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Law360 (May 4, 2020, 8:15 PM EDT) -- Nixon Peabody LLP confirmed Monday that it has canceled its 2020 summer associate program, and was the first firm to do so without also promising to extend job offers to the second-year law students affected.
Although the firm said it planned to offer first-year law students who were selected as summer associates a spot in the program in 2021, it did not follow in the footsteps of the other firms that have taken the same step and assured 2L summer associates that they would receive job offers after graduation.
Nixon Peabody will offer summer associates a $5,000 stipend, a firm representative said.
The firm has also deferred the start date of its incoming 2020 first-year associates "until we can better anticipate future client needs," the representative said. Those deferred associates will receive $10,000 salary advances, according to the firm.
In addition to Nixon Peabody, Ropes & Gray LLP, Latham & Watkins LLP and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati also confirmed adjustments to their summer associate programs on Monday.
Ropes & Gray will host a shortened, five-week program starting on July 6 and will pay associates their full expected salary, according to a firm spokesperson. The program will be entirely virtual, but will include "a robust program of briefings and trainings" to give participants a sense of life at the firm, the spokesperson said.
The firm will also help interested associates find pro-bono projects with community organizations to fill the spare weeks, according to the spokesperson.
Meanwhile, Latham & Watkins announced that its program would run for eight weeks, starting on June 1, and would be entirely virtual. The firm also said it would honor its "full financial commitment" to program participants.
"During these unprecedented times, we are taking advantage of Latham's advanced digital tools and technologies to ensure a rewarding program filled with meaningful experiences and virtual exposure to the firm's people, work, and culture — all while safeguarding the health, safety, and well-being of all of our colleagues," Abid R. Qureshi, chair of Latham's global recruiting committee, said in a statement.
Wilson Sonsini, which previously said it would shorten its program, confirmed Monday that it has decided to hold the program virtually.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, firms have been making adjustments to their summer associate programs, with most opting for shorter, virtual programs.
However, Arent Fox LLP, Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, Greenberg Traurig LLP, Pepper Hamilton LLP, Schiff Hardin LLP and Troutman Sanders LLP have either canceled or suspended this year's program. Aside from Nixon Peabody, all the firms nixing the 2020 program have also promised to provide job offers to the second-year students who would have participated.
--Editing by Amy Rowe.
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