Wachtell Lipton 2028 summer associate application guide

For
2028 summer associates
Sources
14 cited

Applying to Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz for the 2028 summer associate program? Check your resume against a Wachtell-style screen below, then read when the portal opens and closes, what to send, when to apply through your school and what Wachtell looks for.

A law student working on a laptop at a window table in a quiet law school cafe on a December evening, snow falling outside, a printed resume and an unofficial transcript beside the laptop.
Wachtell's direct application portal for the 2028 summer program opens on Dec 1, 2026 and asks only for a resume and a law school transcript.

Key facts

  • When it opens: Wachtell's direct application portal for the 2028 summer associate program opens on Dec 1, 2026.1,2
  • Deadline: Applications close in early February 2027; the firm page and the posting header give Feb 6.1,2
  • Documents: A resume and your law school transcript, when available. An unofficial copy is acceptable.1,2
  • How to apply: If Wachtell is in a career services recruiting program at your law school, apply through that program. Students at other schools apply through the portal.2,3
  • Review: Final review may wait until your completed first-semester transcript is in.1,2
  • Class size: The 2026 summer class was 32, all in New York: 31 2Ls and one 1L. In 2025, all 31 2L summers received offers.4,5
  • What they look for: Strong academic records, meaningful work experience, and people who are highly motivated and eager to contribute.1,2
  • Pay: Summer associates are paid $4,425 a week, over a program of about 11 weeks.4,5

The close date differs by a day between sources: the firm's page and the posting header say Feb 6, while the posting text says Feb 5. Apply well before either.1,2

Check your resume before you apply

Summer Associate at Wachtell Lipton

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Read against the Summer Associate role at Wachtell Lipton, the way the first screen reads it.

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What the Wachtell Lipton online application looks like

  1. Check whether Wachtell comes to your school

    Wachtell asks students to sign up to see it on campus where it recruits, and to apply through a career services recruiting program if it takes part in one at their school. Everyone else applies through the direct portal. Most of its associates were once its summer associates, so the summer program is the main way in.2,3

  2. Apply when the portal opens

    The direct portal for the 2028 program opens on Dec 1, 2026 and closes in early February 2027. The market moves early around it: in the 2025 cycle (summer 2026), 85% of 2L summer offers went out before July.1,2,8,9

  3. Send two documents

    Wachtell asks for a resume and your law school transcript, when available; an unofficial copy is fine. Because the list is short, the resume carries the weight. Have a 5 to 10 page writing sample ready anyway, in case an interviewer asks for one.1,2,14

  4. Get your grades in

    Final review may wait until your completed first-semester transcript is in, so upload fall grades the day your school releases them. Wachtell looks first for strong academic records, and grades and law review experience are what get candidates in the door.1,7

  5. Know what the summer is

    The summer is in New York, for about 11 weeks, and mirrors a new associate's work: negotiations, client meetings, courtroom and deposition sessions and drafting. Summers rank their practice preferences and rotate through three or four practice areas.1,4

What the application asks

Route One
Your school's career services program if Wachtell takes part in it; otherwise the direct portal.
Resume Required
One page, law school first.
Law school transcript Required
When available; an unofficial copy is acceptable.
Fall grades Before final review
Review may wait for your completed first-semester transcript.
Writing sample Have one ready
Not listed; keep a 5 to 10 page sample in case it is asked for.

The route, documents and review timing come from Wachtell's own pages and posting. The writing sample line is our reading of law school guidance.1,2,3,14

Wachtell resume checklist

  • One page, saved as a PDF, in a 10 to 12 point font.
  • Law school first, written as "J.D. Candidate, May 2029", then your college and degree.
  • A law GPA only in the exact form your school allows, never rounded, once you have one.
  • Journals, legal writing and research under law school, with your role.
  • Work experience newest first, each bullet starting with a verb and saying what you did.
  • Every line one you can discuss in depth.
  • Your law school transcript ready; an unofficial copy is fine.
  • Fall grades uploaded the day they are out: final review may wait for them.

