Kirkland Brings in its Largest Miami Summer Class Yet, and Expects Even More in 2027

In this article for the Daily Business Review, Jeremy Liss discusses the continued growth of Kirkland & Ellis' Miami summer associate program and the firm's efforts to attract top law students with Wall Street-caliber training and experience in Miami. Our Miami office has more than doubled the size of its summer associate class since we first welcomed law students in 2023, and we expect an even larger class next summer.

Kirkland & Ellis has more than doubled the size of its summer associate class in Miami since it first hosted law school students in the Magic City in 2023, and it expects an even larger class in 2027.

This summer’s class of 21 includes 14 associates in corporate and two in litigation, as well as—for the first time—five in restructuring. Next year the firm expects to have 34 summer associates in the Miami office.

In 2023, the firm hosted eight summer associates—all in corporate. That figure has steadily grown, with nine the following year and 13 last summer.

“Kirkland’s Miami office offers associates the same Wall Street-level platform, training and experience as our offices in New York and other major markets. Our associates are staffed on the same matters, work with the same clients and collaborate with partners across the firm—not just within Miami—ensuring they receive the same broad-based experience and development opportunities as their peers throughout Kirkland," said Jeremy Liss, a partner in Kirkland's Miami office.

The firm said it has an 85% offer acceptance rate and did not receive any declines for another firm’s Miami office.

"We have found it to be an incredibly attractive opportunity for talented law students who want top-tier training and sophisticated, high-level work while also having the opportunity to live in a vibrant, fast growing city with a warm weather lifestyle,” Liss added.

For the first time, Kirkland is offering a four-week summer experience for 1Ls who have committed to joining the firm for their 2L summer in 2027. Because the recruiting timeline has moved up to the first-semester of law students’ 1L year, the experience allows them to explore practice areas during their first summer, according to the firm.

Students will learn about all the groups in the office through a comprehensive training curriculum, have opportunities to shadow attorneys to learn their day-to-day, and get to know our attorneys at networking events and meals. This flexibility offers law students the chance to make a more informed decision about their practice area of focus for their 2L summer at Kirkland.


In addition to the classic 10-week program, the firm is focusing on both the frequency and quality of touch points for its summer associates with its office partners. 2Ls are invited to meals with partners throughout the summer and also attend various fireside chat panels where they learn about their career trajectories and receive candid advice from firm and office leadership.

The firm noted that while it has the largest summer associate program in Miami, it's also an exclusive opportunity and hired 11% of those who applied.

The firm does not require a preexisting connection to Miami to be a part of the program, and a firm representative said it has a 50/50 split between native Floridians and students who wanted to relocate to Florida for the Miami lifestyle while receiving a Wall Street experience.

The summer class includes representatives from 13 law schools, including most of the T14 as well as members of top 10% of the classes at the University of Florida and University of Miami’s law schools.