Patent Summer Program
As part of our continued effort to recruit, develop, and retain the best and brightest lawyers, Cooley offers a patent summer program for entrepreneurial law school students who thrive at the intersection of discovery, creativity, business and law, allowing them to train as associates in our patent counseling and prosecution practice. With a global patent team of 100+ lawyers and professionals, we provide patent counsel to 1,000+ companies worldwide – ranging from innovative startups to industry leaders. As our practice and team continue to grow, we are committed to investing in the development of new talent.
In our patent summer program, you will spend two full summers at Cooley, working with sophisticated clients on their cutting-edge technologies while being trained and mentored by our patent partners and associates. Summer associates will have the opportunity to work on all aspects of patent prosecution as well as intellectual property due diligence and litigation support. Candidates will be eligible to receive a $20,000 bonus upon joining the firm as a full-time associate.
To receive the $20,000 bonus, summer associates must:
- Spend 10 full weeks with Cooley after completing both their 1L and 2L years in law school.
- Receive and accept an offer of full-time employment and join the firm as a full-time, first-year associate.
Eligibility
We welcome applications from all law school students who:
- Are enrolled full time in an American Bar Association-accredited law school with an anticipated graduation date of 2028 at the time of application.
- Can participate in and complete Cooley’s 2026 summer program.
- Are registered as a patent agent or eligible to sit for the US Patent and Trademark Office exam and otherwise meet the requirements for registration as a patent agent.
- Are not the immediate family member of any partner or employee of Cooley LLP.
Selection criteria
We will select summer associates based on consideration of:
- Undergraduate, graduate and law school academic achievement (advanced degrees not required but strongly preferred).
- Personal achievement.
- Demonstrated leadership ability.
Application process
Applicants should submit one complete and accurate online application that includes:
- A current résumé
- An undergraduate transcript (unofficial transcripts acceptable)
- Graduate program transcripts (if applicable)
- A law school transcript (after the receipt of first-term grades)
Please note that, with the exception of the law school transcript, all the required information must be complete and attached before you can submit your application. Upon receipt of your first-term law school grades, please send a copy of your law school transcript to Laura Stanton, firmwide IP legal talent manager.
For 1L students in the 2025 – 2026 academic year, applications must be received by January 9, 2026. Selected applicants will be contacted on a rolling basis to arrange personal interviews.
Please direct questions regarding the program to Laura Stanton.