What to put on it

With only a resume and a transcript in the file, every line of the resume will be read. A law resume keeps to one page with law school first. The examples below are Intervyo rewrites of common 1L lines, not questions from the form.1,12,13

  • Education: Law school first, then college: J.D. Candidate with the month and year, honors and activities under each school.
  • Experience: Meaningful work experience, newest first, each bullet saying what you did yourself.
  • Writing and journals: Legal writing, journals and research, since grades and law review open doors at Wachtell.
  • Languages and interests: Fluency levels and a few specific interests, so interviewers have something to ask about.

Example questions and how to answer them

Education line"Rewrite this education line: "Harvard Law, JD 2029.""12,13,1
  1. 1Law school name and city on the first line.
  2. 2Write the degree as "J.D. Candidate" with the month and year.
  3. 3Add a GPA only in the exact form your school allows, never rounded.
  4. 4Put honors, journals and activities under the school.

Tip: Applying in December means fall grades may not be out yet. Wachtell expects that: final review may wait for your first-semester transcript.

Example answer, written by Intervyo (not a real candidate)

Intervyo example.

Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA J.D. Candidate, May 2029 Activities: Harvard Business Law Review (1L subciter); Mergers and Acquisitions Society

Princeton University, Princeton, NJ A.B. in Economics, summa cum laude, May 2024

Experience bullet"Rewrite this bullet: "Analyst at an investment bank.""1,6
  1. 1Start with a verb for what you did yourself.
  2. 2Name the deal type and your part of it.
  3. 3Give scale with a number you can stand behind.
  4. 4End with what your work fed into.

Tip: Wachtell looks for meaningful work experience, and its interviews ask substantive legal questions, so pick deal bullets you can explain in detail.

Example answer, written by Intervyo (not a real candidate)

Intervyo example.

Built the merger model and drafted the board presentation for a $2.1B public take-private as one of two analysts; ran the fairness analysis sensitivities the board reviewed.

Writing and journals"Rewrite this 1L line: "Legal Research and Writing.""7,12
  1. 1Name the assignment and the issue.
  2. 2Say what you wrote and how long it was.
  3. 3Add any recognition or selection.
  4. 4Keep it to one line.

Tip: Grades and law review experience get candidates in the door at Wachtell, and the ability to discuss legal issues gets them hired. A writing line gives an interviewer a legal issue to ask you about.

Example answer, written by Intervyo (not a real candidate)

Intervyo example.

Legal Writing: drafted a 12-page appellate brief on Delaware fiduciary duties in a controlling-stockholder merger; selected for the section's best-brief round.

Languages and interests"Rewrite this interests line: "Chess, travel, history.""12
  1. 1Be specific enough that someone could ask a real question.
  2. 2Pick two or three you could talk about for a minute.
  3. 3Put languages with fluency on their own line.

Example answer, written by Intervyo (not a real candidate)

Intervyo example.

Languages: French (fluent), Hebrew (conversational) Interests: Tournament chess (rated 1900), Civil War battlefields, New York public housing history

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How long to hear back after the online application

Wachtell opens its portal on Dec 1, 2026 and closes it in early February 2027. Final review of an application may wait until your first-semester transcript is in.1,2

  1. 2025 (summer 2025 class)

    Wachtell summer program

    All 31 2L summer associates received offers.5

  2. 2025 (summer 2026)

    All firms, NALP survey

    85% of 2L summer offers went out before July. May 2025 was the busiest month at 36%, then June at 29%.8

  3. Summer 2026

    Wachtell summer class

    32 summer associates in New York: 31 2Ls and one 1L.4

  4. Dec 1, 2026 (summer 2028)

    Wachtell

    The direct application portal opens.1,2

  5. Jan 8 to 13, 2027 (summer 2028)

    Harvard Early Interview Program

    A virtual program for private sector employers, for the Class of 2029's 2L summer jobs.11

  6. Feb 6, 2027 (summer 2028)

    Wachtell

    Applications close.1,2

Wachtell's hiring partners act as a committee, so expect one firm decision rather than a single interviewer's call.6

Best guessApply in the first week of December and upload fall grades as soon as they are out. Expect interviews from December to February and decisions from January 2027.

