Cozen O’Connor Named to America’s Most Loved Workplaces Again
This is the third year in a row Cozen O’Connor has been named to this list and is the only AmLaw 100 law firm on it. To learn more, click here.
Thank you for your interest in career opportunities with Cozen O'Connor.
First year law students – 1Ls
We are no longer accepting applications for 1L students for the 2024 Summer Associate Program.
Second year law students – 2Ls
Effective June 28, 2024, we are no longer accepting applications for 2L summer associate candidates for the 2025 summer program. Please do not send an application by email to the recruiting team after June 28.
Third year law students – 3Ls
We are not currently hiring for 2024 entry level positions. If our needs change, we will post for an open position on the careers section of our website. Please consider Cozen O'Connor for future opportunities.
For new attorneys deciding where to begin their careers, here is a suggestion: think about where you would like to be 10 years from now.
After a decade of practicing law, you will have accumulated a great deal of experience. But what kind of experiences will you have had? Will you have reviewed countless documents for key words, stood in the hallway during high-level negotiations, worked under the watchful eye of dozens of supervisors, and been kept as far from actual clients as possible? Or, will you have engaged in substantive legal research and writing, been given independent responsibility for key tasks, formed direct relationships with clients, and participated in critical strategic discussions?
The types of experiences you have will be dictated in large part by what law firm you join. The firm will determine what kinds of matters you see, the role you play, the level of responsibility you are given, and the access you have to senior attorneys and clients. If you want to wake up 10 years from now and find you have the requisite experience to start leading major transactions, running litigation, and giving direct high-level advice, then you should consider joining Cozen O’Connor.
Cozen O’Connor is an expanding, entrepreneurial firm. In just five decades, we have grown from a dozen attorneys in Philadelphia to an Am Law 100 firm with over 850 attorneys in 32 offices across two continents. During the recent recession, when many prestigious Am Law 100 firms were laying off associates and shrinking summer programs, Cozen O’Connor continued to expand. We attribute this growth to smart business planning and continual investment in the firm’s single greatest resource: our people.
For new attorneys, that investment takes several forms. First, it means giving associates access to excellent formal training and educational programs. We believe our law firm must serve as a practical extension of law school, so we help recent graduates apply theoretical concepts to real-world situations. Second, it means providing mentoring and professional support. Our attorneys primarily work in small, matter-specific teams that each operate with a high degree of autonomy. This allows new attorneys the opportunity to work closely with senior lawyers from day one and facilitates development of the kind of organic mentoring relationships that have been shown time and again to be the most valuable.
Our investment also extends to allowing new attorneys to have real responsibility as soon as possible. We are able to provide more substantive work to our young attorneys earlier than many other Am Law 100 firms in part because of the kinds of clients that we serve. In addition to Fortune 500s and blue chips, Cozen O’Connor represents a large number of entrepreneurs, startups, closely held enterprises, and mid-sized companies. These clients tend to have smaller in-house legal staff, so there is more legal work appropriate for new attorneys.
Cozen O’Connor’s national pro bono program opens paths for new lawyers to accrue hands-on legal and managerial experience. At our firm, participation in pro bono work isn’t something we begrudgingly allow, it is something we actively encourage. We know that our clients and our firm benefit from having attorneys who are unafraid to take on controversial matters, who are engaged in civic affairs, and who feel a genuine commitment to public service.
Finally, the culture at Cozen O’Connor is one that promises new attorneys a fulfilling professional experience. To be clear, this is a hard-charging, fast-paced firm. We work long hours for demanding clients. The stakes are high, and excellent results are a must. But we know people do their best work when they are treated with fairness and respect. We go out of our way to recognize the contributions of our youngest attorneys and embrace the energy, creativity and intelligence they bring to this firm.