Best Law Firms in Seattle Offering Intern Experience
When it comes to offering internships to law students, Seattle sees some of the country’s most well-known firms take an interest and step into the various programs to offer students an in-depth experience and guidance through the duration of the internship. The most common firms to offer internships in Seattle include:
K&L Gates LLP
K&L Gates is an international firm with a full 47 offices across America, England, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. They have 204 partners and 726 associates, as well as 3,356 staff members. Among the cities that boast their presence, you’ll see Seattle on the map. K&L Gates has a great reputation for being among the most diverse of all international firms, and their internship program is selective. Their business is essentially split between five recognizable divisions: corporate and transactional, intellectual property, labor union and employment, litigation and dispute resolution, and regulatory and advisory. Because of its broad scope, K&L Gates is one of the best brands in the country and a great place for students to get their feet wet in a lot of legal disciplines.
Davis Wright Tremaine
Founded in 1892, Davis Wright Tremaine originally operated out of Washington and Oregon. The firm has grown to a staggering size of 550 lawyers and 1,270 staff members, and while they are located in many other major cities, Seattle is their largest branch. The firm has an industrial design, markets and revenues sector, in addition to their entertainment, media and tech specialization that’s so high-profile in Seattle. They take on only summer associates every summer and employ a very meticulous selection process. When they’re not busy , they’re volunteering, having taken on 100,000 hours of pro bono legal hours in the State of Washington alone in 2015.
Perkins Coie
Stretching all the way back to 1912, Perkins Coie has been an American institute for over a century. They employ over 950 lawyers, and while they’ve grown to be spread out in 19 offices across the United States and Asia, they stake much of their preeminence on their Seattle headquarters. Perkins Coie takes on summer and law school associates, and because they focus on many different sectors, students will most often be able to find placement with someone in their desired area of interest. The firm represents a variety of clients of all different sizes ranging from startups to multinational corporations, and they are even known to deal with governments at the municipality, state and federal levels.
Foster Garvey PC
Foster Garvey was previously the merger of two renowned firms, Garvey Schubert Barer and Foster Pepper. The merger took place in October 2018 and has resulted in a much larger firm of over 250 attorneys and a massive amount of industry experience. They have experience and knowledge in 10 major sectors, meaning that a summer associate has a variety of options when it comes to choosing a department. They have particular focus on insurance, transportation, finance, healthcare and intellectual property. While their largest office is in Seattle, they have a substantial network of offices all across the west coast, located in Washington, Oregon, California and Alaska. They offer joint JD/MBA summer internships as well.
How to Apply for a Law Internship in Seattle
The application process for law internships in Seattle typically involves a multi-step procedure aimed at evaluating the candidate’s educational background, work experience, and specific interests in the field of law. The first step is to ensure that you understand the application timeline. Internships at law firms, non-profits, and governmental agencies generally have application deadlines ranging from three to six months in advance of the desired internship start date. Much like the process for obtaining a full-time job, many law internship applications, especially competitive ones, require a cover letter, a resume, and letters of recommendation. The cover letter should target the specific area of practice that the firm specializes in, i.e., criminal law, intellectual property, etc. It should also include information about the area of the country where you would like to work, for example, the University of Washington School of Law can assist law students in applying for internships abroad through their International and Comparative Law Program. Your resume should be a concise representation of your qualifications and should emphasize any legal experience you have had, particularly relevant coursework or previous internships. Finally, you should choose at least three references that can speak to your knowledge and abilities in addition to your academic qualifications. After you have submitted your application, it is imperative that you follow up with each entity contacted within a week of submission. It is common for law internships in Seattle to host hiring events, in which they interview several candidates at a time, but it is still important to communicate your continued interest in the position to the internship director or recruiter. For those internships that require an interview, it is rarely required for candidates to come in to the office and participate in a formal interview process at the firm. In many situations, interviews are conducted at the University of Washington School of Law in specific practice study groups such as, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Labor and Employment, and Criminal Law. However, again, it is still important to communicate your continued interest in the position to the firm’s director of human resources and/or the primary partner in charge of the internship.
Gained Experience from Law Internships in Seattle
Many law students will find that the types of transferable skills they build over their law school careers overlap a lot with the skills noted in their Seattle law internships. During their time as an intern, a student may improve their verbal and written communication skills, and become more comfortable with advocating for themselves, their opinions, or their client’s positions. Students may also build their research skills, learning from where and how to find the information they need to support their position or efforts. Students may also learn more about networking opportunities, from being exposed to more people in the field to making contact with prospective employers, they may gain valuable connections to help them land a job after law school. A Seattle law internship will also show a student which aspects of the legal world interest them—or don’t—and how their personal skills best fit into those roles. In addition to connecting with other professionals and individuals within the field, it’s also a good idea to ask questions of them so that you can better understand what you do—or don’t—wish to explore further. A law student is likely to come away from a law internship with both hard skills—which are technical skills based on specific tasks—and soft skills, which are personality traits that dictate how they interact in their environment. It’s also incredibly important to seek opportunities to develop your lawyering skills (both hard and soft) and to be open to build lasting relationships with your coworkers. Not only will you get a better understanding of the different aspects of the legal world and which may be a good fit for you, but you may also meet a mentor along the way. Your law school experience is not just about your grades, but also about the connections you make and the experiences you have that shape your future.
Experience of Past Law Interns in Seattle
Personal stories from other interns are always helpful and inspiring. For Seattle law interns, the good news is that there are plenty of opportunities available to you. Once you’ve decided to pursue a law internship, one of the best things you can do is reach out to former interns and solicit their advice. At the end of the day, it’s often the experiences of those who have ‘been there and done that’ that offers the best insight into how you should move forward.