What happens after the online application

  1. Online application or school programYou are here

    This page. A resume and law school transcript, through your school's program or the direct portal from Dec 1, 2026.1,2

  2. Screening and callback interviews

    Interviews with Wachtell lawyers, with substantive legal questions along the way.6,7

  3. Offer

    Decided by committee, once your first-semester transcript is in.6,1

School program vs direct portal

Wachtell asks students at schools where it recruits to go through the school program. Everyone else uses the portal.

Who

Through your school

Students at schools where Wachtell takes part in a career services recruiting program.2

Direct portal

Students from other law schools.2

How

Through your school

Sign up through your career office to see Wachtell on campus.3

Direct portal

Submit a resume and law school transcript online.1,2

When

Through your school

On your school's program dates.2,10

Direct portal

From Dec 1, 2026 to early February 2027.1,2

Grades

Through your school

Your school's program may pass your transcript to firms itself, at the time of the interview.10

Direct portal

Upload fall grades yourself; final review may wait for them.1

2028 summer associate status

Summers rotate through three or four practice areas based on their stated interests, and at the end of the summer they receive offers to join in corporate, litigation or a smaller practice area.4

FAQ

When does the Wachtell 2028 summer application open?

The direct application portal opens on Dec 1, 2026 and closes in early February 2027; the firm's page gives Feb 6.1,2

What does Wachtell ask for?

A resume and your law school transcript, when available. An unofficial transcript is acceptable.1,2

Should I apply through my school or the portal?

If Wachtell takes part in a career services recruiting program at your law school, apply through that. Students at other schools use the direct portal.2,3

Does Wachtell hire 1Ls?

Rarely. Wachtell's current summer page is for its 2L program; the 2026 class had one 1L among 32 summers, and Vault lists 1L hiring as case by case.1,4,5

Where is the Wachtell summer program?

New York only. All 32 summer associates in 2026 were in the New York office.4,5

What does Wachtell look for?

Strong academic records, meaningful work experience and high motivation. Wachtell looks for outstanding grades, mainly from T14 schools, and asks substantive legal questions at interview.1,6

How much do Wachtell summer associates earn?

$4,425 a week, over a program of about 11 weeks.4,5

Online application at other firms

Sources

Firm pages first, then dated candidate reports. Last checked Nov 4, 2026.

  1. 1Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz: 2L Summer Associate Program
  2. 2Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (Flo Recruit): 2028 2L Summer Associate
  3. 3Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz: Associates
  4. 4Flo Recruit: Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz firm profile (updated Oct 2026)
  5. 5Vault: Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz: Summer Law Program · prep site
  6. 6Vault: Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz: Company Reviews · prep site
  7. 7Vault: Hiring Insights from Attorneys at the Most Selective Law Firms (Aug 2018) · prep site
  8. 8NALP: Law Student Recruiting Moves Earlier as Employer-Sponsored Hiring Expands (Jan 2026) · press
  9. 9LSAC: The History of Big Law Recruitment Timelines (Jun 2026) · press
  10. 10Berkeley Law Career Development Office: Class of 2028 2L BigLaw Recruiting · prep site
  11. 11Harvard Law School Office of Career Services: Recruiting Programs for Employers · prep site
  12. 12Penn Carey Law Career Planning & Professionalism: Do's and Don'ts for 1L Resume Writing · prep site
  13. 13Boston University School of Law Career Development Office: Resume Handbook · prep site
  14. 14Yale Law School Career Development Office: Writing Samples, References & Transcripts · prep site

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