Summer Associates Program

McAfee & Taft hires first and second-year law students to participate in its paid Summer Associates Program, which runs for ten weeks at the start of each summer. The focus of our program is to provide summer associates a true picture of the firm's practice and culture and what they can expect to experience during the first few years as an associate attorney at McAfee & Taft.

Law students must consider thoughtfully all their options, and we believe career decisions of this magnitude should be made on an informed basis. We design our program to provide summer associates with the information they need for that decision.

Each summer associate is paired with a shareholder and an associate who provide guidance and advice during their stay at the firm. Summer associates do not obtain work assignments solely from their advisors; rather, work assignments are made by lawyers from a variety of practice areas. We encourage summer associates who are unsure what area of law they are interested in to work with as many different lawyers, in as many different practice groups, as possible. We provide summer associates who already have a specific area of interest assignments in that area, but we also encourage them to gain experience in other areas, as well.

Summer associates will have the opportunity to apply the research and writing training they’ve received in law school to real-world legal challenges. They will have the opportunity to observe trials, depositions, hearings, closings, client meetings and the like. These practical experiences allow summer associates to see what really occurs in the life of the firm.

It is important for summer associates to meet and spend time with our lawyers and their families outside of the work environment. To that end, we schedule several social functions and host numerous impromptu events each summer. In addition, we host a firm-wide lunch for lawyers and summer associates every month as a way to give them additional opportunities to get to know us, and vice versa.

The foundation of McAfee & Taft's success has been the recruitment of outstanding individuals from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences who are eager to confront new challenges and accept responsibility for projects and tasks early in their careers. McAfee & Taft is searching for innovative and creative problem-solvers -- law students who have proven they are self-motivated, hardworking, possess strong communication and interpersonal skills, and thrive and enjoy working as part of a team.

Successful lawyers aren’t all the same, and neither are law students. When reviewing applications and interviewing potential associates, the firm does so holistically. We intentionally focus on any and all factors that demonstrate an individual’s true potential to succeed in our firm and in the legal profession. Hard work, determination and perseverance are qualities of great lawyers and good colleagues.

We consider many factors, including but not limited to academic rigor and performance; graduate study; prior work experience; leadership experience; communication and exceptional writing ability; publications; participation in extracurricular law school opportunities; community engagement; history of overcoming economic, disability, socioeconomic, or other disadvantage; and service in the Armed Forces.

As a future colleague, please feel free to share any factors or lived experiences that better help us understand your talents in your cover letter.

Location will be Oklahoma City or Tulsa (please specify preference, if any).

Your cover letter should be addressed to:

Caroline Geurin
Human Resources Recruiting and Associate Development Coordinator
McAfee & Taft
8th Floor, Two Leadership Square
211 N. Robinson
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
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