Summer Associates

Interested in applying to our summer program?

Email Kingsley Smith your resume, transcript, and a writing sample to .

“What sets your firm apart is that your baby lawyers are expected very early on to be in court. Being in court does not get taught in books, requires the ability to think on your feet, and necessitates an ability to convey confidence in the face of bad facts/bad law. Any lawyer that gets through your vetting process is clearly smart. ”
– Former Harris County State District Judge on new AZA lawyers

AZA summer associates can expect to get a substantial taste of what it is like to work with our team of trial lawyers. We strive to make this summer clerkship as close to a working lawyer experience as possible. Just as our new lawyers can expect a meaningful role in at least one bona fide trial in their first year with us, our summer associates can expect to witness at least one courtroom session or deposition. Summer associates will work on real motions and briefs. And they will participate in mock arguments before former judges who will decide a winner. We want our summer associates to get real exposure to our legal work to see if our kind of trial-ready practice is one where you will excel. AZA seeks summer associates who know they want to be real trial lawyers, exhibit initiative and yearn for a jury trial within their first 12 months in practice.

AZA is ranked by the go-to career guide Vault for 2024 among the nation’s top 12 midsize law firms to work for and among the top 10 midsize firms in Texas, based on surveys of law firm associates. The trial firm ranked No. 1 nationwide among midsize firms for compensation, No. 4 for career outlook, No. 6 for quality of work, and No. 8 for diversity and satisfaction. The firm also ranked in the top 10 for selectivity, firm culture, and for training and mentorship. Among all midsize law firms nationally, AZA ranked No. 11.

Associates who were surveyed praised AZA for the caliber of their colleagues, “the level of responsibility” and the “trial experience” provided to associates. Other qualities of the firm that were highly rated included firm culture, career outlook, compensation, hours and associate/partner relations.

Here are some of the associates’ comments on specific characteristics of the firm:

  • On quality of work – “There is nowhere to get more ownership or front-line experience than this firm.”
  • On firm culture – “There are virtually no firm politics at AZA. The culture is all about finding the most practical, cost-efficient way to deliver a win for the client. There are virtually never fights over ‘turf’ or who gets credit for a big win.”
  • On satisfaction – “Plenty of responsibility at all levels for high-stakes litigation.”
  • On associate/partner relations – “The mentality is that if you work the case up and know the case, you’ve earned the opportunity to do the fun things that made you be a lawyer.”

 

Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing LLC
1221 McKinney, Suite 2500
Houston, Texas 77010
Phone (713) 655-1101

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