Summer Associate – Legal

Job Description

2027 2L Summer Associate | Kutak Rock

The Tone:
This is a 6-week Summer Associate position with Kutak Rock, located in the firm’s Arkansas regional offices, specifically Northwest Arkansas or Little Rock. Kutak Rock, established in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1965, has evolved into a national law firm boasting 21 coast-to-coast offices. The firm operates with a commitment to empowering its attorneys through an entrepreneurial spirit and encourages cross-office collaborative teams. This program offers selected 2L candidates a genuine immersion into the day-to-day work performed by full-time associates, providing invaluable exposure across a wide spectrum of legal practices. Summer associates will contribute meaningfully to a leading business law firm that offers comprehensive legal services to corporate clients in a wide variety of industries, focusing on business and corporate law, public finance, litigation, and real estate law.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: 6-week program, available either mid-May through end of June or early July through mid-August. This is a fully on-site position, five days a week with typical hours from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM CST.
• Location: In-person, Arkansas, with options for Northwest Arkansas or Little Rock offices.
• Team: Will work collaboratively with attorneys in the Kutak Rock Arkansas offices, engaging with various practice groups including corporate and real estate, healthcare, litigation, public finance, and tax.
• Mission: To gain practical legal experience by assisting attorneys with substantive legal tasks, from research and drafting to observing real-world legal proceedings, reflecting the work of a full-time associate.

What You’ll Actually Do
• Legal Research: Conduct in-depth research projects covering diverse legal topics relevant to corporate and real estate transactions, healthcare transactions and regulatory compliance, general and complex civil litigation, public finance, and tax law.
• Client Communication Drafting: Draft client memoranda that synthesize research findings and provide clear legal analysis, contributing to client-facing work products.
• Litigation Document Preparation: Assist in preparing a variety of litigation-focused documents, gaining exposure to the procedural aspects of civil litigation.
• Contract Drafting and Review: Support attorneys in the drafting and review of contracts related to corporate and real estate matters, understanding transactional legal work.
• Professional Observation: Participate in experiences such as attending mediations, court hearings, and depositions whenever possible, offering direct insight into legal proceedings and client interactions.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Must be a current 2L (second-year law student) applying for a Summer Associate position in 2027. Applicants should be prepared to indicate their preferred location (Northwest Arkansas or Little Rock) and the reasons for their interest in their cover letter.
• Experience: No specific years of prior professional legal experience are mandated, as this program is designed to provide foundational experience for 2L students.
• Skills: Demonstrated proficiency in legal research, strong legal writing and drafting capabilities for producing memoranda, litigation documents, and contracts, along with analytical skills to understand and apply legal principles. Applicants must include their GPA and Class Rank in their resume and provide a writing sample.