Chicago Summer Program

See Yourself at Sidley. Take a Virtual Tour of our Chicago office.

Sidley’s largest office traces its origins back to 1866. For over 150 years, the firm has grown with the city, and remains one of the largest and most respected law offices in Chicago. More than 500 lawyers in the Chicago office work on a broad range of litigation, transactional, and regulatory matters to meet the needs of our diverse client base.

Our Chicago office is the principal tenant of Illinois’s first LEED-CS (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Core and Shell Development) Silver Certified Green Building. Located at One South Dearborn, the office sits in the heart of the city’s “Loop” business district nestled among some of the first modern skyscrapers and only blocks from the Chicago River, Millennium Park, and shores of beautiful Lake Michigan.

Work Assignments

Chicago summer associates gain exposure to interesting and challenging work in a wide variety of practice areas. You will have the freedom and flexibility to select your assignments and manage your workload.

Summer associates interested in transactional practice groups will be introduced to a variety of work including mergers and acquisitions, preparing for closings, assisting deal teams with securitizations, and other transactions.

Summer associates interested in litigation practice groups will have the opportunity to work on substantive assignments that range from deposition outlines to research and drafting motions and briefs. You may also have the opportunity to observe our lawyers at court hearings and in depositions.

Summer associates are also able to participate in rewarding pro bono projects. Examples of previous pro bono projects include setting up a not-for-profit entity and applying for tax-exempt status for a charitable organization, assisting in research and participating in client meetings for asylum cases, and assisting in the representation of death row inmates who are progressing through habeas proceedings.

Professional Development

You will have the opportunity to enhance your work experience through a range of comprehensive training programs offered at both the firmwide and local levels. These training programs encompass workshops on depositions, contract drafting and negotiations, and due diligence, along with programs on effective legal writing and networking. Chicago summer associates will also have the privilege of attending practice-specific programs and presentations tailored to your areas of interest.

Summer Life in Chicago

An important part of your summer experience is building relationships with your future colleagues. You will be invited to attend a variety of social events designed to help you get to know our lawyers and your fellow summer associates, while experiencing all that Chicago has to offer.

Past summer associate events in Chicago included:

• Sampling Chicago's vibrant culinary scene at lunches, happy hours, and dinners with associates and partners.
• Attending a game for one of Chicago's premiere MLB teams with mentors and fellow summer associates.
• Participating in a friendly competition by playing darts, ping pong, mini-golf, and bowling.
• Opportunities to participate in wellness activities that include group fitness classes, meditation sessions, and creating expressive art projects.