So what advice do past Seattle law interns have to give? What challenges do they share? And when it comes down to it, was the experience worth all the time they spent in the office?
One of the most memorable experiences I had as a law intern was working directly with victims of domestic violence. I worked closely with them on their case to get a protection order. Hearing their history, it opened my eyes to how prevalent domestic violence really is in all communities.
I had a great experience as an intern in Seattle. While I was working at the timeshare condo, I got to do a lot of litigation work with courts and people in the field. For that reason alone, I think I am better prepared for law school than I would have been otherwise . I also learned that prosecutors have many more tools in the toolbox for a prosecution than I originally thought. But the biggest thing I’ll take away from this experience is that I now know what I don’t want to be doing after law school and that’s a huge benefit to me.
I interned at a government agency in Seattle. I enjoyed working with crime victims and helped them understand the process of our cases as they went through the court system. I made a lot of great memories with the little girls I was working with. Of course, I loved being in the courthouses and getting to see the actions that happen there. It was a great education on the differences between civil and criminal cases. Not to mention, it helped me figure out that I didn’t want to go into criminal law. A wonderful experience overall.
I had a fantastic experience as a law intern in Seattle. I didn’t have to do filing or answer phones or anything like that. I got to conduct research on real cases and prepare for client meetings that attorneys had to do anyway. Honestly, it was probably the best way I could have possibly learned about the law before heading into law school.
Living Cost as a Law Intern in Seattle
So now that you’ve landed a law internship in Seattle, how do you go about navigating the city? Housing continues to be a major issue for big law because of the cost. But for the law intern, there are plenty of live-work spaces and other options available.
Most interns prefer to save money by living with roommates or in the case of interns at big law firms—like Dentons—heading over to Capital Hill to find a place to stay. Apartments can start as low as $400 a month if you share, but if you add in the cost of food, utilities, and basic living expenses—like a cup of coffee at your client meetings—the costs can add up.
Since you’ll most likely end up finding a place through Craigslist or one of the Facebook or Meetup groups, it’s important to line up a place quickly before someone else beats you to it. If money is an issue, then you may want to consider a co-living space like Hub Seattle— a co-working space with private rooms. The cost is about $900 a month for the room but it comes with amenities like housing pods, fast Wi-Fi, and other tech meet spaces.
Cost of living in Seattle is high, but there are some things you can do to keep the expenses down. Since all law interns work very long hours, they don’t have much time to cook, so it only makes sense that they find ways to eat cheap while they’re here. Instead of heading to Starbucks every morning, you may want to consider grabbing breakfast at one of the many food trucks or diners you can easily find throughout the city.
Most seniors are starting out right out of law school and there’s nothing wrong with being frugal during your internship. A big benefit to being an intern at a big firm is that you are allowed to use the firm’s corporate car, which can help you get around town during your internship.
As far as getting around the city—you have a number of options. Most interns are content with using public transportation to get from home to work and back again. Light rail, subways, streetcars, and buses run all over the city, making it easy for you to get to tracks or Powell’s bookstore on a weekend. If you’d prefer to walk, biking, or spending time at a co-living hub that has its own bike, you can rent one of the purple Lyft bikes that are scattered throughout the city. These dockless bicycles make it easy for you to get to work on time without breaking the bank.
The cultural scene in Seattle isn’t something that would exactly pass for a big city, but the capital of Washington State does have a lot of attractions that big cities boast. Seattle is known as the Emerald City. There are a number of libraries that cover a variety of topics that you might be interested in. From the iconic Seattle Space Needle and Pike Place, there’s really no shortage of things for you to see and do.
Pike’s Market is an all-time favorite for law interns and residents since it has a number of cheaper restaurants and cafes. Additionally, you’ll also find the Chihuly Garden and Glass Show to gawk at while enjoying the city’s beautiful skyline.
Making the Most of Your Law Internship in Seattle
To get the most out of your internship opportunity, it is important to be intentional about the impression you make on the firm and the people you work with, as well as the relationships you build. Here are some networking strategies and tips to make the most of your Seattle law internship:
- Set professional goals for your internship. Setting professional goals for your internship can help you to not only get the most from your experience, but to also begin building your resume for the future. For example, you could set goals to complete a specific number of internships with a targeted number of firms, get a specific amount of networking hours in, and/or make contact with a certain number of attorneys. Limiting your internship to one season per year will also help you to get the most out of your internship experience. For most law students, summers are reserved for internships as well as externships. Some firms also offer year-round internships with a little less time commitment.
- Show up prepared. Each day, make sure you arrive to your internship every day prepared and ready to get down to business. This will convey commitment to the firm, instill confidence in your abilities and will give you the chance to shine with tasks you complete. Make a checklist of tasks to complete each day and week, including professional goals and deadlines .
- Find opportunities to continue learning. An internship shouldn’t just be about clocking hours and getting tasks done; instead, use the opportunity to learn as much about the law as you can during your time there. Consider asking for short informational interviews with different people in the firm to learn more about the different types of practice areas, or observe attorneys as they work.
- Be proactive. Each time you catch up with an attorney, or whoever you report to, you should have a set of questions ready to ask. Seek clarification, talk about weekly goals and ask for advice. This will show that you care about being productive as well as committed to meeting your weekly goals. Again, keep notes so you don’t’ forget valuable information.
- Take advantage of social networking. Networking is one of the best aspects of law internships. You will be surrounded with people who are well-versed in the industry, and likely in a position to help you to advance your career, so don’t be shy. Create a LinkedIn account before your internship, create a targeted message about yourself and be sure to link with the attorneys you’ve worked with at the firm. You can also ask for introductions with any other attorneys you meet who may know someone in your desired field.