Summer Associate Program

 

POSITION OPENINGS

 

Experience - Insight - Perspective

Eaton Peabody generally selects two law students each year for our summer program.  Summer associates typically will have completed their first two years of law school.  The program usually  begins on the day after Memorial Day and runs through mid-August.  Our program  is based in the Bangor office, but summer associates may have the opportunity to visit our other offices as projects require.  Our goal is to hire exceptional, intelligent, and motivated summer associates who are looking for a long-term relationship with a sophisticated legal practice in a small city setting.

The summer program is run by an experienced shareholder with the assistance of two associate mentors.  We strive to make our summer program a prime opportunity for our summer associates to gain valuable legal experience, obtain insight into a career at Eaton Peabody, and develop perspective on working and living in our communities. 

Get Experience

Our summer associates are exposed to all practice areas during their summer at Eaton Peabody, and are encouraged to get actively involved in the practice of law by attending hearings, trials, depositions, closings, and client meetings.  While research and writing are an integral part of the experience, we encourage our summer associates to get beyond writing legal memoranda by providing opportunities to draft a spectrum of legal documents from complaints, summary judgment motions and trial briefs, to contracts, deeds and trusts. 

In order to promote a diverse experience and maximize exposure to each of our practice groups, our summer associates divide their summer among different practice groups.  While we strive to provide some experience in each department, we also try to provide additional focus on those areas of particular interest to our summer associates.

Feedback is both formal and informal, with written evaluations for each project.  An open door policy allows supervising attorneys the ability to provide oral feedback, direction and focus for assignments. 

Gain Insight

Our summer associates are exposed to values, such as client service and commitment to community, that are foundations of the Eaton Peabody experience. Our summer associates have the opportunity to work alongside senior shareholders on projects and to develop personal relationships through casual social functions and weekly lunches.  These activities foster opportunities for comfortable conversation and development of insight into what makes Eaton Peabody one of Maine’s top firms. 

Grow Perspective

Quality of life is high in the communities in which we practice and is important to us.  That is why we are here.  It’s a great place to live, work and play.  We look for attorneys willing to make a commitment to developing their careers but who also are interested in living in safe, caring communities surrounded by an unsurpassed natural environment.  The summer associate program provides ample opportunity to experience the most beautiful areas of our state and to get a real feel for life in Maine.  Firm social gatherings are held on a regular basis at attorneys’ homes.  Summer associates are encouraged to attend cultural events including art exhibitions, evenings at the Penobscot Theatre, and the American Folk Festival. 

There also is ample opportunity to explore the abundant outdoor recreational opportunities for which Maine is famous.  Our summer associates usually spend a day sailing on nearby Penobscot Bay.  Acadia National Park, Mt. Katahdin and the lakes and rivers that surround us all are readily accessible. We encourage our summer associates to take advantage of time outside the office to explore the natural beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities that abound in Maine. Whether your inclination leans towards hiking, sailing, camping, canoeing, fishing or biking, it’s all here. 

Our Recruitment Coordinator, Margaret Sudborough, can assist summer associates to locate housing.  With several colleges and the University of Maine close by, seasonal rentals are not difficult to obtain.  Resumes for summer associates are accepted from late summer through late fall for the following summer.  Students unable to participate in on-campus interviews are encouraged to contact us directly and to arrange interviews in the Bangor office.

Recruiting Schedule

University of Maine New Hampshire Job Fair Massachusetts Law School Consortium

Fall, 2009 Fall, 2009 Fall, 2009

Life in the Bangor Region

Bangor is situated in the heart of Maine, within easy reach of both the seacoast and world renowned Acadia National Park, as well as the wilderness areas of northern Maine.  Outdoor recreation is central to life in our area, and opportunities abound.  Whether it is hiking or swimming in Acadia National Park, white water rafting on some of the most challenging rivers in the East, sailing on Penobscot Bay, skiing or snowboarding, or just relaxing alongside one of our dozens of clean lakes, our area offers unparalleled opportunity for safe, fun outdoor activity in some of the most unspoiled areas in the United States.

“I have worked in a number of cities throughout New England, and I consider the greater Bangor area to be the ideal place to live and work. The people who choose to live here are passionately dedicated to the success of this community, and devote themselves to numerous charitable endeavors to sustain the quality of life that residents have enjoyed for generations. It is fair to say that the people here are as much family as they are friends and neighbors.” – John Canders

Although Bangor maintains the feel of a close knit community, as the service center for a broad geographic region it offers amenities usually found only in much larger communities.  The University of Maine campus, home to over 12,000 students, is located in nearby Orono and offers all of the cultural and recreational opportunities associated with a major state university.  Husson University, with over 2,500 students, is located in Bangor and is a vibrant and growing contributor to our community. The local arts scene includes a major performing arts center, the oldest continuously operating community symphony in the country, a professional theater, the largest children’s museum north of Boston, an art museum and a local history museum. The recently redeveloped waterfront is home to the annual American Folk Festival held each year in late August. 

Local public schools are safe and rate among the top schools in the state.  Bangor is home to a large tertiary care medical center, a full service airport, and shopping malls.  Fusion Bangor, an active local association of young professionals, offers great social and networking opportunities.

We encourage you to take a few minutes to browse the following links:

Education

City of Bangor
Bangor School System
John Bapst Memorial High School
University of Maine
Husson University

Culture

Bangor Symphony
Penobscot Theatre Company
Collins Center for the Arts
University of Maine Museum of Art
Bangor Museum and Center for History
Maine Discovery Museum
American Folk Festival
Challenger Learning Center of Maine

Outdoor Recreation

Acadia National Park
Baxter State Park
North Maine Woods