors and Meaningful Work
Mentoring is the backbone of our Summer Associate Program and is the foundation of every new attorney’s experience at Hodgson Russ. Our summer associates are assigned mentors who ensure that they receive the right balance of workload and work type based on their particular interests.
The firm devotes substantial energy, time, and resources into making each student’s experience challenging and rewarding. Summer associates confront the legal issues that concern real Hodgson Russ clients, and they frequently have the opportunity to present their conclusions directly to our clients. By Program's end, our summer associates will have worked closely with partners and associates on important and timely issues.
Learning by Example, Learning by Doing
At Hodgson Russ, we don't just encourage our summer associates to do meaningful work – we expect it. We supplement summer work assignments with numerous “lawyering” activities such as client conference calls, client meetings, trials, depositions, and court appearances. Summer associates are also given an opportunity to practice their public speaking skills by researching and presenting a continuing legal education seminar for our attorneys.
Making Connections to your Colleagues and Communities
The summer is also busy with social activities. Summer associates meet with partners and associates outside the office to experience a bit of Buffalo’s and New York City’s wealth of social and cultural venues. These experiences have included an evening sailing trip on beautiful Lake Ontario; a visit to Niagara Falls and a ride on the Niagara Jet Boat; and an all-attorney bocce tournament. The New York City summer associates have also been to Yankees games, taken cooking classes, and gone on a tasting tour of famous Manhattan pizzerias. Spend a summer with us and you’re certain to discover what everyone here already knows — Hodgson Russ is a great place to work.
Contact
Summer Associate '20 and '21
Fall Associate '22Business Litigation
Georgetown University Law Center
Board of Directors, Bar Association of Erie County
Business Journals' 2024 30 Under 30
Summer Associate '20
Fall Associate '21State and Local Tax
JD Supra Readers' Choice Award - Tax (2023)
State Tax Talks with Joe Tantillo Podcast, Creator and Host
Summer Associate '17
Fall Associate '18Business Litigation Practice
Hodgson Russ Diversity Committee Member
Upstate New York Super Lawyers Rising Stars (Business Litigation) 2021 - 2024
University at Buffalo School of Law's Private Practice Award, 2024
Leadership Buffalo Rising Leaders Program, 2023
Buffalo Business First’s 30 Under Thirty Award, 2022
