Summer associate programs are still underway at Biglaw firms across the country, but soon, for those who haven’t already been precruited, early recruitment interviews will begin for next year’s eager crop of would-be summer associates. With current summers itching to receive their offers, what better time to release Vault’s closely watched rankings for the best summer associate programs?
Hot on the heels of Vault’s rankings of the most prestigious law firms and the law firms with the best quality of life comes the career website’s ranking of the best summer associate programs in Biglaw. Junior associates (first- through third-year attorneys) who summered at their current firms were asked to rank their experiences on how much fun the program was and how well it prepared them for life at the firm through six different categories (attorney interactions, substantive assignments, training and mentoring, preparation for associate life, quality of events, and satisfaction with firm-sponsored social opportunities and social interactions). From those ratings, Vault ranked the best summer associate programs in three categories: Attorney Interactions, Career Development, and Social Experiences. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that many of the firms that made the Top 10 list for having the best quality of life made the Top 10 for having the best summer associate program.
There was once again a huge amount of movement in the Top 10 this year. Which firms made the cut? Without any further ado, here are the Top 10 Firms With the Best Summer Associate Programs based on Vault’s Annual Associate Survey for 2026:
1. O’Melveny & Myers (no change)
2. Bracewell (no change)
3. Morgan Lewis & Bockius (no change)
4. Clifford Chance (up from #6)
5. Benesch (up from #10)
6. McDermott Will & Emery (up from #9)
7. Pillsbury (up from #23)
8. Eversheds Sutherland (up from #18)
9. Vedder Price (unranked)
10. Mayer Brown (up from #39)
O’Melveny, Bracewell, Morgan Lewis, Clifford Chance US, McDermott, Eversheds, and Mayer Brown each made appearances in the Top 10 for firms with the best quality of life. Let’s give these firms a round of applause for keeping their attorneys happy from their days as summers through their days as junior associates.
Here are the Top 3 Best Summer Programs for Attorney Interactions:
O’Melveny & Myers
Bracewell
Clifford Chance US
Here are the Top 3 Best Summer Programs for Career Development:
O’Melveny & Myers
Morgan Lewis & Bockius
Benesch
Here are the Top 3 Best Summer Programs for Social Experiences:
Bracewell
O’Melveny & Myers
McDermott Will & Emery
Congratulations to all 50 of the Biglaw firms that made the latest edition of the Vault Best Summer Associate Program rankings — and an even bigger congratulations to O’Melveny for coming out on top in yet another ranking. How did your firm do? Email us, text us at (646) 820-8477, or tweet us @atlblog to let us know.
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
